It can be inconvenient — not to mention frustrating — when a larger-than-normal lunch forces you to loosen your belt buckle.
Bloating, one of the most common symptoms doctors hear from their patients can be caused by various factors, from overeating to food intolerance. It may feel like you have an inflated balloon in your stomach, which may be evident on your waistline at times.
Bloating, may also be accompanied by other gas-related symptoms such as burping, swallowing air, and passing gas, none of which are pleasant to deal with. Although bloating is frequent, that doesn't mean you — or your belt buckle — have to put up with it.
Firstly, It is important to understand the importance of overall gut health and how it plays a role in lifestyle diseases. Bloating is merely a symptom of a bad gut. Read this to know more:
Dora Walsh (mBANT, CNHC), a registered nutritionist, discusses some of the more prevalent and lesser-known causes of bloating, as well as ways to alleviate bloating.
Your Diet and Bloating.
"Dietary intolerances, particularly dairy and gluten — found in wheat, rye, and barley — are the most common causes of bloating," says Charlotte Smith, MD, a physician at Penn Urgent Care South Philadelphia.
Bloating can also be triggered by eating too quickly or sipping through a straw. Both of these things can cause you to inhale more air while eating. This air becomes trapped in your stomach, causing bloating.
A very large meal can also induce bloating. If you struggle with bloating constantly, maybe try eating smaller meals.
Bloating is a common symptom when the delicate balance of gut flora is upset by poor food, lifestyle (bad sleeping habits, hormonal imbalance etc), or antibiotics.
Antibiotics' impact on gut flora and bloating has been well researched. In many countries, doctors commonly prescribe prebiotics and probiotics alongside antibiotics to help counteract the detrimental effects antibiotics can have on your gut bacteria. As per one study though, this might actually slow down your gut healing protocol.
Here are a few more reasons you might bloat:
Carbohydrates that are not digested
Bloating and gas are frequently related to poor carbohydrate digestion and absorption. This holds for simple carbs, complex carbs, and fibre, all of which are essential in our diet. Unabsorbed carbs can reach the colon, where they are consumed by intestinal bacteria, releasing hydrogen gas and causing bloating.
In addition, celiac disease, characterised by gluten sensitivity, can result in an inability to digest and absorb a type of carbs found in wheat.
The idea then is not to drop carbs, but work with a nutritionist to build gut health.
SIBO (Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth)
SIBO causes bloating, abdominal distention, abdominal pain or discomfort, and, in rare cases, diarrhoea due to an overabundance of bacteria in the wrong part of your gut.
Lactose/ Dairy milk intolerance
Due to low quantities of the digestive enzyme lactase, milk lactose intolerance can cause bloating. Lactase is a digestive enzyme generated in the small intestine that digests lactose, a milk protein. But most of the world’s population does not have this enzyme. Abdominal pain, gas, and diarrhoea are other symptoms of lactose intolerance.
Simply dropping dairy form your diet will be enough then to stop bloating.
How to Get Rid of Bloating?
Chew thoroughly.
It may seem self-evident, but it is the best-starting step! First, prepare your food in your mouth by chewing each mouthful up to 30 times before swallowing. Chewing helps digestion down the intestines. Try to avoid gulping air or eating on the run, and try to eat gently without feeling self-conscious about over-chewing or feeling rushed.
As a lifestyle change, I simple tell my clients to take 20- 30 minutes to finish a meal, without technology distractions.
Find out whether you have any dietary sensitivities.
Checking for celiacs disease is a good starting point. Food intolerance tests are often expensive, not reliable and not suggested. Simple remove dairy from your diet and eliminate gluten only if you have celiacs.
Besides this, avoid sugars, oil’s and artificial sweeteners. All of these are inflammatory and further harm the good gut bacteria.
Probiotics and prebiotics are two types of bacteria.
Prebiotic foods such as apples, berries, asparagus, bananas, chicory, and onions provide nutrients for good bacteria. In addition, taking a probiotic food such as Kimchi can help maintain healthy gut flora levels.
Probiotics are beneficial bacteria found in our bodies, particularly in our gut, but on most of our body's surfaces. Many of our body's functions, including our brain, concentration, natural detoxification, skin complexion, vitality, and immune health, rely on probiotics to work properly.
It's no secret that junk food has minimal nutritional value and no fibre, so it takes your body longer to digest. Furthermore, packaged foods are high in salt, the leading source of water retention in the body. Plus, if you drink soft drinks with a straw to sip or suck on them, your bloating could worsen.
The fibre in your food aids in rapidly eliminating waste, which means no more bloating.
Trust this helps,