The Top 3 Reasons For Bloating and How to Beat It Naturally
Bloating is one of the top concerns I see in my clinical practice.
It’s normal to experience bloating at some time or another, but when it becomes a daily or weekly occurrence, it’s time to dig deeper. The good news is bloating doesn’t have to be a daily annoyance.
1// You Have Low Levels of Stomach Acid or Digestive Enzymes
Low Stomach Acid
Low levels of hydrochloric acid (HCl) in the stomach, is probably the most common cause of bloating I see. Stomach acid is essential to kill off harmful bacteria and break down, digest and absorb nutrients from food.
Along with bloating, symptoms of chronic low stomach acid are heartburn, belching/burping, gas, indigestion, and low iron/B12 levels. The most common cause of low stomach acid is chronic stress, along with environmental factors and processed foods. Stay tuned for a full post on this!
Digestive Enzymes
Digestive enzymes break down carbs, fats and proteins to absorbable molecules. Suboptimal levels of digestive enzymes leads to undigested food in the gastrointestinal tract and bacteria feed off of it, fermenting it and causing the gas buildup that leads to boating.
In order to digest our food effectively, we have to have optimal levels of stomach acid and digestive enzymes
2// You’re Eating Foods that Don’t Work With Your Gut
Food Intolerances/Sensitivities
Food intolerances/sensitivities can cause inflammation leading to gas and bloating. Common food sensitivities include wheat/gluten, dairy, soy, corn, and legumes, but I also notice other foods like peas, eggs (whites and yolks) come up often on patients’ Food Sensitivity Tests. Determining foods sensitivities through an elimination diet or Food Sensitivity Testing can be very beneficial to reduce bloating.
FODMAPS + SIBO
FODMAPs are fermentable sugars found in foods like onions, garlic, apples, broccoli, beans, dairy, and grains. For some people, eating these foods causes no digestive disturbances, but for those with impaired digestion or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), these FODMAP foods can cause indigestion, gas, bloating and cramping. Learn more about SIBO here!
A key indicator is that bloating gets worse as the day goes on.
3// Your Hormones are Causing Bloating
If you notice that you feel more bloated during certain times of the month, you are not alone. Bloating is one of the most common premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms that women experience.
Why Does PMS Bloating Happen?
PMS bloating occurs due to the fluctuations in female hormones during your cycle. The two main hormones that influence your cycle are estrogen and progesterone. Excess estrogen or low progesterone ratio can cause bloating by influencing sodium and fluid retention in cells.
Other symptoms of a excess estrogen or low progesterone ratio include breast tenderness, water retention, and anxiety and mid-section weight gain.
How To Beat the Bloat Naturally
- Test for Food Sensitivities, triggers, low stomach acid and bacterial overgrowth
- By working with an ND to test for and eliminate these issues, you can treat the root cause of your bloating.
- Foods sensitivities can be tested through an elimination diet or Food Sensitivity Testing.
- Consider supplements with your Naturopathic Doctor
- Supplements like Betaine HCl, bitters and digestive enzymes can help to beat the bloat, especially when bloating is due to low stomach acid.
- Botanical supplements can help with promote digestion and reduce the water retention. Peppermint, fennel, chamomile, dandelion root and burdock root are some examples.
- Feed your good bacteria!
- Probiotics help to establish beneficial bacteria and rebalance gut flora.
- In studies, specific probiotic strains like Bacillus coagulans and Lactobacillus plantarum have been shown to reduce bloating and gas.
- Decrease stress
- As mentioned above, stress is one of the #1 causes of low stomach acid leading to bloating.
- Deep breathing, meditation, exercise and yoga can help manage stress levels.
- Get Moving!
- Exercise gets the bowels moving and sweating releases fluids and sodium, further improving bloating.
- Women who regularly exercise have been shown to have less PMS symptoms, including bloating.
- For PMS Bloat – Rebalance your Hormones
- For PMS bloat, it’s important to rebalance the ratio of progesterone and estrogen to treat the root cause of bloating.
- For PMS Bloat – Look to Magnesium
- A study in the Journal of Women’s Health showed that magnesium supplementation helped to decrease symptoms such as weight gain, breast tenderness, abdominal bloating.
Always check in with your Naturopathic Doctor or other health care provider before starting any treatments or making changes to your healthcare plan.
If you are suffering from digestive concerns or interested in optimizing your digestive health, I am a Naturopathic Doctor in Toronto, Mississauga and Vaughan and would love to help you reach your health goals. Feel free to reach out and check out available appointments here!
In health,
Dr. Courtney Ranieri, ND
References
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Samadi, Zeinab, Farzaneh Taghian, and Mahboubeh Valiani. “The Effects of 8 Weeks of Regular Aerobic Exercise on the Symptoms of Premenstrual Syndrome in Non-Athlete Girls.” Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research 18.1 (2013): 14–19. Print.
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