My HI Journey
When I first heard about Histamine Intolerance (HI), I wasn’t sure it was even real. I knew histamine as something connected to allergies, but no one had explained how food could play a role. Over time, I discovered that HI is very real, and it explained so many of the strange reactions I’d had, headaches after wine, bloating from aged cheese, itchy skin after a “healthy” meal.
Histamine Intolerance happens when your body struggles to break down histamine, a natural compound found in foods and also produced during digestion and immune responses. Normally, an enzyme called DAO (diamine oxidase) helps break histamine down. But when that system gets overloaded, or when DAO levels are low, histamine builds up and causes symptoms. In my case, blood tests showed high DAO levels, which means my body is working overtime to clear excess histamine. This rise reflects histamine overload, and it explains why I still experience flare-ups whenever I eat foods high in histamine.
The signs can vary from person to person, but some of the common ones include: digestive problems like bloating and cramps, skin rashes or hives, headaches and migraines, a racing heart, or even trouble sleeping. At first, my symptoms seemed like typical IBS, but I began to notice they were consistently worse after eating certain foods, especially those that were fermented or aged.
High-histamine foods are everywhere: wine, aged cheese, cured meats, tomatoes, spinach, and even some fish. On top of that, certain foods don’t contain much histamine themselves but act as “liberators,” making your body release more. Citrus fruits are a clear trigger for me, while strawberries usually don’t cause any issues. Figuring this out felt overwhelming at first, but keeping a food diary helped me see the connections.
Diagnosis isn’t simple. There isn’t a single test for HI, so doctors usually piece it together by looking at symptoms, ruling out other conditions, and sometimes testing DAO enzyme activity. For me, it was really about noticing the consistent flare-ups and learning which foods made things worse.
Like IBS, HI isn’t life-threatening, but it can be exhausting. Managing it has meant trial and error, focusing on fresh, unprocessed foods, avoiding leftovers that build histamine, and choosing alternatives like coconut milk in my coffee instead of regular dairy or soy. Rooibos tea has become a favorite since many herbal teas, like chamomile, are high in histamine. And while it took time, I’ve learned that even small swaps can bring big relief.
The most important lesson? HI doesn’t mean giving up on food altogether. It means getting curious, paying attention, and finding balance. With patience and experimentation, I’ve been able to create meals that I enjoy and that my body can handle.
I share my story because HI is still not widely understood, and many people go years without realizing it’s behind their symptoms. By talking about it, I hope to make the journey a little less confusing for others who might be in the same place I was - looking for answers, and finally finding them.
Author: Malda Shushku
