The "Overflowing Bucket": Why Your Histamine Intolerance Isn't Just About Food

If you’ve ever felt like your body is overreacting to everything—the wind, a piece of cheese, or a stressful email—you might be dealing with what we call the "Histamine Bucket."

If only our histamine buckets were think rustic and pretty

I’ve spent the last few years treating my own autoimmune journey (Sjögren’s) as a clinical case study. Last year, the itchiness and systemic "noise" were at an all-time high. Today, I’m sharing the three-pronged approach I’m using to finally drain the bucket.

The Analogy: What is the "Histamine Bucket"?

Imagine your body has a literal bucket (see above). Every "stressor" is a drop of water:

• The Environment: Dust mites, pollen, and those local trees that seem to hate us in the spring.

• The Diet: Processed sugars, seed oils, fried foods, and high-histamine "trigger" foods.

• The Brain: Chronic stress and a "stuck" nervous system.

You don't feel "sick" when there's a little water in the bucket. You feel sick when the bucket overflows. That overflow is the itchiness, the brain fog, and the inflammatory flares.

Step 1: Addressing the "Hardware" (Diet & Environment)

I’ve worked hard at eliminating the "easy" drops of water. I cut out processed sugars and seed oils—the inflammatory "fuel." I also experimented with Bovine Colostrum, which absolutely moved the needle by helping seal my gut lining, preventing more "leaks" into my system.

Recently, I dug deeper and found I have significant allergies to dust mites and local trees. I’ve started allergy shots to desensitize my system. By addressing these "drops" directly, I’m lowering the water level from the outside in.

Step 2: The Command Center (CNS, ANS, and the Sympathetic Shift)

This is where the magic happened. Before I even started allergy shots, I began a LENS (Low Energy Neurofeedback) protocol on myself. To understand why this worked, we have to look at the "wiring" of the body:

• The Central Nervous System (CNS): This is your Command Center (Brain and Spinal Cord). It receives all the "danger" signals from your histamine levels.

• The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS): This is the "Automatic" system that controls your heart rate, digestion, and immune response.

• The Sympathetic Branch: This is your "Fight or Flight" mode. When your histamine bucket is full, your CNS tells your ANS to stay in a permanent state of Sympathetic arousal. Your body thinks it's under attack 24/7.

By using LENS, I "unstuck" my brain from that Sympathetic loop. The results were immediate and measurable via my Oura ring:

• Doubled my REM sleep.

• Increased total sleep hours.

• Decreased my resting heart rate (RHR).

• An overall measurable "calm" in my autonomic data.

The Result: A Higher Threshold for Life

I still deal with some lingering itchiness, but it’s nowhere near the levels of last summer. Because my Sympathetic Nervous System is no longer screaming "Danger!" at every pollen grain, my "Bucket" has more room; I even find myself having the energy to workout after work and before dinner when a year ago (due to a combination of health factors) this would’ve been an impossibility!

When your nervous system is regulated and your diet/environment is clean, you don't just feel better—you become more resilient! You can handle a "drop" of pollen or a stressful day without the whole bucket overflowing.

Are you ready to drain your bucket?

If you feel "wired and tired" or like your body is in a constant state of inflammation, we need to look at more than just your symptoms. We need to look at your nervous system.

At Eos Health Center, we help you recalibrate your CNS so you can finally stop living in "High Alert."