You know how they say "what happens in Bali stays in Bali"? Yeah… not so much. Mine came home with me in the form of hives, food reactions, and what I now call my PhD in histamine.

In this episode, I'm sharing the wild story of how a little post-Bali "food poisoning" turned into a full-blown case of histamine intolerance and mast cell activation syndrome. Think: red blotches, racing heart, and me Googling every bite before eating it.

I'll walk you through the chaos of misdiagnosis, the "aha!" moment when we figured out it was actually Scombroid poisoning (yes, that's a real thing from bad fish), and how that set off my body's over-zealous histamine fireworks show.

But this isn't a doom-and-gloom story. I'll share how I calmed the storm, what I learned about histamine-rich foods (spoiler: your healthy leftovers might be the problem), and the surprising tools that helped me reset my system.

Plus, I'm breaking down why this matters for midlife women right now—because those symptoms you're blaming on menopause? The flushing, anxiety after eating, sudden food sensitivities? They might actually be your mast cells stuck in overdrive. And no, you're not crazy for thinking your body suddenly hates everything you eat.

If you've ever had mysterious rashes, heart palpitations after chicken (yes, chicken!), or just want to understand what the heck histamine and mast cells actually do, you're going to love this one. It's part detective story, part midlife meltdown, and a whole lot of "what just happened to my body?!"

I'm also sharing the exact protocol that finally worked (including why I ended up saying yes to a steroid after swearing I'd go all-natural), which foods to avoid when your histamine bucket is overflowing, and why becoming your own health detective might be the most important skill you develop in midlife.

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Disclaimer: Information provided in the Midlife Conversations podcast is for informational purposes only. This information is NOT intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional. Do not use the information provided in this podcast for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing medication or other treatment. Always speak with your physician or other healthcare professional before making any changes to your current regimen.

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