Swap Salt For Herbs And Spices
Whether you like it or not, those salty chips dont just give you empty caloriesall that sodium will also encourage your body to retain water. Before long, youll be sending a search party for your abs.
Over the next two days, try to avoid eating fast food, restaurant food, or packaged foodin fact, thats where most Americans get their dietary salt. Instead, cook at home with whole ingredients such as lean meat and poultry, vegetables, and slow-digesting carbs.
Better yet, swap out the salt and use herbs and spices instead. Use red pepper flakes for some heat, oregano and thyme for some Italian flavor, lemon/lime juice and zest, or turmeric and curry powder for anti-inflammatory power.
Abdominal Swelling And Bloating Symptoms
Abdominal bloating and swelling is described in many different ways. Some people describe it more as a symptomas a feeling of indigestion or a tight abdomen, and some people define it more as a signthat they can visually see that their belly is distended or their clothes look too tight around the middle.
Depending on the cause, this symptom can come on suddenly or gradually. It can be something that has recently appeared or a symptom that comes and goes.
Is Bloating A Sign Of Something More Serious
Watch Out for Other Symptoms
Simple bloating is usually not a cause for concern, but it may be a warning sign of a more serious health condition in some cases. If you experience other symptoms, including diarrhea, nausea, fever, abdominal pain, weight loss, weakness, loss of appetite, or blood in the stool, see your doctor to rule out potentially more serious conditions. The doctor may order a stool sample or take images of your small intestine to assess for digestive problems and other conditions. Tests are available to check for lactose intolerance, celiac disease, ovarian cancer, liver disease, and other health problems.
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Stimulants Of Fluid Secretion
Lubiprostone and linaclotide are novel agents recently approved by the USA Food and Drug Administration, that enhance fluid secretion into the gut lumen and accelerate intestinal transit. These properties are considered to play a role in treatment of constipation, thus a number of clinical trials focusing in the chronic constipation or IBS-C have been conducted . In 2 phase III trials, lubiprostone significantly improved the overall IBS symptoms including bloating in IBS-C.156,157 Several multicenter, randomized trials of linaclotide in chronic constipation or IBS-C also demonstrated the beneficial effect in relieving abdominal bloating.158,159 Thus so far, these 2 novel drugs offer a reasonable therapeutic approach for bloating mainly in IBS-C and functional constipation patients.
Consider Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Although more common in women, bloating in men may result from irritable bowel syndrome . This functional gastrointestinal disorder causes a range of symptoms from constipation to diarrhea to abdominal pain and even bloating.
Treatment for IBS and the symptoms it causes may include medications to improve bowel function, probiotics and diet changes. Adding more fiber to your diet and drinking more water may also help regulate bowel function and alleviate some of the IBS symptoms, like bloating.
Read more:What Vitamins Work Best for Irritable Bowel Syndrome?
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Swallowing Too Much Air
Most people think of taking in air when they inhale, but it can also be done a number of other ways. Common daily habitssuch as drinking from a straw, chewing gum and eating too quicklyare ways to add air into your digestive tract instead of your respiratory system.
When you swallow too much air you can start to feel bloated, Hoffman said. If its becoming a problem, start cutting out gum and straws and see if that helps eases your symptoms.
Eat At Regular Intervals
Many people experience bloating directly after a big meal. It is possible to avoid this by eating several smaller meals each day, which can help to keep the digestive system moving.
Swallowing food quickly can introduce air into the digestive tract. Drinking from a straw can also lead to people swallowing more air, which in turn leads to gas and bloating. People who have bloating should avoid using straws if possible and try eating slowly to avoid swallowing air during meals.
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What Causes Wind Gas And Bloating
Everybody has gas-related symptoms from time to time. In most cases, this is part of the natural working of the body and the symptoms soon pass. Some people complain they are feeling bloated all the time. As mentioned above, people are occasionally sensitive to normal amounts of gas in the tummy. The reasons for this are not entirely clear.
There are some conditions associated with larger than normal amounts of gas in the tummy:
How To Tell The Difference Between Belly Fat And Bloat
One easy way to tell the difference between bloat and belly fat is to note belly fat does not cause your stomach to expand wildly throughout the course of a day bloat does. One other way to tell the difference between bloat and belly fat is you can physically grasp belly fat with your hand, you cannot with bloat.
