Supplements Keep Backfiring? Here's one of the biggest reasons we see in the clinic
It might surprise you (and it's fixable)
Hello, friends!
Earlier this week we shared the “Start Low, Go Slow” approach we use in the clinic with clients for onboarding new supplements when you’re sensitive.
The response was overwhelming. So many of you wrote back saying:
“I had no idea I could start with just a drop!”
“This explains why I keep reacting to everything.”
“Why haven’t any of my practitioners or doctors explained this to me?”
Today we want to lay out why this approach matters so much when you are sensitive and trying to stabilize your mast cells.
This post is for informational purposes only. To read our full disclaimer, please scroll to the bottom of this post.
Why Starting Too Fast Backfires
If you caught our 3 Secrets to Stabilizing MCAS webinar, you know that Secret #3 is all about this: go as slow as you need to.
Your mast cells are already on high alert. Your nervous system is dysregulated.
Adding too much, too fast doesn’t give your body a chance to integrate the support. Instead, it just adds to the pile of things your system has to deal with.
Supplements are a truly helpful part of healing.
Related Post: The Best Antihistamines for Histamine Intolerance and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome
But we see this pattern all the time. Someone starts three new supplements at a time or starts just one but at the recommended dose on the bottle (or half or even ¼ of it). And a few hours (or days) later they’re flaring. They stop everything. They feel defeated.
But here’s what we want you to know. Your body was trying to tell you something important. That it needs a gentler approach.
There are 3 main reasons we see for not tolerating supplements:
You need to work on environmental triggers or your nervous system more
What you tried is not the right thing for right now
You started with too much, too fast
And you can change all of those!
Let’s take a closer look at why going too fast means longer healing times.
Why Too Fast Is Slower
When you constantly trigger flares by going too quickly, you’re not just dealing with a few uncomfortable days.
You’re actually setting back your stabilization process and healing.
Every flare means more inflammation, more mast cell activation, more stress on your nervous system, and more time needed to recover before you can try again.
It’s like taking two steps forward and three steps back.
But when you start low and go slow, you give your body a chance to receive the support without triggering a defensive response.
You are more likely to tolerate a little of something (and we do mean a LITTLE – think fairy dusting sprinkles or a drop) than a lot.
Also, if you have a reaction to a small amount, the reaction is usually smaller and easier to recover from.
The Most Important Thing
Stabilization takes patience. And that patience pays off.
You need to go slow enough that you build resilience back into your system rather than crashing it over and over again.
The people who heal are the ones who work on removing triggers and go slow enough that their bodies can actually integrate the supports.
The ones who listen to their bodies and adjust accordingly.
It works.
Learning More About Going Slow
In Wednesday’s Practitioner Tip email we really broke it down and walked through the exact approach we use in the clinic for starting supplements when you’re sensitive. Including microdosing techniques, specific strategies, and how to build up gradually.
And we created a printable guide in easy-to-follow language!
That information can be helpful in discussions with your practitioner, too.
[Become a paid subscriber] to get:
The complete Start Low, Go Slow post
Downloadable pdf with onboarding tips and strategies
Tracking journal template
Access to all our practitioner-level content
This is the exact approach that’s helped hundreds of highly sensitive people finally start tolerating the supports their bodies need.
Together in healing,
The Mast Cell 360 Team
We’re grateful for this community, whether you’re free or paid. Questions? Email support@mastcell360.com 🩷
It’s important you know that Mast Cell 360 resources are for informational and educational purposes. Mast Cell 360 does not diagnose, treat, cure, or prescribe for any disease or medical condition. Recommendations are based on the opinion of Mast Cell 360 and are not meant to replace the care of a medical practitioner. Always consult your physician before changing your healthcare regimen. Supplements/products mentioned are not designed to treat, cure, or prevent any disease or medical condition. And these statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
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Doesn't DEsensitization proceed, work (when it does) based on similar principles?