BLOAT
Looking for a helpful guide to BLOAT? You’re in the right place! We’ve assembled this succinct and straight-forward guide to BLOAT packed with helpful information answering some of the most frequently asked questions regarding this health condition.
A GUIDE TO BLOAT
Many people worldwide chronically suffer from bloat. Whether it is from eating a heavy meal, eating foods that your gut is sensitive to, having a very fibrous meal or perhaps you have a more serious condition these are just some of the causes of bloat, which can lead you into a long journey of discovering what is causing your bloat and how to treat it. In our guide we will dive into the causes and treatments of bloat and hopefully give you some guidance into helping resolve your bloat.
WHAT IS BLOAT?
Bloat affects many people on a day-to-day basis and there are many reasons why someone can become bloated. Abdominal bloating occurs when your gastrointestinal tract (GI) fills with excess air or gas. The gas builds up in the GI tract when undigested foods get broken down or you swallow too much air. Bloat can feel different from person to person but oftentimes bloat feels like your stomach is tightening, your stomach can be distended and is physically and visibly larger. Some people report their stomach rumbling or grumbling when feeling excessively bloated. It is often accompanied with excess gas (flatulence), belching or burping and can cause additional stomach pain.
Abdominal bloating can unfortunately interfere with your ability to work and participate in social or recreational activities due to how uncomfortable it is. Many people experience bloating after they eat especially foods high in fiber such as raw veggies, drink too much water or drink too fast, or bloat can be a more serious issue going on in your microbiome and/or a medical condition. Ongoing bloat can be a chronic condition in which it may seem like nothing helps it or makes it worse but there is always an underlying cause that needs to be discovered. Figuring out what is causing bloat can be a tedious process filled with trial and error.


WHAT CAUSES BLOAT?
One of the most common causes of bloat is when people eat a diet high in fiber. This does not mean you should not eat high-fiber foods but it could mean you are sensitive to some of the foods you are eating. You can take a food allergy and food sensitivity test, which are called an IGE and IGG test to determine which foods your body does not tolerate. Once you get these results it is a good idea to cut out the foods you are sensitive to for a period of time to see if the bloat gets better. Some high-fiber veggies such as cruciferous veggies are better digested when they are cooked rather than eaten raw.
Eating too fast can also cause bloat as some people swallow too much air when they are eating or drinking out of a straw. When someone has had chronic bloat for years, it is a good idea to get a gut biome test done. This test will decipher what type of good and bad bacteria in your current microbiome has. With these results you and a practitioner can decipher what types of supplements such as digestive enzymes, prebiotics, probiotics etc you should be on. From this test your practitioner can decide if something more serious is going on such as small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) which is often a culprit for ongoing bloat and other small intestine related issues.
WHAT ARE SYMPTOMS OF BLOAT?
Bloat can feel different from person to person but most often the symptoms of bloat are:
- Feels like you stomach is tightening
- Your stomach can be distended and is physically and visibly larger
- Stomach rumbling or grumbling when feeling excessively bloated
- Excess gas (flatulence), belching or burping
- Stomach pain
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Noticeable weight loss with out trying
- Vaginal bleeding (between your periods or if you are postmenopausal)
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Blood in your stool
- Stomach feels puffy
- Heartburn
- Abdominal bloating can unfortunately interfere with your ability to work and


HOW DO YOU TREAT BLOAT?
There are a variety of different treatments for bloat. However understanding the root cause of why someone is experiencing bloat is the most important component for effective treatment of bloat. For instant relief often these methods help relieve bloat: going for a walk, taking an antacid or simethicone pills, trying peppermint tea or capsules, putting a hot pack on your stomach, massaging your stomach in circular motions, or taking a warm bath.
Long-term solutions for bloat would be firstly to find the root cause however there are some natural treatments you can try immediately such as: cooking your veggies, avoid raw veggies, increasing your fiber intake slowly, replacing soda or sparkling drinks with flat drinks or just water, avoid chewing gum and straws, try a LOW-FODmap diet, avoiding foods with excess fiber such as beans, get more active on a day to day basis, eat smaller meals throughout the day, avoid alcohol sugars and thickeners found in many diet foods, reduce salt, and lastly rule out any medical conditions. Most people will need to try a few of these suggestions and rule out what works for their body and what does not work for their body. Sometimes long-term relief can take months to figure out what will actually help reduce the bloating
BARE HEALTH
A HEALTHY LIFE FOR A BETTER LIFE
A HEALTHY LIFE FOR A BETTER LIFE
At Bare Health we are dedicated to helping our clients live better, healthier lives. Whether you are struggling with Bloat, want help building a sustainable nutrition program, or want to improve your physical fitness, Bare Health can help you! Remember, a better life starts by creating a healthy life.