New food sensitivities. Bloating. Itchy skin. Brain fog. Panic before your period. Sleepless nights.
You haven’t changed your diet, your routine, or your skincare—and yet your body feels like it’s reacting to everything.
You’re not imagining it. And no, you’re not broken.
As a board-certified gynecologist and functional medicine practitioner, I’ve worked with countless women who feel like their immune system is suddenly in overdrive—especially after a viral illness, a stressful season, or around midlife hormone changes.
Let me introduce you to a key piece of the puzzle: Mast Cell Activation.
What Are Mast Cells—and Why Are They Misbehaving?
Mast cells are a critical part of your immune system. They act like sentinels—releasing chemical messengers (like histamine) to help your body respond to danger, such as allergens, toxins, or infections.
But in today’s environment—filled with mold exposure, EMFs, ultra-processed foods, chronic infections, hormone disruptors, and the aftermath of COVID—our mast cells are overwhelmed. They stay on high alert, reacting to everything, and dumping over 200 inflammatory chemicals into your system.
And that’s when symptoms start to pile up.
Mast Cell Activation: The Hidden Link Behind These Symptoms
You don’t need an official diagnosis of “Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS)” to be affected. These are common red flags I see in my patients:
Digestive:
- Bloating, nausea, diarrhea, or GERD that won’t respond to medication
- New or worsening food intolerances
Neurological & Mental:
- Migraines, dizziness, brain fog
- Insomnia, anxiety, panic episodes
- Mood swings or irritability—especially around your cycle
Hormonal & Reproductive:
- Heavier, more painful periods
- Worsening PMS or perimenopausal symptoms
- Unexplained fibroid growth
Immune & Inflammatory:
- Sinus issues, recurrent colds, or lung irritation
- Hives, itchy skin, or rashes
- Palpitations or sudden drops in blood pressure
- Flare-ups triggered by travel, weather shifts, or stress
Sound familiar? You might be experiencing a mast cell activation pattern—even if your labs say everything is “normal.”
Why It’s Become More Common—Especially Post-COVID
Since 2020, I’ve seen a surge in patients with sensitive, reactive bodies. Often, there’s a combination of factors at play:
- Post-COVID terrain shifts (from the virus or vaccine)
- Mold or toxin exposure
- Lingering viral or bacterial infections (EBV, Lyme, parasites)
- Hormone imbalances (especially estrogen dominance)
- Chronic stress, trauma, or nervous system dysregulation
- EMF overload from modern tech
These exposures can stimulate mast cells directly in the gut, brain, and vagus nerve, triggering a body-wide inflammatory cascade.
“But My Labs Are Normal…”
Traditional labs often miss mast cell patterns. Why?
Because markers like histamine, tryptase, or chromogranin A only spike during flares—and even then, only sometimes. Other markers like IL-6 or urinary methylhistamine may offer clues, but…
Mast cell dysfunction is ultimately a clinical diagnosis.
Your symptoms matter. Your story matters. Connecting the dots is what I do best.
Midlife Hormones + Mast Cells = The Perfect Storm
Women in their 40s and 50s are especially vulnerable. That’s because:
- Estrogen activates mast cells
- Progesterone calms them down
In perimenopause, progesterone declines while estrogen becomes erratic. The result?
More reactivity. More anxiety. More inflammation. More feeling like your body has turned against you.
What You Can Do—And How I Can Help
Mast cell issues are reversible. In my clinic, I help women calm their immune system, restore hormone balance, and build resilience—step by step.
Here’s how we approach it:
- Stabilize mast cells with tools like quercetin, cromolyn, or DAO enzymes
- Soothe the nervous system with vagus nerve stimulation, sleep support, and breathwork
- Identify and remove triggers (mold, infections, EMFs, spike protein load)
- Support histamine clearance through gut and liver care
- Balance hormones naturally or with bioidenticals
- Drain and detox via fascia, lymph, and bioregulatory tools
This isn’t a band-aid approach—it’s deep, functional healing designed for your unique biology.
You Deserve to Be Taken Seriously
If you’ve been dismissed, gaslit, or told “it’s just stress,” please know this:
Your symptoms are real.
And there are answers.
You don’t have to live in fear of your food, your body, or your environment.
Ready to Get to the Root?
My Signature Lab Packages and 6-Month Functional Medicine Program are designed to uncover what’s driving your reactivity—and finally help you feel like you again.
Not sure where to begin?
Book a no-pressure Discovery Call and let’s talk about your next step.
Or reach out with your questions here.
You don’t have to “just live with it.”
Let’s figure this out—together.
Warmly,
Dr. Christina C. Enzmann
Board-Certified Gynecologist & Certified Menopause Practitioner
Functional Medicine | Gut & Hormone Health | Midlife Care
