Bloating, the B of the ABC (Acidity, Bloating, Constipation) of digestive issues, makes you feel that your stomach is on fire. Bloating in the stomach is an awful feeling of being too full, swollen, heavy and uncomfortable. There is a feeling of excessive gas, distension and increased pressure in the abdomen and bloated stomach. Bloating is usually caused by excess gas or disturbance in the movement of the muscles of the digestive tract. Bloating could be due to ill-eating or due to some underlying disease.
Read below to know some possible causes of bloating:
Possible causes of bloating in stomach:
1. Eating too much food or overeating
2. Gulping down food without chewing properly, thus ingesting a lot of air
3. Not eating enough probiotic foods like curd
4. High sugar intake, high salt intake
5. Regularly drinking carbonated drinks, soda etc. can cause/ aggravate bloating. Also, most carbonated drinks are high in sugar
6. Fermentable Oligosaccharides Disaccharides Monosaccharides and Polyols (FODMAPS) – are poorly absorbed by some people producing symptoms like excess wind, distension, bloating, diarrhea or constipation. A few examples of foods containing FODMAPs include wheat, barley, rye, onion, garlic, legumes, fructose, honey, high-fructose corn syrup, milk, watermelon, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, beans, gums and confectionery to name a few.
7. Not drinking enough water, dehydration
8. Poor or irregular bowel movements, constipation
9. Pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS)
10. Food allergies, intolerance to lactose, gluten
11. Underlying conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD), small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), Celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, Ulcerative Colitis
12. Overuse of antibiotics
13. Wearing tight clothes
14. Little or no exercise or physical activity
Here are some proven ways that help to reduce or eliminate bloating:
1. Practice portion control and avoid overeating.
2. Chew food slowly and properly to minimize ingestion of air. Chewing gum, drinking with a straw and talking while eating can also lead to swallowing of air.
3. Take probiotic foods like curd. Also take a strong pharmacy grade probiotic to support healthy gut bacteria.
4. Avoid foods that cause gassiness. Maintain a food diary and note down foods which cause bloating and gassiness.
5. Avoid eating raw vegetables, they should be well cooked. Avoid milk and fruits late in the night.
6. Rule out food intolerances and allergies. Common offenders include gluten, lactose, fructose, eggs etc. the best way to ascertain intolerance is by eliminating completely from the diet and re-introducing.
7. Try a low FODMAP diet. It’s important to identify the offending foods.
8. Avoid artificial proteins as they may not be well accepted by some people.
9. Hydrate yourself well; take at least 2-3 L fluid in a day. Include healthy fluids including water, coconut water, nimboo pani, chaas, namkeen lassi. Avoid fruit juices, carbonated drinks, sodas etc.
10. Treat your constipation by increasing fluid intake, physical activity, by taking fibre or fibre supplements such as psyllium husk (isabgol).
11. Treat any underlying infection by taking antibiotics prescribed by your doctor.
12. Avoid sugar alcohols such as those found in chewing gums.
13. Avoid caffeine, alcohol.
14. Many digestive enzyme supplements are available. Activated charcoal tablets are also available which acts as an absorber of gas.
15. Spice infused waters like zeera, saunf, parsley etc have been found to be extremely useful in dealing with bloating.
16. Work around a schedule for regular physical activity.
17. Wear comfortable clothing: Identifying the underlying cause, treating any possible underlying medical condition, besides the above mentioned diet and lifestyle measures will surely help to get relief from bloating.
