For the last year, I’ve been deep in my wellness girl era: strength training regularly, loading my meals with protein, meditating before bed, and doing everything I was “supposed” to do to feel good in my body. But despite all of it, I still felt off. Think: daily bloating, breakouts that made me feel like a teenager again, brain fog, joint pain, and periods that came with zero chill. I chalked it up to perimenopause—until I stumbled upon something I hadn’t considered: histamine.
Everything clicked when I heard one of my favorite podcasters, Arielle Lorre, talk about her switch to a low-histamine diet. She described nearly every symptom I was experiencing—down to the bloating and emotional spiral the week before her period—and said the diet changed her life. Could histamine really be the root cause to my symptoms? Spoiler: it was.
What Is Histamine and Why Does It Matter?
You probably know histamine as the thing that gets blamed for seasonal allergies (cue the Benadryl). But histamine is actually a naturally occurring compound that plays a role in digestion, immunity, and even how your brain functions. It’s also found in a surprising number of everyday foods—especially fermented or aged foods like wine, cheese, kombucha, and soy sauce. Here’s the catch: if your body can’t break histamine down effectively (whether due to genetics, gut issues, or hormone changes), it can build up in your system and cause symptoms that look a lot like perimenopause or general burnout. In my case, it meant bloating after every meal, redness, even hives after wine, and PMS that showed up and caused unnecessary drama in my life.
Trying a Low-Histamine Diet—Without Losing My Mind
I didn’t do a full pantry purge or give up coffee and wine overnight. I started by trying a few low-histamine meals and seeing how I felt. Low-histamine meals typically avoid things like aged cheeses, cured meats, alcohol, fermented products (sauerkraut, kombucha, soy sauce), and leftovers that have sat for a while–focusing instead on fresh, minimally processed foods and freshly cooked dishes to help reduce histamine buildup. That alone was enough to notice a difference (less bloat, better mood, and skin that looked calmer within a few days). When I slipped back into my normal eating patterns (hello, leftovers, hot sauce, and bubbly), my symptoms came roaring back.
It’s hard to stick to any type of diet, especially when you have a packed social schedule. I tried this diet at the beginning of the summer, and–with dating a new guy, taking day trips, and going on wine tours–it felt impossible and actually caused more stress in the long run. So I backed off for a while and restarted my routine again when it made sense for me so I could focus on what I was eating while paying attention to my symptoms. I’ve learned low-histamine day doesn’t have to feel restrictive or boring. It’s simply choosing fresh, simple foods and ditching anything that’s aged, fermented, or processed.
What I Eat in a (Low-Histamine) Day
Here’s what a typical day looks like for me now:
- Breakfast: Warm oats with pear, flaxseed, and coconut milk
- Lunch: Grilled chicken, roasted sweet potatoes, and sautéed zucchini
- Snack: Rice cakes with sunflower seed butter and banana
- Dinner: Baked cod with steamed broccoli and jasmine rice
No leftovers, no wine (I know, I miss her too), and lots of fresh, calming ingredients.
My Results
After a few weeks of mostly sticking to low-histamine meals, I felt like someone had finally turned the volume down on all my symptoms. I felt clear. I had energy again. My period came and went without the usual rollercoaster of emotions and discomfort. But maybe more importantly, I stopped blaming myself for not feeling “well enough” despite doing everything “right.” I realized that listening to your body is the ultimate wellness flex, and that feeling good doesn’t always come from more workouts, stricter routines, or trendier supplements. Sometimes it comes from looking in an unexpected direction.
Should You Try a Low-Histamine Diet Too?
If you’re constantly dealing with symptoms like bloating, brain fog, mood swings, headaches, or acne—and nothing seems to help—it might be worth trying a low-histamine approach or talking to your doctor about the possible effect of histamine on your body, even if you’re not in the midst of your perimenopause era. This isn’t about perfection or restriction; it’s about getting curious about what your body needs in this season of life. You don’t have to commit forever. Try it for a few days, track how you feel, and see what shifts. Because here’s the truth: your body is not broken. It’s just asking for a bit of support. And sometimes, that starts with listening to what’s happening on the outside.
Amanda Modaragamage, Contributing Wellness Writer
Amanda is a Canadian-based freelance writer with a certificate in Multimedia Journalism from the University of Toronto. She also has an extensive background as a Primary Care Nurse, which she relies on to write compelling health and wellness content. She currently works as a Civic News Reporter and has been featured in Yahoo News, Healthnews, and Alive Magazine, among others.
The post I Did Everything ‘Right’ but Still Felt Terrible—Until a Low-Histamine Diet Changed My Health appeared first on The Everygirl.
Source: Cosmo Politian
