When Your Stomach Is Bloated You Will Experience Indigestion Stomach Pain Etc So It’s Vital To Know Why Bloating Happens Hand How To Deal With It
A feeling of fullness and discomfort around the abdomen, as well as a distended stomach, is often caused by a bloated stomach. Bloating of the stomach can also cause pain and cramping. Pain may sometimes be intense and travel along the abdomen. In a severe case, you may even be rendered incapable of conducting your daily activities in normal manners. Bloating of the stomach can occur due to various factors like inactivity, an improper diet, certain medications or infections. Understanding some of these causes and treatment methods may be extremely beneficial for anyone who suffer from a bloated stomach.
Undo Damage From A Night Out
If you knocked back a few too many drinks on the boardwalk last night and chased them with salty food, your stomach is probably feeling swollen from the alcohol and salt. The fix: drink 12oz of coconut water shortly after you wake up to rehydrate and help eliminate bloat. The potassium in the water helps balance sodium levels in the body and can help fight water retention, says Palinski-Wade.
Why Does Period Bloating Happen In The First Place
You can thank fluctuations in estrogen levels and a sharp drop in progesterone right before your period. “When estrogen levels are higher, our bodies tend to retain water,” says Meggie Smith, MD, an obstetrician-gynecologist and reproductive endocrinology and infertility fellow at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine.
Progesterone, which is high in the latter half of your cycle, can make for a slower digestive tract, so to speak, which also may not help symptoms of bloating or fullness, she adds. Basically, it’s a bloating double-whammy.
Bloating usually starts to kick in about one to two days before the start of a woman’s period, according to the Mayo Clinic. But some women experience symptoms up to five days beforehand, often interfering with normal activities. Period bloating will typically go away once you’ve been menstruating for a few days.
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How To Fix Bloating & Indigestion While Eating A Bulking Diet
When I first started weight training and eating for muscle growth, I expected to have more energy, to become stronger, and to look better. But the first thing I noticed was that my stomach started to bloat up like a blowfish. It wasnt fat, either. I still had abs. But instead of having a flat, washboard stomach, it was curved outwards like a turtle shell.
As I continued to pound down the calories, I started feeling perpetually full, bloated, and gassy. Id often get indigestion, I struggled with acid reflux, and sometimes Id even get diarrhea. Something wasnt going right, but I didnt know what it was.
I considered going back to my old diet, but that would mean going back to being skinny, and there was no way I was doing that. Fortunately, I realized that this was a fairly common issue with bodybuilders, and that there were a few good ways to improve digestion. Now, even after gaining 65 pounds, its easy for me to get into a comfortable calorie surplus.
So, whats the best way to fix bloating, gas, indigestion, and acid reflux while building muscle?
When To Talk To Your Health Care Provider
Bloating can be normal, but it can also be a sign of serious conditions. Its important to keep track of what foods cause you to feel bloated, but also note if you experience other symptoms that have accompanied bloating.
If you notice a drastic change in weight or changes in your bowel movementssuch as changes in color or consistencyyou need to tell your provider that as well, as they can be signs of an underlying condition, Hoffman said. If you ate too much and are having trouble digesting your food, then you know that was the likely cause of your bloating and cramping, but if its come on suddenly with a healthy diet, you should err on the side of caution and visit your provider.
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Rule Out Medical Conditions
In some cases, bloating may result from a medical condition. To get rid of this bloating, a person may need help from a doctor to diagnose and manage their condition.
Inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis, may cause people to experience bloating. Irritable bowel syndrome , can also cause this symptom.
Gynecological conditions, such as endometriosis and ovarian cysts, can also cause pain, swelling, and feelings of bloating in the abdominal area.
People with these symptoms should discuss them with a doctor, who will also want to know about any relevant family medical history and other medical conditions. The doctor may order diagnostic tests to look for any problems. These may include an X-ray, ultrasound, colonoscopy, or blood tests.
Know Which Foods Trigger Bloating
Bloating causes a lot of physical discomforts. You need to be aware of foods that you eat and later cause that gassy feeling. Fiber foods like beans, legumes and whole grains are healthy, but the high fiber content causes bloating in some people.
For example, if you are not used to eating beans or vegetables like broccoli you can start by introducing them slowly into your diet, with time your body will adapt. Introducing large quantities can cause bloating. In addition, limit your intake of carbonated drinks they are the leading cause of bloating due to the buildup of carbon dioxide gas in the body.
Majority of people know that eating a lot of salt can cause health complications like blood pressure, however, they are not aware that high intake of salt causes retention of water resulting in bloating.
