Bloating can be very uncomfortable and sometimes cause pain, and it can also create confusion about why you might be feeling bloated. While bloating is a common symptom of many, if not all, disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, it is typically manageable through lifestyle changes or treatment. Here are eight potential causes of your bloated abdomen:
1. Ingesting Food Quickly
Food and air are both ingested when you eat too quickly. Air becomes trapped in your intestinal system and produces a bloated sensation. Eating quickly also does not allow the body enough time to digest food properly, since it takes more time to break down larger [poorly Chewed] meals than it would take smaller Chewed meals to do so, which leads to an increase in gas. Decelerating and chewing appropriately at each meal will help reduce bloating associated with eating too quickly.
2. Excess Gas from Certain Foods
Foods that generate high amounts of gas when they’re being digested naturally contain a greater gas-producing component. Beans, lentils, broccoli, cabbage, onions, carbonated beverages, and whole grains are just a few examples of these foods. Foods containing fiber and sugars are fermented by bacteria in the digestive system, and in turn, produce gas as waste. All of these foods are generally known to be healthy, but if someone eats them too often or if someone introduces them into their diet too hastily, they can lead to bloating in the stomach. Increasing the amount you eat of these types of food gradually and combining them with other food types provides a way for your body to adapt to these foods.
3. Food Intolerances or Sensitivities
Food Intolerance is when a person’s system has problems digesting certain substances, resulting in problems such as gas, bloating, cramps, and/or diarrhea. Lactose Intolerance (the inability to digest milk sugar) and Gluten Sensitivity are examples of food intolerances. While food intolerances do not involve the immune response, they still can be uncomfortable to digest. Because of this, keeping track of what you eat, when you eat it, and how you feel afterwards can help you determine which foods may be causing your symptoms and how to alter your diet accordingly.
4. Overeating or Large Portions
Excessive food consumption at one time leads to the stomach being stretched past what it finds comfortable. Stomach stretching alone can create bloating; this can occur with or without bipolar foods being present through increased gas production. Eating smaller, more frequent meals will help reduce bloating from excessive food intake.
5. Hormones
Many times women experience abdominal bloating or swelling before their period (menstrual cycle) due to the fluctuation of certain female hormones (estrogen & progesterone). Both hormones act on the body to retain fluid and can also impact how quickly food travels through the gastrointestinal system (gut). Many times hormonal causes of abdominal bloating are short-lived; however, some ways to alleviate the symptoms include enjoying hydration through fluids, reducing salt consumption and adding some form of low-intensity exercising (light walking) into your daily routine.
6. Constipation
A backup of stool in your intestines may occur when your bowel movements do not occur normally or easily (i.e., constipation). Gas that is trapped due to the buildup of stool creates pressure and leads to bloating as well as other forms of discomfort associated with constipation. Low-fiber diets, dehydration, lack of exercise, and ignoring the urge to have a bowel movement can be the cause of constipation. The most effective way to reduce constipation and bloating is to increase your fiber intake gradually over time, drink enough water daily, and to remain active.
7. Stress & Anxiety
The gut and brain are connected; the term “gut-brain axis” describes their close relationship. Both stress and anxiety can hinder your normal digestion process by changing your gut motility and by increasing your sensitivity to gas buildup in your gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The way a person eats while under stress or anxiety can be another contributor to bloating (e.g., eating too quickly or eating unhealthy foods). Stress management techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or light exercise can help significantly improve one’s ability to digest food properly.
8. Water Retention and High Salt Intake
Excessive amounts of sodium in your diet can lead to an increase of fluids in your system. In order to achieve a healthy sodium content as a result of this increase of fluids, the body attempts to balance sodium levels. This can create an excess of fluid in the abdominal region, producing a sensation of fullness (or “bloated”) and disfiguration (swelling). Consuming excessive amounts of sodium through processed and packaged foods may not necessarily be perceived as taste (salty) when taken; however, encouragement to increase fluid intake, potassium foods (bananas and spinach) and lower sodium intake can result in a reduction of “bloated” feeling produced by the additional fluid.
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Conclusion
Many different factors can lead to an increased bloated feeling in nearly all individuals, ranging from diet habits and food intake to stress and hormonal fluctuations. Most of the time, those feelings of “bloating” can be dealt with by modifying a few simple, healthy aspects of our daily routine. Focusing on your food intake and how you are eating, regularly drinking enough fluids, exercising to manage stress and being attentive to your body’s signals will be a great advantage in helping to keep the feeling of being “bloated” from developing into a long-term condition; however, if you have an ongoing condition of feeling “bloated”, you may want to consult a doctor to ensure that you do not have any underlying medical conditions causing your symptoms.
