Mast Cells – The Hidden Cause of Chronic Inflammation
You may not have heard of mast cells, but they are responsible for more than you ever could imagine. They’re not just the culprits behind your allergies or that annoying rash you get when you eat the wrong food, they’re the director of your entire immune system. The reality is, when it comes to inflammation, mast cells call the shots, and the rest of the body listens!
If you’re struggling with symptoms of chronic inflammation like joint pain, digestive issues, skin problems, migraines, sleep issues, or something else, you probably have mast cells that have gone haywire. Whether you realize it or not, these cells don’t just affect obvious issues like allergies or asthma. They influence nearly every chronic illness, even mental illnesses as well.
What Exactly Are Mast Cells?
Mast cells are part of your immune system’s first line of defense, acting like watchmen stationed at your body’s most vulnerable entry points. These main entry points are your skin, airways, digestive tract, and blood vessels. Their job is to spot danger, whether that’s an invading virus, harmful bacteria, mold spores, dust, etc.
Once they detect foreign proteins that enter the system, mast cells release chemicals like histamine, cytokines, and proteases. These chemicals cause inflammation, a necessary process that helps fight off infections or repair damaged tissue. Now that you’ve heard about the good side of mast cells, let’s talk about the other side.
When mast cells are triggered too often, there can be big problems. This usually happens if there are dietary irritants or if mold is present. If the mast cells are chronically activated, they can grow in population and increase the amount of inflammatory chemicals released. This then leads to more severe symptoms for the person. Over time, it eventually leads to chronic illness formation.
Mast Cells and Chronic Inflammation: A Slippery Slope
Inflammation is like fire: it’s necessary for survival, but if it burns out of control, it causes devastation. Mast cells are often the ones holding the match. They’re designed to release their inflammatory chemicals in short bursts, just enough to deal with an immediate threat. But in modern life, chronic stress, poor diet, and environmental toxins can cause mast cells to become triggered too frequently. In this scenario, instead of calming down after the danger has passed, they keep firing, releasing their chemicals repeatedly. The result? Chronic inflammation leads to noticeable symptoms.
This kind of inflammation is the underlying factor in most of today’s chronic diseases. Heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune conditions, mental health issues, chronic pain, and neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s all have chronic inflammation at their core. The key point to remember is that all symptoms are caused by inflammation. AND if there’s inflammation, the mast cells are always involved.
Beyond Allergies: The Full Picture on Mast Cells
We often think of mast cells as the culprits behind allergies, those annoying reactions that cause itching, swelling, or worse. When mast cells release histamine, blood vessels expand, leading to that familiar redness, swelling, and itchiness. In severe cases, this can even lead to anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic response.
But the reality is that mast cells do a lot more than cause allergic reactions. They’re involved in SO many other processes in the body it will blow your mind. For example, they play a significant role in wound healing and tissue repair. When you cut yourself or experience some other kind of injury, mast cells release chemicals that help blood vessels dilate, allowing more immune cells to reach the injury site and kick-start the healing process.
Mast cells also have a close relationship with your nervous system. They communicate directly with nerve cells, which is why inflammation often causes pain. This connection is also why chronic inflammation can lead to conditions like neuropathy or other nerve-related issues.
But here’s where it gets really interesting: mast cells don’t just respond to damage, they help decide whether your immune system should ignore or attack harmless substances. This process is called immune tolerance, and when it breaks down, your body starts reacting to things that shouldn’t be a threat like pollen, pet dander, or certain foods. This is why mast cells are central to allergies and chronic health issues like autoimmune disease.
Autoimmune Diseases: Mast Cells Gone Rogue
Autoimmune diseases occur when your immune system starts attacking your own tissues, mistaking them for harmful invaders. Chronic inflammation is a hallmark of autoimmune diseases, and mast cells are increasingly being recognized as key players in this process. In conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and lupus, mast cells release chemicals that cause inflammation and directly damage tissues, worsening the disease.
Take rheumatoid arthritis, for example. In this condition, mast cells gather in the joints and release inflammatory chemicals that cause swelling and pain. Over time, this constant inflammation leads to joint damage. The same thing happens in other autoimmune diseases. In this case, mast cells become overactive and contribute to the immune system’s misguided attack on the body. Learn more about overcoming autoimmune disease in my article- 18 Steps to Healing Autoimmune Disease.
