Perhaps the second most common symptom I hear on a regular basis is the presence of bloating. We put up with it thinking this is something that can’t be addressed until it gets really bad. I’ve seen people literally blow up like a puffer fish and instantly look 9 months pregnant. It doesn’t have to be that dramatic to be bothersome though. Simply having your clothes feel tight or just feeling full all the time can be an issue. READ ON as I discuss which direction to start looking for the cause of your bloating….
Not all bloating is the same which is why one treatment might work for someone and not for you. This is why the most important approach for bloating is asking the right questions. Here is a peek at how I approach this common symptom…
1. When did your bloating start? Did this come on suddenly after an illness or just gradually appear. If it was sudden then this leads me down a parasite/significant bacterial infection (like ecoli, salmonella, etc) path that might have triggered an overgrowth situation.
2. For women, do you bloat only prior to your menstrual cycle? If your bloating appears in the 7-10 days prior to your cycle then it is most likely a hormonal issue (usually low progesterone to estradiol). If you are on hormone replacement then your bloating will be daily and is often the result of imbalanced hormones, too.
3. Do you bloat after every meal? If you bloat after every single meal then it is most likely an overgrowth of bacteria or yeast. This is where SIBO comes into play (small intestinal bowel overgrowth).
4. Is your bloating intermittent and worse after certain foods? Even if you can’t find a pattern this is key as food sensitivities are notorious for causing bloating. If sugar is a huge culprit then you may have a yeast overgrowth and simply eliminating sugar won’t be enough (although it does help).
5. Do you have other symptoms when you bloat? Do your fingers swell, do you have a headache, do you feel achy all over etc…. These are often a sign of a bigger issue and often food sensitivities are culprits in these instances.
Now that you have asked yourself these questions you can start walking down the right path. Always keep in mind you can have a multitude of different things going on so don’t get discouraged if you try one thing and you are only a little bit better. Move on to the next category and be persistent!
I was asked to speak at the Women over 50 Get Fit Wellness Series this year and my topic is bloating! Not only will I do a deep dive into the many causes of bloating and what you can do for it but participants will receive a FREE ebook I wrote called the Anti-yeast Journey. I will be sharing the information about this FREE summit soon! Stay tuned!!
To your health,
Laura
