Yes, with a touch of your fingers and thumbs, Reflexology can reset your immune system so that histamines do not overwhelm your body and cause digestive problems.Ā Ā
What are Histamines?
Histamine is a chemical responsible for a few significant functions: communicating messages to your brain. Histamine triggers the release of stomach acid to help digestion release during an allergic reaction as part of your immune system response. When histamine levels get too high or canāt break down, it can affect your normal bodily functions.
Most histamine is created in the mast and white blood cells (leukocytes) called basophils. The majority of mast cells are located in the nose, mouth, feet, and blood vessels.
Do Histamines and Mast Cell Live Together?
Mast cells are a part of the immune system. They are the first to react when a foreign antigen (any substance that induces the immune system to produce antibodies against it) enters the body. When antigens invade the body, mast cells set off a rapid inflammatory response by releasing histamines and other mediators in excessive amounts to fight off perceived threats from common antigens such as allergens, bacteria, viruses, or parasites.Ā Ā
As long as your immune system is robust, the body can neutralize harmful allergens or pathogens and fight disease; but once your immune system is compromised or weak, the mast cells donāt have enough strength to fight off aggressive invaders.
Types of Mast Cells
Mucosal type – Mast cells found primarily in gastrointestinal mucosa and peripheral airways (GI tract and respiratory.) These mast cells are essential to keeping the 1000 species of commensal bacteria needed to support a healthy immune system. Commensal bacteria host a wide range of friendly microorganisms known as commensal gut microbiota. Like an orchestra, when all the instruments play in harmony, it becomes a cohesive whole. This is true for bacteria, and it only takes a few harmful bacteria to upset the delicate balance of the gut microbiota.
Connective tissue -Mast cells found on skin surfaces and tissue serve as your bodyās first line of defense against invasive pathogens. These cells reside under the skin, near blood vessels and lymph nodes. They contain histamine and a large amount of heparin. Heparin is a weak anticoagulant that prevents blood from clotting too quickly, while histamine promotes blood flow to damaged tissue for repair.Ā
What Cause Mast Cells to Activate?
Pathogens are not the only mast cell activators or triggers. Any stress-related triggers can cause mast cell activation including anxiety, pain, rapid temperature change, strenuous exercise, strong odors, or even being overly tired. Many common triggers include infections, insect bites, certain foods, supplements, and even drugs such as antibiotics, ibuprofen, or opiate pain relievers.Ā
What Happens When Mast Cells Overproduced?
Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) can occur when mast cells release mediators too often and in excessive amounts. There are many symptoms and signs of MCAS, and when not treated these symptoms can worsen over time, causing chronic multisystem inflammation with or without allergic-type problems, poor healing, or abnormal cell growth. It is not easy to diagnose MCA.Ā please find a specialized health care provider to help you. There are many doctors do not know about mast cells attacks.Ā
Mast Cells Can Affect Your Digestive Functions
The majority of microbiota lives in the intestines, mouth, skin, and urinary tract. Gastrointestinal disorders such as leaky gut syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), such as Ulcerative colitis, cause inflammation and upset microbiota balance. Then mast cells release mediators to neutralize these pathogens.
How can the Mind-Body connection help to support and normalize mast cell production?
Since the creating of the Healing Place LLC, we have seen a definite connection in people between their mental state and immune response, especially when people are stressed than everĀ Stress produces the Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) which is associated with the activation of skin mast cells. This harmful stress chemical causes the immune and nervous system to overreact so below are some ideas as to how to de-stress!
Daily Stress Reducer:Ā Try meditation, yoga, breathing exercises, maintain a regular schedule (wake up and go to bed at the same time), and any other stress-reducing techniques.