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Are These Signs Or Symptoms Accompanying Your Bloat
Fortunately, if you feel bloated its usually harmless and caused by something as simple as gas, indigestion, or premenstrual symptoms.
But when there are other symptoms occurring with your persistent bloating symptoms you may want to dive deeper into the actual cause.
Other signs and symptoms to look out for with your constant bloating include:
- Severe abdominal pain
- Nausea, vomiting, or both
- Jaundice
Dont shrug your constant bloating off if youre experiencing any of the above symptoms.
Because when detected early, certain diseases such as colon cancer, pelvic inflammatory disease, or diverticulitis are easier to treat and can reduce more complications.
And if gastrointestinal issues like leaky gut syndrome and inflammatory bowel diseases arent properly treated it could lead to other complications such as autoimmune diseases or cancer.
Common Causes Of Bloating
The following are some common reasons why you might feel bloated. In most instances, these causes of bloating can be reduced or eliminated by practical diet and lifestyle changes.
Healthy eating. Believe it or not, healthy foods are the reason for a bloated stomach. Whole veggies such as cabbage, brussel sprouts, and carrots and legumes such as beans, can cause extra air to get trapped in your belly, giving you that uncomfortable and bloated feeling. Foods high in fiber and lactose can also cause bloating since they release hydrogen and methane, which are bloating gases. Certain fruits like apples, pears, and watermelon can also cause bloating because of the high ratio of fructose to glucose.
Consuming diet products. Sugar substitutes found in many diet foods, such as sorbitol and xylitol) can cause you to feel bloated and uncomfortable. Ingesting too much of these or any artificial substances can cause bloating.
Fizzy drinks. Bubbly drinks like soda, champagne, or seltzer can do a number on your stomach because of the carbonation. When you ingest these drinks, the bubbles expand in your gut, which leads to that bloated feeling. This is also true of popular probiotic, naturally fermented drinks like kombucha, which can cause gas, bloating and loose stools.
Recovery from a stomach bug. Many people experience bloating after having a stomach virus or bug. Thiss because of the bacterial overgrowth that occurred in the small intestine as a result of the infection.
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What Causes Excess Gas
Many people who feel as though they have excess gas may have increased levels or just an increased sensitivity to it in the gastrointestinal tract. Passing gas, bloating, burping, and belly pain and discomfort are common sensations in those who feel like they have excess gas. These symptoms may be due to a variety of conditions. Health problems including small intestinal bacterial overgrowth , gastroesophageal reflux disease , irritable bowel syndrome , and difficulty digesting certain types of carbohydrates may all contribute to gas build up. Other conditions like abdominal hernias, masses in the GI tract, abdominal adhesions, and dumping syndrome can affect the way gas moves through the intestines.
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.
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What Is A Bloated Stomach
A bloated stomach is first and foremost a feeling of tightness, pressure or fullness in your belly. It may or may not be accompanied by a visibly distended abdomen. The feeling can range from mildly uncomfortable to intensely painful. It usually goes away after a while, but for some people, its a recurring problem. Digestive issues and hormone fluctuations can cause cyclical bloating. If your bloated stomach doesnt go away, you should seek medical care to determine the cause.
Get A Good Nights Sleep
Sleep and rest are critically under-appreciated when it comes to looking leaner faster. And, by the same token, sleep deprivation can seriously take a toll on your physique. Stress increases cortisol levels, lowers testosterone, and leads to insufficient recovery, Boyce says. All of this gets in the way of your physique goals.
Get around eight hours of sleep a night, and your body will thank you. Boyce also points out that going to bed earlier can prevent you from overeating or snacking at night, when lots of guys often cave to their midnight cravings.
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Five: Signs Your Bloating Is Something More Serious
Bloating is usually nothing to worry about and generally can be attributed to poor diet, an intolerance or a gut problem. Some people find they bloat when stressed or before, during or after their menstrual cycle.
However, in some cases if symptoms are pro-longed and there are other side effects, it would be advised to speak to your GP to get to the root of the problem and find out whether it could be something more serious.
