bloating 101 — erinlamb

“I have gas up to my shoulders!” My great grandma would always say…somewhat jokingly but I’ll be honest with you, I can 100% relate to this. I’ve had the feeling of gas up to my shoulders + it’s AWFUL!

What is bloating?

Most people describe bloating as feeling full, tight, or swollen in the abdomen. 

Your abdomen may also be swollen (distended), hard, and painful. Bloating is often accompanied by: pain. excessive gas. Bloating is one of the most common GI complaints – especially in women! 

Did you know bloating is COMMON, but not NORMAL?  *yes it can be normal for your stomach to feel full or less flat than when you wake up in the morning, BUT if you can’t button up your jeans, it feels like a balloon in your stomach, or your stomach just hurts… these are signs that something is not right! For years my classic line after I ate was either “I’m bloated” or “my stomach hurts.” Now when I feel this way (albeit rarely) after a meal… I feel sad that I used to feel this way DAILY – for so so long! 

Before we go further don’t hate the bloat just yet 😉 be grateful your body is communicating with you + asking for help! 

The honest truth about bloating…..

It’s complicated!!! 

The list of reasons you could be experiencing bloating is exhausting….but here are a few:

  • Imbalance of gut bacteria

  • Irregular BM’s

  • Not chewing your food enough

  • Lack of digestive enzymes 

  • Low stomach acid

  • Food intolerances/sensitivities

  • Food poisoning

If you regularly feel bloated and have been feeling so for a long period of time, this could mean that you have poor digestion or a food intolerance. This can manifest itself in three ways: 

1- too much gas may be produced in reaction to a food. 

2- as a result of food intolerance, your bowel may not empty properly 

3- the food may cause the gas to be trapped. 

These common causes may give you some insight into what is causing you so much pain. One thing you can do TODAY is to take 3 deep breaths before each meal. This will help you get into ‘rest and digest’ mode to support better digestion!