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Sowhat Helps Pms Bloating
The good news: There are some seriously easy steps you can take to de-bloat during your period. Switching up the foods you eat, like swapping in more potassium-filled foods and nixing the caffeine for a few days, can do some serious remedying to your bloated belly.
You can also consider even simpler fixes, like getting more sleep or cooking at home more often. Just scroll though the options belowthere’s definitely a remedy in this list that will work for you.
How To Avoid Bloating After Eating
Theres no denying that bloating is downright unpleasant and uncomfortable, and youd want to know how to not get bloated after eating.
Try these tips to avoid bloating after eating and get your digestion back on track:
#1. Be Aware Of Food Allergies
#2. Chew Your Food And Drink Slowly
#3. Stop Talking While Eating
#4. Keep Yourself Hydrated
#5. Go For A Walk
#6. Try Some Gentle Yoga Poses
#7. Avoid Chewing Gum
#8. Consume Smaller And Frequent Meals
#9. Stop Sipping Carbonated Beverages
#10. Skip The Alcohol
With all that said, mild bloating is a common part of natural digestion.
However, if it makes you uncomfortable, you must make some lifestyle changes to avoid its frequent occurrences.
Follow these 10 quick tips to get rid of upper abdominal bloating after eating and get back to your holiday mode.
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/7you Must Reduce Salt Intake
YOU MUST REDUCE SALT INTAKE: Another effective way you can treat bloating is by reducing salt intake. As sodium causes fluid retention, it can be responsible for causing bloating. If your body is susceptible to stomach bloating, keep a check on your salt intake and avoid junk foods which have high salt quantity.
Easy Ways To Manage Your Ibs Symptoms
Bloating be gone.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome affects 10-15% of the worldwide population, but it’s not the kind of topic many people feel comfortable talking about openly over lunch with a friend. It’s not exactly glamorous.
Symptoms of IBS – which can include bloating, stomach cramps, diarrhoea and constipation – can rear at any time. They’re unpredictable, and they can make you feel rubbish. One person who knows this is blogger Scarlett Dixon, who runs the Scarlett London blog.
She’s been suffering from IBS since the age of 8 , and she’s spoken openly about having the condition in various blog posts and vlogs.
For Scarlett, she’s endured embarrassment, depression and anxiety as a result of having IBS, so she’s shared some easy ways to manage having IBS – both in a physical and mental capacity.
1. Go running
“This is the key that, in my eyes, unlocks the door to wellness. Going for a run when you’ve got stomach cramps is probably the last thing you want to do, but I promise it helps. Exercise is particularly good for those who experience constipation as a result of their IBS – it gets things moving! Remember: find a type of exercise that suits your lifestyle and make the time each day, or every other day to enjoy it.”
2. Stress less
3. Understand fibre intake
4. Forget about everyone else
5. Relax
6. Talk about it
7. Keep a diary
8. Turn up the heat
9. Drink tea
10. Its okay to have a bad day
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Say So Long To Stress
Women with higher perceived levels of stress are more likely to have disruptive PMS symptoms, bloating included. Finding ways to relax and unwind can help tame the tension, and as a result, stave off some puffiness.
Start hitting up yoga more often, carve out time for meditation or journaling, schedule a massage, or get in the habit of sniffing some calming essential oils. If it helps you feel more chill, it works.
Stop Talking While Eating
Bloating happens because of the production of excessive gas in the gastrointestinal tract and the bad habit of talking while eating will only add to the problem.
That is to say, talking while eating will only increase the chances of swallowing air.
Which will lead to gas build-up and bloating.
Hence, avoid talking much if you dont want to feel bloated after relishing the delicacies.
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Load Up On Prebiotics
You dont need us to tell you that if you regularly suffer from bloating, it could be due to an imbalance in your gut bacteria.
Help redress the situation by including more pre-biotic foods .
Hamilton also suggests swapping your usual snacks for a probiotic-rich alternative: Try a kefir drink or a side of sauerkraut, she says.
Drinking Too Much Soda
Carbonated beverages, such as soda or sparkling water, are a common reason for bloating. The fizz in your favorite sodas can cause gas to get trapped in your stomach, which can lead to bloating and belching.
Try limiting the amount of soda you drink and switch to a healthier alternative. Water with cucumber or lemon can offer a flavorful drink with your meal, and black tea can provide the caffeine kick you may need in the early afternoon. If youre already feeling bloated, peppermint tea is a common remedy that can be used to help reduce the discomfort.
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Bloating: Causes And Prevention Tips
How often do you hear yourself or friends complain about bloating? We often just say were bloated when we feel full, but for many women, the problem relates to a chronic underlying condition. If you feel bloated often, you may have a condition like irritable bowel syndrome , which affects up to 24 percent of women.
