Histamine Health Coach

Episode 22 - Fix The Engine, Calm The Histamine

• Teresa Christensen • Episode 22

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What if your toughest histamine symptoms aren’t just about what’s on your plate, but what’s happening inside your cells? We dig into the surprising link between mitochondrial function and histamine intolerance, showing how your body’s energy system shapes reactions like headaches, flushing, itching, and brain fog—even when your diet looks dialed in.

I break down how DAO and HNMT—the enzymes that clear histamine in the gut and inside cells—depend on energy, nutrients, and antioxidant balance to work well. You’ll learn why sluggish mitochondria and rising oxidative stress can slow these enzymes and create a feedback loop of fatigue, sensitivity, and inflammation. From there, we map a practical plan: histamine-friendly, colorful foods for antioxidant support; quality proteins and healthy fats for cellular repair; gentle movement to spark mitochondrial biogenesis; and sleep routines that restore nightly recovery. We also tackle chronic stress with extended exhale breathing and mindfulness, plus simple ways to cut everyday toxins like synthetic fragrances and plastics.

If symptoms continue despite good habits, I outline when to work with a functional medicine practitioner and what targeted testing can reveal about mitochondrial function, oxidative stress markers, and enzyme activity. The goal isn’t lifelong restriction—it’s a stronger system that handles triggers with more ease. By caring for your mitochondria, you support energy, mood, resilience, and your capacity to enjoy food without fear.

If this message resonates, subscribe for more guidance and stories, share the episode with someone who needs steadier energy, and leave a review so others can find these tools. Your body can feel safer and steadier—let’s build that foundation together.

I’m currently looking for five women who are ready to stop just managing histamine intolerance and start living well with it over the next 12 weeks. This is for women who feel like their bodies dictate their lives — women who are tired of reacting, restricting, and second-guessing. Women looking for relief, steadier routines, and the kind of confidence that leads to actually living well with histamine intolerance. If that’s you, email me at teresa@histaminehealthcoach.com with the word READY, and I’ll personally follow up so we can talk about what support might look like for you.

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Email: teresa@histaminehealthcoach.com

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Teresa:

Welcome to Histamine Health Coach. I'm Teresa Christensen, a functional medicine certified health coach who lives with histamine intolerance and understands how unpredictable life can feel when your body seems to react to everything. I've been through the food restrictions, the confusion, and the fear that come with symptoms no one can quite explain, and that quite frankly, others don't seem to understand. Now, I help women calm their bodies, ease symptoms, and rebuild trust with food and themselves. This podcast is where I share what I've learned, real stories, practical strategies, and a reminder that healing begins when you understand your body and give it space to feel safe again. So let's get started.

Teresa:

Hello, welcome back to Histamine Health Coach. Today we're exploring something that might surprise you, how your mitochondria, your body's energy powerhouses, influence histamine intolerance. We often think of histamine reactions as food related, what we ate, what we touch, what's in our environment, but sometimes the root cause goes much deeper, all the way down to the cellular level. So today we'll look at what mitochondria actually do, how they affect histamine metabolism, what a functional medicine approach looks like for supporting them, and when it's time to see a practitioner for extra help.

Teresa:

Your mitochondria are often called the powerhouses of the cell, but that phrase doesn't really capture how essential they are. They create energy in the form of ATP, the currency that fuels every process in the body, digestion, brain function, muscle strength, and even hormone balance. Here's how I like to think of it. If you were to put the wrong kind of fuel in your gas-powered car, it might sputter, slow down, or eventually leave you stranded on the side of the road, or worse yet, not start at all. But when you use high quality fuel, the car runs smoother, has better performance, and lasts much longer. The same goes for your cells. Your mitochondria need the right nutrients and regular maintenance to keep your energy steady and your systems working efficiently. When your mitochondria don't get what they need, whether from poor nutrition, stress, toxins, or a lack of sleep, your engine starts to misfire. It may come in the form of fatigue, brain fog, or that wall you hit by mid-afternoon.

