7 Practical Tips to Support Histamine Balance

If you've ever felt like your body is "overreacting" to foods, pollen, stress, or even a glass of wine, histamine might be part of the puzzle. Histamine is a natural and necessary compound that helps regulate digestion, immune responses, and communication between the brain and body. But when it builds up faster than your body can clear it, that’s when trouble begins. Headaches, hives, sinus congestion, brain fog, digestive issues, anxiety—all signs that your histamine bucket may be overflowing.

You’re not imagining it. And you’re definitely not alone.

I remember working with a new mom who came to me exhausted and overwhelmed, not just from the demands of breastfeeding, but from strange symptoms that seemed to come out of nowhere. She’d developed intense food sensitivities after birth, felt foggy and itchy after meals, and had sinus pressure that no neti pot could solve. When we traced her symptoms and gently shifted her food choices and daily habits to support histamine balance, her energy began to return, her skin cleared, and—most importantly—she felt like herself again.

That’s what inspired this post.

Supporting histamine balance doesn’t mean giving up everything you love or following a restrictive plan forever. It means tuning in, choosing wisely, and nourishing your body with intention. I’ll walk you through practical, sustainable tips that can make a big difference—from the food on your plate to the way you manage stress and sleep. I have included a sample three-day menu at the end to help you begin to visualize how to put these tips into practice.

Let’s get into it—because you deserve to feel vibrant, clear-headed, and calm in your body.

1. Choose fresh over aged or fermented foods.
Histamine levels increase in foods the longer they sit—especially in leftovers, aged cheeses, cured meats, and fermented items like kombucha or sauerkraut. Choose freshly prepared meals when possible, and avoid reheating leftovers more than once.

2. Support DAO with nutrient-rich foods.
Diamine oxidase (DAO), the enzyme that breaks down histamine, needs specific nutrients to do its job, especially vitamin B6, vitamin C, copper, and zinc. Focus on whole foods that support these nutrients, like pasture-raised poultry, leafy greens, blueberries, and pumpkin seeds.

3. Ditch the histamine-liberators.
Some foods—citrus, chocolate, alcohol, and certain food additives — don’t contain much histamine but trigger your cells to release more. Keep a food journal to track personal triggers, and give your body space to reset by temporarily avoiding these liberators.

4. Heal the gut to calm the immune system.
Histamine intolerance often links back to poor gut integrity. Load on soothing, gut-loving foods like bone broth (if tolerated), steamed veggies, and cooked apples. Avoid irritants like gluten, conventional dairy, and ultra-processed snacks while healing.

5. Embrace low-histamine swaps and don’t forget hydration.
Try arugula instead of spinach, fresh chicken instead of smoked meats, and coconut yogurt instead of fermented dairy. Staying well-hydrated also helps your body process and excrete histamines more efficiently, so sip water or herbal teas throughout the day.