Are you sick of constantly feeling bloated!? Digestive discomfort is a common problem among many people today and a lot of people don’t know how to combat it.
Here are 5 reasons why you might be bloated:
1. Food intolerances
Different from an allergy, due to the fact it’s a delayed response (and often not quite as severe), these foods can cause inflammation and stress which can irritate the intestinal tract, causing bloating. I recommend getting a sensitivity/intolerance test (I can make recommendations for Christchurch based). Dairy intolerance is extremely common and when I personally eat dairy, bloating is the first thing to happen.
2. Gluten sensitivity or celiac disease
Gluten sensitivity is more common than you think. Whilst it appears to be ‘trendy’ to ask for gluten free, most people are noticing a huge improvement by eliminating gluten from their diet. The number of people finding out they have a sensitivity, or even celiacs is on the rise largely due to the changes in wheat over the past 50 years (What’s with Wheat? is an excellent documentary on this). Doctors can check for celiacs by a simple blood test, but a sensitivity/intolerance test will reveal if you’re gluten sensitive.
3. Intestinal yeast overgrowth
This is one I have personally suffered from! My intestinal candida overgrowth caused me to wake up bloated for a whole year straight – which drove me mental! Intestinal yeast overgrowth is extremely common, especially if you have a past of being on antibiotics. Antibiotics alter your digestive flora and allows yeast to take over. When there is too much yeast in your body, you will be bloated and gassy because yeast ferments foods which causes gas! A good probiotic is the best place to start, as well as eliminating high carbohydrates and processed foods.
4. Insulin resistance
This one is common for women with PCOS or type 2 diabetes. Insulin is a hormone that is released from the pancreas in response to sugar (called glucose) in the blood, and your insulin levels spike after eating. If you eat a high sugar/processed carbohydrate diet, over time this response stops working or works weakly to the insulin signal. This results in your body secreting even more insulin which creates toxic levels of glucose in the body – giving you high blood sugar. Whilst I personally have healed my insulin levels through my Paleo lifestyle, I can guarantee I used to struggle with this which is what resulted in my weight gain through my teens. Common symptoms for insulin resistance are weight gain, intense sugar/carb cravings and feeling tired and bloated after eating.
5. Deficiency of digestive enzymes
Enzymes break down proteins, carbohydrates, fats and lactose. For some people, your body may not be producing enough digestive enzymes, resulting in bloating, pain, indigestion and irregular bowel movements. This deficiency may be as a result of one of the above reasons, but it also can be related to chronic stress, ageing or low stomach acid. Short term you can get a digestive enzyme supplement, but long term you need to address how you eat.
So there you have it – 5 reasons you could be bloated and how you can start fixing it! Gut health is so important for this, so make sure you check out my gut health blog too.
Want to sort out your food but not too sure how? Be sure to also check out my nutritional program, 10 Week Challenge. This participant below completely eliminated her bloating, and what a dramatic difference it made. We have had success with reduction of symptoms in clients with IBS, type 2 Diabetes, Migraines, Arthritis, Depression and more.
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