Ways to Calm Down the Mast Cells
Now that you know mast cells are at the heart of inflammation and immune dysfunction, the question is: how do we get them back under control? The good news is though it takes some work, you CAN calm your mast cells. Refer below for some ideas:
Eliminating Triggers in Your Diet and Environment
If you continue to eat foods that trigger your immune system, your mast cells will never calm down. In addition, this will make them more reactive to anything else you put into your stomach. Following an elimination diet strategy is the best way to determine what works with your body and what doesn’t. If you need help with this, feel free to contact me. For more info on the elimination diet read this article- Plant-Based Elimination Diet Best for Chronic Illnesses. No matter what others will say, this is truly the first step to reducing symptoms when you have a chronic illness.
Your indoor air environment is just as important as the food you eat. Sometimes, it can be even more important! If you inhale things that your immune system is sensitive to, your mast cells could start to become very reactive. The most common trigger in the air is mold/mycotoxins. If someone has a history of exposure to a specific mycotoxin, the mast cells may become very aggravated when exposed to it in the future. Most people discount this concept, but trust me, it holds plenty of weight. I’ve seen it in myself, my daughter, and many clients.
Eating more Anti-Inflammatory Foods
Your diet is one of the most powerful tools you have to control mast cell activity. Unlike meat, plant-based foods have been shown to stabilize mast cells and reduce inflammation. If you want less inflammation, your goal should be to reduce animal products and acid-forming foods as much as possible. Ideally, your diet should include 20-30 different plants per week. This will encourage diversity in your gut microbiome, leading to better health.
Engaging in Stress Management Practices
Mast cells are susceptible to emotional stress, which can trigger them to release inflammatory chemicals. That’s why managing stress is crucial for anyone dealing with chronic inflammation. Meditation, yoga, slow deep breathing, and regular physical activity can all help lower stress hormones and prevent mast cell overactivation. My favorite is SLOW deep breathing through the nostrils. It worked when NOTHING else could touch my PTSD symptoms.
Supporting Gut Health from All Angles
The gut is where the majority of mast cells reside, which means that gut health plays a critical role in managing inflammation. A diet rich in plant fiber, prebiotics, probiotics, phytonutrients, and fermented foods can help support a healthy gut microbiome, which in turn can help keep mast cells in check. In addition, supplements like inulin, FOS, XOS, apple pectin, colostrum, bee propolis and others can help stabilize the microbiome. Just keep in mind, the main species of bacteria you are trying to feed is Bifidobacterium since it is so critical for maintaining immune tolerance.
Using Natural Mast Cell Stabilizers as Needed
In addition to dietary changes, certain supplements can help stabilize mast cells and reduce their overactivity. Bifidobacterium, raw colostrum, magnesium, bee propolis, carbonized bamboo, apigenin, vitamin D, quercetin, inulin and baicalin are all-natural compounds that have been shown to reduce mast cell degranulation. When combined with the right diet and environment, these supplements can be beneficial for people dealing with conditions like allergies, asthma, autoimmune disease, migraines, ADHD, depression and plenty more.
Mast Cells: Ultimate Controllers of Your Immune System
Mast cells may be small, but their influence is massive. They don’t just control inflammation; they control the entire immune response. When functioning properly, they help protect you from infections and keep your immune system balanced. But when they go rogue, they can turn your immune system against you, leading to chronic inflammation, autoimmune diseases, and other health problems.
The key to staying healthy isn’t just about suppressing inflammation after it happens, it’s about keeping mast cells in balance. You can regain control over your immune system by eating the right foods, living in the right environment, implementing stress management practices, and using natural mast cell stabilizers. One choice at a time, one day at a time, one week at a time. The symptoms of inflammation will disappear, and then you will see that it was all the mast cells from the beginning.
Need help with a chronic health issue? Feel free to get in touch.
Happy healing everyone!
Matt Nedin, B.S.
Certified Holistic Nutritionist
Founder, Endsickness.org
Phone: (734) 846-8619
WhatsApp: +17348468619
Email: endsickness@gmail.com