When Bloating Is A Sign Of Something More Serious
Each of the previous reasons for bloating can be overcome through diet, exercise, and mindful living. Although not as common, bloating may be an indication of a more serious condition that requires medical attention. The following are three conditions and what to look for.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a disorder that causes a change in bowel habits such as constipation, diarrhea, or both. These changes can cause stomach pain. If you are diagnosed with IBS, youre not alone according to the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders, 10-15 percent of Americans have IBS. If you notice these symptoms or think you have IBS, see your doctor.
Crohns Disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that can cause bloating. It is accompanied by nausea, vomiting, weight loss, and/or fever. If you experience a combination of these symptoms, visit your doctor to get tested for Crohns disease.
Cancer. Dont panic! Most of the time bloating is a result of something very treatable. However, in rare cases, it can be a sign of a more serious illness such as cancer. If your bloating is combined with symptoms such as blood in the stool and weight loss, you may want to see your doctor who can check you for pancreatic or stomach cancer .
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Wheres Your Abdominal Bloating And Pain
Pain in different areas of the abdomen can mean different things.
Abdominal pain can be anywhere between the chest and the pelvis. People often call it a stomachache. The pain can also be:
- cramp-like
- dull
- sharp
Causes of abdominal bloating and pain can vary from mild to severe. Most of the time, abdominal bloating and pain occur due to:
- overeating
- stress
- indigestion
This kind of bloating or pain is usually normal and will go away within two hours.
In cases of the stomach flu, you may feel intense pain or bloating that comes and goes before each episode of vomiting or diarrhea. Stomach viruses usually go away with rest and home care.
This guide lists the organs associated with different locations of abdominal bloating or pain:
Altered Gut Motility And Impaired Gas Handling
Various abnormal motility patterns have been described in IBS patients, but none of those parameters can be used as diagnostic markers.55 Some authors have suggested that slow transit of food representing alteration in gut motility is related to bloating in IBS-C patients.56 Also in a traditional experiment, normal volunteers being made constipated with loperamide, an agent known to slow transit, experienced bloating.57 Recently, IBS-C patients with delayed orocecal and colonic transits have shown abdominal distension rather than bloating.15 Although delayed gastric emptying and slow intestinal transit in IBS-C patients were reported in many Asian studies, there are still controversies to define these motor disturbances as unique features in Asian IBS patients. Besides, the association between altered gut motility and IBS symptoms is pretty obscure.58 A recent study has also suggested that altered colon transit is of no or minor importance for IBS symptoms such as bloating or pain.59
Taken together, ineffective anorectal evacuation as well as impaired gas handling may be possible mechanisms of abdominal distension and bloating. However, the data on the link between altered food transit of gut and bloating are not consistent, although they probably account for bloating in some of the IBS patients.56,57
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You Drink Too Much Booze
The Dietary Guidelines recommend that men have two alcoholic beverages or fewer each day, if any. If youre a big beer drinker, you may notice that the bubbles in the drink make your stomach bloat, says Rizzo.
On top of that, alcohol has unnecessary calories that may lead to weight gain and alcohol also dehydrates you, which means that you will retain water and feel bloated, Rizzo adds.
Having a drink every now and then is perfectly fine, but try and keep it to a minimum if you want to fight bloat.
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Having A Food Intolerance
Typically, if someone is feels bloated, it is because of their food or water intake, but even if you havent eaten too much, you may have eaten the wrong thing. Certain food intolerances or sensitives to spicy or acidic foods can cause the gastrointestinal tract to have a more difficult time than usual.
An undiagnosed intolerance to foods can cause a lot of bloating, Hoffman said. The body is trying to break down the foods for the body to use, and a lot of gas can be the result of that work.
If you experience a lot of bloating, try keeping a food journal to track what you eat, when you notice bloating and the amount of discomfort you experience.
Youre Eating Foods That Cause Gas
Certain healthy foods, like beans and cruciferous vegetables, contain complex sugars that the body cannot digest.
When those sugars reach the large intestines, the bacteria inside work to break them down and cause fermentation, gas and bloating, says Rizzo.
Some people are better able to tolerate these foods than others. If you notice that beans, legumes or some veggies, like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, onions or garlic, are triggers for you, then stay away.
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