Hi Friend
Do you ever feel like your body has suddenly decided that the entire world is a threat?
One day, you’re fine with your favorite laundry detergent; the next, it gives you a migraine. One week, you can eat a avocado; the next, your heart is racing and your skin is flushing. You feel like you’re walking through a minefield, but you can’t see the mines.
This is the chaotic reality of Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS).
In my clinic a very large part is diagnosing and treating MCAS- book here
In our last email, we talked about the "Ghost in the Machine"—the inflamed Microglia in your brain. Today, we’re looking at their partners in crime: the Mast Cells.
The Sentinels of Your Body
Mast cells are not the "bad guys." They are actually an essential part of your immune system. Think of them as the front-line sentinels or "security guards" stationed throughout your body—specifically in areas that interface with the outside world: your skin, your gut lining, and your airways.
Their job is to detect intruders (like bacteria or viruses) and "degranulate." This means they unzip their little storage bags and dump out a chemical cocktail—including histamine, prostaglandins, and over 200 other signaling molecules—to call for help and flush the "invader" out.
When the Guards Go Rogue
In a healthy body, this is a controlled, life-saving response. But in MCAS, the "tripwire" for these cells has become impossibly sensitive.
Instead of only reacting to a dangerous virus, your mast cells start "firing" at everything:
The scent of a candle.
A change in temperature.
The vibration of a car ride.
Emotional stress.
Foods that were safe yesterday.
The "Connective Tissue" Connection
If you have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), this hits even harder. Mast cells are physically embedded within your connective tissue. When that tissue is "stretchy" or unstable, it physically tugs on the mast cells, causing them to break open and leak. This is why joint pain and MCAS often flare at the same time.
It’s Not Just "Allergies"
This is why MCAS is so hard to diagnose. Because mast cells live everywhere, their "flare" can look like anything:
Brain: Brain fog, anxiety, or "brain fire."
Gut: Bloating, cramping, or sudden reactions after eating.
Heart: Tachycardia or POTS symptoms (heart racing).
Skin: Hives, itching, or unexplained flushing.
When your mast cells are in a state of constant high alert, your entire system stays in a state of high inflammation. You aren't "crazy," and you aren't just "sensitive." You have an immune system that has lost its ability to distinguish between a threat and a piece of fruit.
A very large part of my 1-1 practice is diagnosing and treating MCAS. This needs bespoke treatment and monitoring, if you would like to book in for a 1-1 consult please book here, there are very few places left for this quarter.
What’s Next?
Understanding the chaos is the first step. But how do we stop the "landmines" from going off? In my next email (Part 2), we’re going to talk about the "Fill-the-Bucket" theory and how we begin to stabilise these cells so you can stop living in fear of your environment.
Stay Well
