Happy gut, happy allergies: 7 natural anti-histamine remedies

Have you ever experienced seasonal allergies, hives, or food sensitivities? Then, you must be familiar with the effects of histamines – those pesky chemicals your body releases in response to allergens. Histamines are essential for your immunity, but too much histamine can cause discomfort and unwanted symptoms.

Your gut microbiome regulates your immune system and mast cell activation, a key trigger for histamine release.¹ Mast cells are a type of immune cells found in various tissues throughout your body – skin, lungs, and digestive tract.² When mast cells detect an invader, they release histamines and other chemicals to help your body fight it off.³ A balanced, healthy gut helps control mast cell activation, reducing allergic reactions. If your gut is out of balance, mast cells can become overactive and release too much histamine. This can lead to histamine intolerance and symptoms like itching, swelling, headaches, and digestive issues.⁴ Read more about it here: Everything you need to know about histamine – and how to handle it!

How to reduce histamine naturally?

The good news! There are natural ways to manage histamine levels, reduce mast cell activation and support gut health.

1. Incorporate anti-histamine foods

Certain foods act as anti-histamines and also provide fibres and nutrients for your probiotics, helping these beneficial bacteria thrive.

Quercetin-rich foods: Quercetin, a powerful antioxidant, stabilises mast cells and prevents them from releasing histamines. You can find quercetin in apples, onions, berries, red grapes, broccoli, capers, leafy greens, and certain teas, all of which are also great for gut health.⁵⁶
Vitamin C: This essential vitamin can help break down histamine and reduce its levels in your body.⁷ Citrus fruits, strawberries, bell peppers, and broccoli are all excellent sources of vitamin C and fibre.⁸
Bromelain: Bromelain is an enzyme with anti-inflammatory and antiallergic effects.⁹ You can find it in pineapple, and it also aids with digestion.
Turmeric: Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties, reduces mast cell activation, and promotes gut health.¹⁰ It’s also known as the golden spice!

2. Avoid high-histamine foods

If you’re prone to histamine intolerance, it’s wise to avoid foods that are high in histamines and histamine-releasing foods:¹¹¹²

Fermented foods like sauerkraut, yogurt, and kimchi
Aged cheeses and cured meats
Alcohol, especially red wine and beer
Vinegar-containing foods like pickles and salad dressings
Certain fish including mackerel, tuna, and sardines
Shellfish, i.e. shrimp, lobster and crab

There are also histamine-releasing foods that don’t contain histamine but can trigger mast cells to release histamine: citrus fruits, tomatoes, cocoa powder, nuts (walnuts, cashews, peanuts, pine nuts), spinach, and other leafy greens. Reducing your intake of these foods can help keep your gut and histamine levels in check.

If you want to include probiotics naturally with fermented foods, like our goat’s kefir, but don’t want to increase your histamine levels, start with just 1 tablespoon and increase slowly to avoid symptoms. If you find that our goat milk kefir (27 strains) is too strong for you, we recommend that you start with a tablet probiotic, which is much less powerful. Once you have improved your gut health, you may find that you are able to graduate back up to milk kefir over time.

3. Support gut health

A healthy gut is essential for managing histamine levels, as certain gut bacteria break down histamine. You can support gut health by:

Take probiotics: Certain strains of probiotics can help break down histamine and reduce allergic responses.¹³
Eat prebiotics: Prebiotic fibres in whole foods feed the beneficial bacteria in your gut, promoting a balanced microbiome. Include diverse vegetables, fruits, legumes, pulses, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.
Limit processed foods: Ultra-processed foods can disrupt gut health and increase allergic symptoms.¹⁴ Try to stick to whole, unprocessed foods as much as possible.

4. Consider natural supplements

Quercetin supplements: Apart from getting quercetin from food, you can take it in supplement form to help stabilise mast cells and prevent histamine release.
Stinging nettle: This herb has natural anti-histamine properties and you can take it as a tea or supplement.¹⁵
DAO supplements: Diamine oxidase (DAO) is an enzyme that breaks down histamine in your gut. DAO supplements before meals can help prevent histamine intolerance symptoms and support gut health.¹⁶

5. Manage stress

Stress is a known trigger for mast cell activation and can negatively impact your gut and microbiome health.¹⁷ Incorporating stress-reduction techniques into your daily routine can help keep mast cells calm and support a healthy gut. Consider activities like:

Meditation or deep breathing exercises
Regular physical activity
Spend time in nature
Socialise and spend time with loved ones or a pet
Practicing mindfulness or yoga
Prioritise sleep
Try our Ashwagandha tincture, an adaptogenic herb that reduces your stress hormones, e.g. cortisol, and helps your body deal with stress. Source it here.

Read this article for more ideas on how to manage stress: Calm the chaos: 9 tips for coping with stress

6. Stay hydrated

Drinking plenty of water is essential for overall health, including gut health and reducing histamine levels. Histamine is more likely to build up in your system when you’re dehydrated, so drink at least 2 litres of water throughout the day.

7. Get enough sleep

Adequate sleep is crucial for regulating your immune system, supporting gut health, and reducing inflammation. Poor sleep and disruptions in your circadian clock can lead to mast cell activation and worsening of allergic symptoms.¹⁸ Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night to keep your mast cells and gut in balance.

By prioritising gut health and natural remedies, you can manage histamine levels, stabilise mast cells, and improve overall health. Always consult a healthcare provider before starting new supplements, especially if you have any health conditions or take medications that might interact.

Check out Allergies? Here’s what happens inside your system – and what to do about it!!

Questions? Feel free to contact us on live chat (weekdays from 8am to 8pm) to speak to one of our nutritional therapists.

Happy gut, happy allergies: 7 natural anti-histamine remedies

How to reduce histamine naturally?

1. Incorporate anti-histamine foods

2. Avoid high-histamine foods

3. Support gut health

4. Consider natural supplements

5. Manage stress

6. Stay hydrated

7. Get enough sleep

References

Questions? Talk to a Nutritional Therapist on live chat!

More from The Gut Health Express

As Featured In