Holistic Medicine: Incorporate Reflexology by supporting all 11 body systems – skin, digestive, respiratory, reproductive, urinary, lymphatic, circulatory, nervous, muscular, skeletal and endocrine systems.Ā
Low histamine diet: reduce histamine Level by adopting a low histamine diet. Try to eat foods as fresh as possible and adopt an anti-inflammatory diet (eliminate added sugar, red meat, refined carbohydrates, trans fat, dairy, alcohol.) Add rosemary oil to fish to reduce histamine formation as the fish ages. Avoid or eliminate as much as possible:
- Alcohol
- Aged cheese
- Smoked and cured meat
- Seafood
- Pickled and fermented foods
- Leftovers ā Due to uneven microwave heating, pathogenic germ arenāt killed off and begin to produce a significant amount of histamine. It is best to reheat food on top of the stove.
- Canned fish or meat
- Berries, especially strawberries
- Nightshade vegetables, including tomatoes and potatoes
- Preservatives
- Vinegar
While there is no cure for MCAS, there is a lot you can do to minimize the condition. If you believe you have MCAS, look for a functional medicine doctor who can help. Talk to a doctor before adding any supplements or daily histamines. Unfortunately there are very few doctors who understand the extent of MCAS. You probably have to research your area.
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What You Can Today to Support Your Gut Health – Learn Reflexology
Maintaining a healthy diet, managing stress, and avoiding excessive use of antibiotics (which can disrupt the gut microbiome) are some strategies that support gut health and potentially reduce the risk of associated health conditions. Consulting with a healthcare provider is advisable for individuals experiencing gut-related symptoms or seeking guidance on gut health.
Reflexology and Mindfulness to support your Digestive Health – 4 Video Home Course
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4 part Self Care Series- Reflexology for Digestive Relief for IBS, Constipation, Gas, Bloating & Acid Reflux
- Do You Eat Your Emotions? How Negativity Affects Your Digestive Health (Energy Medicine)
- Step by Step Foot Reflexology to Relieve Gas, Bloating, Constipation, IBS and Acid Reflux
- How do Energy Healers Manage Negativity for Healthy Digestion (Inspiration)
- Grounding Healing Meditation to Release Digestive Stress
Take Digestive and Mindful On-Line 4 part Course Today
Be proactive with your Holistic Digestive Health. Ā Learn easy Reflexology, mindful, energy medicine techniques that arenāt overwhelming and can incorporate into your everyday practices. Once you are aware of your negative energy cycle that is stuck in your digestive health, you can break the cycle before pain, and stress set in. You can take this course at by becoming an Awaken Your Inner Healer member of Youtube.com/HealingPlaceEnergySchool for $24.99 a month (cancel any time.)
Reflexology Disclaimer
ReflexologyĀ does notĀ replace traditional medicine. (Please check with your doctor if you have any concerns.)Ā Ā Reflexology can help you to achieve good health. However, you still have to do your part to maintaining good health through a healthy diet, exercising, recognizing your stress triggers, and minimizing or eliminating destructive behaviors.
About the Writer, Teacher, and Film Maker
Helen Chin Lui is a Certified Reflexologist, Certified Energy Medicine, and Reiki Practitioner. She is the owner of the Healing Place LLC and Healing Place Energy School LLC in Medfield, MA. She specializes in helping adults and children to find long-lasting relief from chronic pain, digestive issues, and heal hormonal imbalances naturally.
Healing Place LLC
Healing Place LLC specializes in helping people of all ages break the pain cycles of chronic pain and chronic digestive problems and balances hormones naturally. If you would like to learn how Reflexology can support your health, please schedule a FREE consultation on the HealingPlaceMedfield.com website or call us (508) 359-6463
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Healing Place Energy School
Learn more in-depth hand and foot reflexology from the privacy of your home by going to HealingPlaceEnergySchool.com. Become a member as little as $10 a month. We offer Reflexology, chakra, self care, meditation, reiki courses.
Helen Chin Lui’s Books
If you would like to learn more about personal energy flow, or Reflexology techniques, get copies of Helen’s Books Know Your Chakras: Introduction to Energy Medicine or Foot Reflexology to Promote Relaxation.
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