Histamine Overload during the Holidays

Histamine is a key chemical responsible for telling the immune system that it is under threat. The signal causes the immune system to come to our defense, attacking the foreign agent and protecting us from damage. 

These foreigners could be allergens like pollen, grasses, viruses, and even some bacteria that are naturally found on fermented foods, such as the delicious brie you may be indulging in on the French Riviera, pickles, and smoked meats on your Tapa’s board in Spain, or even that delicious chocolate that Switzerland is so famous for. 

 

When you have gene variations related to the breakdown of histamine, it means you are not very good at switching off the chemical signal. If this occurs for a prolonged period, you could feel very unwell and inflamed and have headaches (or worse, migraine). Symptoms like allergies may make you feel like anything you touch or eat causes your symptoms to worsen. 

Sadly, when we go on holiday, our “histamine overload pathway” doesn’t stay home! But we can do a lot to help minimize the impact that holiday indulgences in food, alcohol and perhaps even pollen, “of lands not so familiar”, will have on our histamine response and how we manage it.

Foods that are naturally good at breaking histamine down, generally are high in nutrients that support these enzymes to work. So instead of being restrictive on holiday – “when in Rome, do as the Romans do” make sure you get a daily serving of those foods that are going to help you to enjoy your time out and not create memories of an unpleasant ilk.

Foods containing the phytochemicals luteolin, quercetin, and kaempferol help lower the production of histamine. These are found in dill, oregano, onions, thyme, green bell peppers, apples, capers, green beans, and juniper berries.

If you feel that you are already loaded and need some support in breaking down the histamine to alleviate your symptoms, try adding some of these foods to your meals—the more, the merrier. Basil, rosemary, broccoli, cabbage, figs, grapes, mango, coconut, berries, egg yolks, poultry, and lamb all contain nutrients that support the enzymes needed to break down histamine.  

If desperate times call for desperate measures, you can always bring out the “big guns” and take a quercetin supplement or even pop to the local drug store for a multivitamin that has B6, B12, and some vitamin C in it. Even more potent may be to take some wild oregano oil—but hey, if you are traveling in Italy, oregano is plentiful; just make sure you eat local. 

Don’t let histamine overload ruin your holiday. Know your genes , know your solution.