Teresa:

Supporting your mitochondria is like giving your body premium fuel. It helps it run smoother, think clearer, and feel more resilient overall. So how do mitochondria and histamine connect? The link lies in the enzymes that break down histamine. DAO, which breaks down histamine in the gut, and HNMT, which works behind the scenes and breaks down histamine in the cells. These enzymes depend on energy and cofactors that your mitochondria help produce. When mitochondrial function is sluggish, these enzymes can't do their job as efficiently, meaning histamine builds up faster than the body can clear it. You might notice this as frequent headaches, flushing, skin irritation, or digestive discomfort, even when you're being careful about what you eat.

Teresa:

There's also the issue of oxidative stress. That imbalance helps free radicals and antioxidants. When oxidative stress rises, it can damage mitochondria and the histamine-producing enzymes themselves, creating a feedback loop of inflammation, fatigue, and reactivity. So if your histamine symptoms seem to come out of nowhere or they linger, even when your nutrition is dialed in, it may not be just about food. It could be about how your cells are producing energy.

Teresa:

In functional medicine, we always ask why. Why is the system struggling? Why are these symptoms showing up now? When it comes to your mitochondria, we look at the full picture: nutrients, toxins, stress, sleep, and daily habits. All of these can either feed your energy or drain it. The first thing to look at is balanced nutrition. Choosing foods that provide clean, steady energy. Think of histamine-friendly, colorful fruits and vegetables for antioxidants, quality proteins for repair, and healthy fats to build and protect your cells. The more color and variety on your plate, the more your mitochondria have to work with.

Teresa:

Then there's movements. I feel like I say this a lot. You don't have to push hard. Even a daily walk, a few yoga stretches, or gentle strength training tells your body we need more energy. Let's make this happen. Those small, consistent movements help build new mitochondria and keep your energy flowing.

Teresa:

Rest plays a big role too. Your body repairs mitochondria while you sleep. That's when recovery happens, both physically and mentally. If you've been pushing through late nights or restless sleep, it may be time to create an evening routine that allows you to truly wind down and recharge.

Teresa:

And of course, there's stress. Chronic stress, which I have struggles with, keeps your system in overdrive, burning through energy faster than your mitochondria can make it. Practices like the extended exhale breathing, mindfulness, or journaling can calm the nervous system, lower inflammation, and create space for your cells to recover.

Teresa:

Lastly, try to reduce toxin exposure. Everyday chemicals like synthetic fragrances, plastics, and heavily processed foods add unnecessary strain. Choosing cleaner products, filtering your water, and keeping meals simple and whole gives your body some breathing room. When you start supporting your mitochondria in these small but intentional ways, you're not just improving energy, you're helping your body manage histamine in a calmer, more balanced way.

Teresa:

Sometimes, though, even with good habits in place, symptoms persist. And that's when it's worth digging deeper and asking why. If you're experiencing ongoing fatigue, brain fog, dizziness, or sensitivity to foods or environmental triggers, it may be time to work with a practitioner trained in functional medicine. They can run tests to evaluate mitochondrial function, oxidative stress markers, and enzyme activity related to histamine metabolism. That kind of insight can create a personalized plan because the goal isn't just to avoid triggers, it's to strengthen the system that help your body handle them.

Teresa:

Your mitochondria are so much more than energy producers. They're the bridge between how you fuel your body and how your body handles histamine. By caring for them, you support your entire foundation, your energy, your mood, your resilience, and your ability to recover from stress and triggers.

Teresa:

If you're having trouble navigating your histamine intolerance, this is what I do every day. I help women just like you calm their symptoms, uncover their triggers, and feel more at ease in their own bodies. You can subscribe to my mailing list at histaminehealthcoach.com to get helpful tips, stories, and support delivered right to your inbox.

Teresa:

Thank you for listening to Histamine Health Coach. If this episode resonated with you, share it with a friend or family member who may need help producing energy to get through the day. Until next time, stay curious, stay kind to yourself, and keep listening to your body. Have a great day. Bye.