Mast Cell Activation Syndrome

Do you struggle with sensitivities to many things? The list can look like foods, smells, products, stress, temperatures, off gases from furniture, supplements, medications…

Or do any of your current symptoms worsen with those?

A possible consideration is hyperactive mast cells. These cells are a part of our immune system and line every part of our body. They are actually our body’s first line of defense, and respond to everything externally and internally!

They release many different “mediators”, almost 1,000! But a common one is histamine, leading to these histamine responses people can get when their mast cells are hyper sensitive.

Eventually, with MCAS these cells are now so hyperactive, that they respond to almost anything in the environment, making it seem to the individual they are very sensitive.

How does MCAS start?

1 in 10 people are affected by this and it’s officially diagnosed by having symptoms in 2 or more body systems.

Something ended up stimulating these cells to become hyper active, to release the different mediators that create many unexplained symptoms.

Common root causes for MCAS:

• Mold 

• High toxin load

• Lyme disease

• High viral load, such as EBV

• Chronic SIBO or SIFO

• Emotional or physical trauma

• Consistent stress

Something to keep in mind: the symptoms can also present as digestive complaints, because these cells are very present within the GI tract. With tough digestive symptom cases, this is a good thing to think about.

How do we treat MCAS?

The roadmap to treating MCAS will look slightly different for everyone. This is due to the trigger (s) being different, that person’s current state of health, genetics, stress, and more.

Here is what treatment for MCAS can look like, again tailored to meet that individuals needs

1. Nervous system rebooting: vagus nerve work, limbic system retraining, emotional work (this is half the healing process)

2. Mast Cell Calming: through supplements, diet and above nervous system work

3. Clean up the environment: mold, EMFs, chemicals/toxins found in products/water/air

4. Support detoxification pathways, optimize hydration, and support gut health

5. After those above, DETOX! What triggered the MCAS needs to now be supported: mold, lyme disease, toxin exposure

Treatment for MCAS can take 1-5 years depending on the individual. The key with treatment is slow is faster than speedy treatments, as going too quickly with treatment can also be a trigger if trying to detox or add supplements in too quickly.

Vagus nerve work:

Some of my favorite exercises here are Stanley Rosenberg’s structural vagus nerve work, found in his book: “Accessing the Healing Power of the Vagus Nerve”.

Adding in acupressure, alternate nostril breathing and limbic system retraining through Gupta are specifically helpful with MCAS treatment.

Diet:

Look to what foods may be triggering symptoms here:

• Lectins

• Oxalates

• Histamine

• FODMAPs

• Salicylates

These are a few of the foods that can trigger mast cells. The foods in those categories can be healthy, but if an individual is consistently getting triggers from any of them, it’s like adding fuel to a fire. 

Treatment for MCAS requires many different moving pieces and should be done under the care of your provider. This information if for education only, not to be used for treatment.

PODCAST!

Episode 2 is now out, with David Milburn from Hypoallergenic Air. He is an indoor air health expert and we covered how to identify mold as an issue, ventilation vs purification, picking a good purifier and so much more.

You can check out the episode here on Holistic Hub Podcast (make sure to subscribe to YouTube!), available on all platforms such as Apple & Spotify too.

The third episode will be released this Thursday, April 28th with a practitioner who specializes in environmental toxins and how these are affecting our health.

Book a discovery call:

If you want to work with me, you can book a 15 minute call to ask me any questions about my consulting practice.

You can also sign up for the waitlist here.

Health & Happiness,

Stephanie