Do you struggle with persistent bloating? Occasional bloating at times is normal, but continuous bloating may be a signal that there is an underlying problem. The first line of treatment for bloating is changing your diet. Check out these other diet strategies to help eliminate constant bloating.
» Give your gut a rest. Most other cultures don’t snack throughout the day like Americans. We tend to snack on processed treats out of boredom instead of filling up on nutritious foods at meal times. When you don’t give your body at least 3-4 hours between meals, you are adding food on top of more undigested food, leading to slow digestion and backup in your stomach. Before you reach for that snack, ask yourself if you are truly hungry.
» Get moving. A sedentary work day, and overall lifestyle can lead to bloating. When we sit for a majority of the day it can make it more difficult for food to move through the digestive tract, leading to bloating. Daily physical activity, such as walking can keep everything moving along regularly.
» You may have a food intolerance. Bloating can be a sign of a food intolerance. Gluten and dairy are typical food intolerances that can lead to bloating. If you suspect an intolerance, try eliminating gluten from the diet or dairy. Other common food intolerances include eggs, soy, corn and peanuts.
» SIBO. Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) could be causing your bloating. SIBO occurs when the bacteria in your small intestine get out of balance and overgrow. Most of your gut bacteria is located in your large intestine and colon. SIBO occurs when bacteria that normally grow in other parts of the gut start growing in the small intestine. SIBO is significantly underdiagnosed and often misdiagnosed for IBS. SIBO is not well understood and could be caused by poor diet, over use of antibiotics, low stomach acid or a weakened immune system. If you suspect you have SIBO, talk to your doctor for testing. The standard medical treatment for SIBO is antibiotics, however studies show that antibiotics have not been a successful long term treatment. And keep in mind that antibiotics destroy your good bacteria as well. Cleaning up your diet and adding a probiotic may help treat SIBO. Adding a shot of apple cider vinegar before meals increases the acidity in your stomach.
» Limit sugar free foods/drinks. Artificial sweeteners such as sorbitol can have a bloating side effect. Sugar alcohols such as xylitol, and erythritol can lead to bloating as well.
» You have a GI disorder. Bloating is a common signal that not all is well with your gut. Gastrointestinal disorders such as IBS and celiac disease include a variety of GI distress including bloating. If you have constant bloating this could be a sign of an underlying GI disorder.
» Boost your gut health. When bad bacteria take over our gut, it can lead to GI distress including bloating. A diet high in refined grains/sugar and overuse of antibiotics can lead to an overgrowth of bad bacteria. Add probiotic-rich foods to your diet such as kombucha, kimchi and kefir or consider a probiotic supplement.
» Foods to reduce bloating: To de-puff your tummy add these foods to your diet: water-rich fruits and veggies such as: pineapples, papayas, cantaloupe, cucumber, apples, watermelon and lemons, bananas, apple cider vinegar, asparagus, garlic, low-sugar yogurt, avocado, ginger and green tea.
» Foods that can cause bloating: The following foods may be making your bloating worse: refined grains, sugar and sweetened snacks, dairy products, carbonated drinks, chewing gum, artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols.
Mandy Nix is a registered dietitian in Morganton who writes a weekly nutrition column for The News Herald. For questions, contact her at mandynix85@gmail.com.
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