This week I wanna chat about bloating cause I get sooo many messages about it and I know many people are unnecessarily suffering from it and don't know what's causing it.

 

So I'm gonna share 7 common causes of bloating with you, to hopefully shine some light on why it's happening.

 

But first I wanna say if your bloating is accompanied by any of the following symptoms, its best to get checked over by your GP to rule anything more serious out first. So if you also have:

 

 

Now I know a lot of people do go visit their doctor for bloating and don't get much support or they simply get diagnosed with something like IBS, and don't know what next steps to take or they just get told to take a de gas tablet or a laxative or antidiarrheal. Which in reality is just managing the symptoms and not actually getting down to the root cause.

 

So I'm gonna share some common and deeper reasons why you might be getting bloated.

 

1.Constipation - This for most people is the most obvious reason you have a bloated stomach. Because having a bowel full of poop will of course make you feel bloated, and make you feel like your carrying a poo baby around.

 

I have a bunch of tips inside my digestion reset program to help you naturally manage constipation, though the number one I can tell you is to drink more water. Because when you don't get enough water your bowels dry up and everything becomes stagnant, so up the water and see if that helps move things along.

 

2.Low stomach acid - which leads to inadequate protein digestion (causing some foods to ferment in the stomach causing gas and bloating)

 

and I just want to add that low stomach acid can also cause unwanted viruses, bacteria and parasites to thrive in your system causing infection and all sorts of issues. This is because your stomach acid is meant to kill off these unwanted bugs and create an inhospitable environment so they don't overgrown or take over.

 

This is why balancing stomach acid is key to having a healthy immune system and digestion. One thing that can indicate that you have low stomach acid, is an increase of burping after meals, or when you burp you can still clearly smell the meal you ate an hour ago.

 

3.Food intolerances and sensitivities - Like lactose intolerance for example is a common reason for gas and bloating.

 

There's actually a range of foods that many people can become sensitive to causing bloating or even cramps and diarrhoea, which is why throughout my digestion reset program, I share a plan with you on what foods exactly to reduce and what nourishing foods and recipes to go for instead.

 

This is important and so worthwhile as I found for myself and many people I've worked with that once you start to restore your gut lining and digestive function, you're actually able to tolerate certain foods again.

 

4.Inability to fully break down sugar, carbohydrates and fats - Certain enzymes such as amylase and lipase are needed to break down carbohydrates and fats and without enough of these enzymes, carbs and fats can trigger bloating, diarrhoea and constipation as the foods tend to sit in the stomach longer than they should.

 

If you're getting gas, bloating, stomach cramps or diarrhoea after eating it's likely your body isn't producing enough digestive enzymes.

 

There's a number of things that could be causing this and stress is one of them. So learning to manage stress is key as well as practising mindful eating, which I dive deep into, in my digestion reset program.

 

5.Imbalances of gut bacteria in the digestive tract. So there are trillions of bacteria that live in your digestive tract and when they become imbalanced by having either too much or not enough of particular bacteria species or strain, all sorts of digestive chaos can happen like diarrhoea, constipation, gas, bloating and IBS type symptoms. 

 

Now notice I said either too much or not enough... This is important because I know many people simply start popping probiotic capsules hoping for the best, though if there is an overgrowth of certain bacteria, doing this can make things worse...

 

This is why this step generally comes later in the process, to make sure you're setting up a good environment for the beneficial bacteria to thrive in harmony.

 

6.For my ladies, PMS is a known cause of bloating and digestive issues as it can make you more prone to constipation and fluid retention, as well as diarrhoea from internal spasming.

 

Now experiencing slight bloating before or during your period can be normal to an extent... As progesterone (which is the hormone produced in larger amounts from mid-cycle until your bleed) can affect intestinal motility, which can impact the way your intestines move waste aka your pop through and out of your body. Sometimes it can speed the process causing loose stools or slow it down causing constipation and of course bloating.

 

Having progesterone dominance (which is too much progesterone) can increase the severity and frequency of bloating and even cause gas, diarrhoea or constipation.

 

I find many women with some degree of digestive issues tend to suffer more during this phase, but I find once they begin to balance their hormones through lifestyle support and rebuild their gut and digestive health their symptoms reduce.

 

So very slight bloat can be normal to an extent, but bloating or digestive issues that are chronic or made worse around your bleed isn't quite normal and can often be relieved naturally through dietary and lifestyle support.

 

7.and lastly, Stress... Which is a massive elephant in the room when it comes to bloating and other digestive issues as it literally turns your digestive system off. as blood gets pulled away from your digestive organs when your body is in a fight or flight / sympathetic state.

 

The reality is that many people are walking around in a low-grade fight or flight stressed state from work, family life, relationship issues, life's pressures, toxins, sensory overload... like, you name it.

 

Humans are experiencing so much more stress from modern living than we ever have, and many of us don't even realise how stressed our bodies actually are.

 

This is why in my digestion reset program I teach you how to activate your parasympathetic nervous system (which is your rest, digest and restore mode), as well as get your gut and brain communicating properly again.

 

So that's 7 common reasons you may be bloated.

 

I hope this was helpful and gave you some food for thought.