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SCRATCH THAT! How your Hormones Might Be the Reason You’re So Itchy.

Ah, perimenopause. That magical time in life when your body decides to toss out surprises like a hormonal grab bag—each symptom stranger than the last. Many of us expect the hot flashes and mood swings. But itchy skin? Headaches that make you consider moving to a dark cave? A digestive system that's seemingly ready to quit its day job?



If you've been wondering if all this might be connected, you’re onto something. What if the culprit isn’t just "hormones" but also something you’d never expect—histamine?


Wait, isn’t Histamine the Thing That Makes You Sneeze?

Yes! Histamine is famous as the little guy behind allergies—the runny noses, itchy eyes, and general misery when springtime rolls around. But histamine has a day job too: it’s a neurotransmitter, helping out with everything from sleep regulation to digestion. However, when histamine gets a little too enthusiastic, it can feel like your body is in open revolt.

Here's where things get interesting: recent studies show that women going through perimenopause and menopause might experience something called histamine intolerance.


How Hormones and Histamine Form a Feisty Duo 

Our female hormones—mainly estrogen and progesterone—play a starring role in histamine levels. During perimenopause, when hormones are playing musical chairs, estrogen can sometimes spike while progesterone plummets. Estrogen actually stimulates histamine release, while progesterone helps break it down. So, during this hormonal roller coaster, the lack of progesterone combined with extra estrogen means more histamine is free to wreak havoc.


Cue: itchy skin, migraines, brain fog, and a digestive system that’s throwing a hissy fit.


Histamine Intolerance vs. Allergies:  What’s the Difference?

The plot twist is that histamine intolerance isn’t an allergy at all. It's more like your body’s histamine “bank account” is overdrawn. If you don’t have enough of the enzyme diamine oxidase  (DAO) to break it down, histamine starts to accumulate, leading to some real chaos in your system. 


Histamine intolerance can be sneaky. You might find yourself reacting to wine, aged cheese, cured meats, or even fermented foods—anything that’s high in histamine. Even stress can raise histamine levels, because why not?

Some Fun Symptoms


 Skin

Itchy, flushed, or mysteriously reactive to things you used to tolerate just fine

 

Headaches

Not just any headaches—epic, “hide-in-a-dark-room” migraines.

 

Stomach & Digestive Issues

 

Bloating, diarrhea, and general uneasiness after meals.

 

Mood

Anxiety, irritability, and mood swings.

Sound familiar? It’s no coincidence that these symptoms overlap a lot with hormone imbalance and perimenopause symptoms.


It’s Not Just You, and You’re Not Alone

Histamine intolerance is a common, yet under-recognized player in the hormone-symptom game. So if your skin feels prickly, your stomach's staging a rebellion, and you're wondering if this could possibly be "normal"—you’re onto something. Understanding the link between hormones and histamine could be the key to ditching some of those frustrating symptoms.


After all, there’s no rule that says perimenopause can’t be a little smoother. The more we understand, the more we can take control—and maybe even laugh a little along the way!


P.S. If You’re Nodding Along To This... maybe it’s time to  take control and transform your health! Contact Lisa for a FREE consultation and discover how Fit After 40: 90 Day Revitalized can help you conquer menopause with a holistic approach to nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle change.




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