My Eczema Journey: Part 4
- Shelby Gwinn
- Mar 22
- 3 min read
In November of 2023, I was told I had severe gut dysbiosis, started a reset diet during the holiday season, and have continued it since then. As I am writing this, it is March 2026, and it’s been over two years on my restricted diet, during which I have seen significant improvement–whether that be skin-related, hormonal, and overall well-being.
Still, I didn’t feel well. By this time, I had hoped my skin would be cleared up, and I would be reintroducing foods into my diet. I was still suffering. The slightest thing would irritate my skin for weeks. On top of that, oddball symptoms started popping up. I would have heart palpitations where, for a split second, I felt a sharp pain, or it felt like my heart had literally skipped a beat. I was, and still have, joint pain and stiffness, my legs would swell, and I was exhausted all the time. I could not get through my school day without having to take a nap right after.
I researched to learn what could possibly be wrong besides a gut health issue. I came across Lyme disease and many other autoimmune diseases. I went through many bloodwork tests. Autoimmune bloodwork, tick diseases, and my tryptase levels. The bloodwork came back, and it looked like I had a mild case of Mast Cell Activation Syndrome.
What is Mast Cell Activation Syndrome? According to the Cleveland Clinic, “Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) is a condition that causes intense episodes of swelling, shortness of breath, hives, diarrhea, vomiting, and other symptoms. In severe cases, it may lead to life-threatening anaphylaxis. It's caused by mast cells (mistakenly) alerting your immune system that there's something harmful in your body.” With MCAS, it's not like an allergic reaction; it is random flare-ups. MCAS is diagnosed through extensive bloodwork that measures the tryptase level in the blood.
How do you get Mast Cell Activation Syndrome under control? It’s extremely difficult. One day, my skin is doing great, and the next day, I feel like I'm back to square one. Most sources will tell you to take antihistamines or allergy medicine. I am trying to avoid regular pharmaceuticals as much as possible. I am working on developing my own supplement routine to help calm down my skin and overworked immune system.
When it comes to food, that is even more complicated. With Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, I need to avoid foods that are naturally high in histamine. Foods that are high in histamine are aged foods, fermented foods, citrus fruits, tomatoes, avocado, cheeses, alcohol, and overly processed meats and foods. I had been eating so many fermented foods due to the gut health benefits. That definitely had not been helping my case at all. Fortunately, most of the high-histamine foods were already eliminated from my diet.
As of March 2026, I am now trying to transition into a low-histamine diet. I know it will be a new challenge for me, but I am ready to face it. I will be implementing many things into my routine to heal my body. What drives me? My frustration with my health. I refuse to be defeated by my own immune system.
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