Linda Lee, M.D., explains common causes of bloating and what you can do to prevent this uncomfortable condition.
What Causes Bloating
Bloating happens when the GI tract becomes filled with air or gas. This can be caused by something as simple as the food you eat. Some foods produce more gas than others. It can also be caused by lactose intolerance . Other simple reasons for bloating include:
- Swallowing air
Other causes could include medical conditions, such as:
- Infection
- Inflammation
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Liver disease
- Crohns disease
- Blockage in your bowel or bladder
- Cancer
- Mental health factors, such as anxiety or depression
- Some medicines
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When To See A Doctor
Medical attention may be necessary if bloating persists. Certain signs can help diagnose the need for a doctor. These include:
- Dark urine
- Worsening symptoms of heartburn
- Unexplained weight loss
If any one or more of the above symptoms are present, seek medical attention immediately. With proper medications, the symptoms can be alleviated, even if some causes of bloated stomachs may be incurable.
Natural And Other Remedies For Gas
Two products on the market can help with food-related gas and bloating. Both products are packaged forms of the enzymes needed to break down the problematic carbohydrates. Lactase, found in products such as Dairy Ease and Lactaid, can be taken with dairy foods to help break down lactose and lessen gas. Beano helps digest the indigestible carbohydrate in beans and other gas-producing vegetables.
Natural remedies for gas include:
- Peppermint tea
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What Are The Symptoms And Causes Of Indigestion
Most of us have experienced indigestion and its symptoms, for example, upper abdominal pain and cramping, bloating, belching, nausea, vomiting, and the feeling of fullness after only eating a few bites. There are common causes of indigestion like GERD or pregnancy. More serious causes include cancers or heart attack.
The best way to relieve and even prevent symptoms of stomach bloating and gas, is a healthy diet and regular exercise, however, there are many things you can do to prevent and relieve bloating and gas.
Don’t Multitask When Eating
“I’m almost never just eating a mealI’m also on my computer or watching television or scrolling through my phone,” admits Lindsey Metrus, Byrdie’s senior editor. After a lifetime of bloat, she decided to try traditional Chinese medicine to ward off some of her discomfort. It turns out, the distraction was part of the problem. “Multitasking with some sort of digital distraction leads to overeating or scarfing down food hurriedly, which translates to poor digestion. It’s also one of the main reasons people face spleen qi deficiency,” according to Emma Suttie, D.Ac., AP.
Metrus continues, “I made it a point to enjoy as many meals as I could peacefully and undistracted, focusing on chewing each piece of food since breaking down foods before they get to the spleen means the spleen has less work to do.” Not only will chewing slowly encourage healthier digestion and, in turn, less bloat, but it will also speed up your metabolism .
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Complementary And Alternative Therapies
Simethicone and Charcoal The use of gas-reducing agents, such as simethicone and charcoal, to relieve bloating is widespread, but the evidence to support their efficacy is limited. When used alone, simethicone has been inefficacious, and the effects of activated charcoal have been inconsistent., There is a suggestion that gas-related discomfort is reduced with a combination of simethicone and loperamide., Likewise, the combination of simethicone, activated charcoal, and magnesium oxide significantly reduced bloating in patients with functional dyspepsia. The evidence to support the use of any of these agents alone in reducing bloating is insufficient, but there may be some benefit in combination.
Kiwifruit Extract There is emerging evidence that kiwifruit is effective in the treatment of constipation and bloating. Although the mechanisms remain unknown, kiwifruit appears to promote both laxation and gastric motility. Kiwifruit extract has had promising results for the treatment of constipation in randomized, placebo-controlled trials. A statistically significant reduction in bloating was noted in a study of patients with occasional constipation.
Prosecretory And Promotility Agents
Prosecretory and promotility agents, such as linaclotide , prucalopride, and lubiprostone , are emerging as safe and efficacious treatments for chronic constipation and IBS-C. Data suggest that their use is associated with a concurrent decrease in bloating, but it remains uncertain whether this is a secondary response to reduced colonic loading or a direct effect on visceral sensation. The drugs have not been assessed in patients who have bloating without constipation.
Lubiprostone Lubiprostone, a member of the prostone class of compounds, also acts on chloride channels to relieve constipation and improve colonic transit. Most studies use the primary endpoint of increased frequency of spontaneous bowel motions, with decreases in abdominal pain and bloating as secondary endpoints. Once again, there appears to be a significant decrease in abdominal bloating.- The effect on bloating would appear likely due to reduced colonic volume and improved transit because lubiprostone appears not to have an effect on visceral sensory thresholds. Further studies are required.
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