Deflating Postmeal Bloat Is Simpler Than You Think
Is the holiday season bringing out your extra-indulgent side? It happens and you may end your holiday dinner feeling like your bellys bulging from all that food.
Does it seem like your stomach just tripled in size? Rest assured, thats not the case, according to Brigham and Womens Hospital. Rather, its likely just gas. It’s caused by excess air or gas in the gastrointestinal tract, says Rachel Doyle, RDN, the Chicago-based owner of RAD Nutrition who focuses on gut health. When we eat, carbohydrates are broken down, and their fiber is fermented, producing gas that expands, which can lead to bloating.
Unpleasant as it is, its generally not something to worry about. Typically, bloating is not a sign of anything serious, especially if it is only occurring after large meals, says Pam Fullenweider, RD, the founder of Fully Mediterranean in Houston.
RELATED: 11 Best and Worst Foods for Boosting Metabolism
If its chronic, however, visit your healthcare provider to rule out something more serious. If you are experiencing bloating frequently, its always a good idea to explore this further with a doctor or dietitian to determine the root cause and rule out any underlying medical conditions, Fullenweider says.
Even your run-of-the-mill bloating can be a pain, though. The good news is you dont have to just sit uncomfortably and wait it out. Follow these seven quick tips to get rid of bloating and return to the holiday merriment.
What Causes Gas After Eating
Feeling like your belly is fit to burst or experiencing bad gas after eating is unpleasant, but understanding the cause could help to prevent it.
Digestive distress is an unpleasant symptom of bloating. Picture it: youve finished eating and your stomach feels full to bursting point, or youve got so much gas after eating anything that you dont know what to do with yourself.
Although a little tooting here and there can be humorous, too much of it can be painful. In fact, severe symptoms can really take it out of us. For example, dealing with cramping and pain can lead to fatigue, greatly impacting on our personal and social lives.
If that wasnt enough, excessive gas production from your rear end can be continuous, making it pretty difficult to go to work or socialise. Alternatively, the stench could leave you feeling horrified with yourself! But there could be several explanations for its occurrence.
Does rice expand in your stomach? No. If you cook your rice before eating it, it should be soft and chewy because it has absorbed all the moisture it can.
Increasing Your Fiber Intake Too Quickly
You know that upping your fiber intake can aid your rapid weight loss efforts, but if you aren’t used to eating the uber-filling nutrient a large dose of the stuff can be hard for your body to digest, explains Rumsey. The result? A midsection that’s suddenly as round as a basketball. “Wean yourself onto high-fiber foods like bran cereals, beans, and lentils, starting with small portions,” suggests Rumsey. Another trick: Down a large glass of water with every high-fiber meal. Fluids help to move fiber through the digestive tract, preventing bloat.
Recommended Reading: How Much Is Smart Lipo For Stomach
Potatoes Causing Bloating And Stomach Agony
Gstan
for some years I realised that eating any form of potato caused me to get severe stomach pain and cramp. I now find other foods are doing this. When I examine the ingredient lists for foods I find potato starch is becoming popular. Many soups, lots of ready meals e.g. m& S mushroom risotto and now gravy granules.
Anyone else have this problem
0 likes, 7 replies
Vomiting On A Regular Basis
Vomiting is not a symptom of IBS. This is not to say that some people who have IBS don’t experience nausea and vomiting from time to time, but this is not because of their IBS. There are a large number of health conditions that can result in the symptom of vomiting.
It is essential that you tell your doctor if you are experiencing vomiting on a frequent basis. Seek immediate medical care if you are experiencing uncontrollable vomiting or are vomiting up blood.
There is a health condition, classified like IBS as a functional gastrointestinal disorder, called cyclic vomiting disorder . In CVS, a person experiences episodes of vomiting without any other sign of disease.
Also Check: What Causes Your Stomach To Be Bloated And Hard
Diet Makes You Gassy After Eating
Feeling bloated after eating can be caused by certain foods for some people. Foods rich in fibre like whole grains, legumes, and some vegetables – although healthy – can lead to bloated bellies.
Although your gut bacteria are well equipped to break down the fibre in your diet to beneficial metabolites, the process can also lead to the production of gas. Suddenly increasing your fibre intake means you may also be greeted with some odoriferous flatulence, bloating, and some discomfort.
Salt, another major component of the Western diet, is a major contributor to bloating because it tells your body to hold onto water. Other things like taking in lots of air when you eat or drinking carbonated drinks increases the gas build-up in the body, making your belly feel like an inflated balloon.
Causes Of Stomach Bloat
Overeating. Eating too much is a major cause of belly bloat. You should be able to help prevent the problem by eating smaller portions at meals.
Eating too quickly. When you eat too fast, you can swallow air, which may contribute to bloat. Slow down savor your food and pay attention to your bodys signals of when youre full.
Eating certain foods. A number of foods can cause your belly to bloat. These include carbohydrate-rich and fatty foods, dairy products, legumes, certain fruits and vegetables , and artificial sweeteners. You dont have to cut out these foods altogether, but notice if they cause problems and eat them in moderation.
Food sensitivities or allergies. Lactose and gluten can trigger stomach bloating in some people.
Certain gastrointestinal problems.Digestive woes such as constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, and acid reflux can all result in feelings of fullness and bloating.
If you experience chronic bloating, talk with your doctor about possible causes and solutions. Learn more at the UPMC Digestive Disorders Center.
Don’t Miss: Why Is My Stomach Distended And Bloated
Possible Causes Of Bloating In Upper Abdomen
Abdominal bloating is a health condition in which the upper abdomen is gaseous, may be visibly swollen or distended, and feels uncomfortably full. Its a common complaint among both children and adults, and the symptoms can be difficult to live with. Moreover, it can also be accompanied by burping or belching, pain, excessive gas or flatulence,swallowing of air, and abdominal rumbling.
Foods That Cause Bloating According To Nutritionists
Your salad is not as innocent as it looks.
Sometimes stomach bloat can be easily traced back to that huge-ass brunch you had with your BFFs. But other times, its a complete mystery.
One person’s poison is another person’s medicine. What one person’s gut tolerates can vary to the next, says Kelly Schmidt, RD.
In fact, bloating can happen even if you’re all about the salads and healthy snacks. So it’s important to know that you shouldn’t avoid super-healthy foods just because they make you bloated.
The key is to eat these foods strategically, says Cynthia Sass, RD, and author of Slim Down Now: Shed Pounds and Inches with Real Food, Real Fast. As in, you may want to avoid potential bloaters if you know you’re going to give a presentation at work, but definitely don’t nix nutrient-rich foods from your diet altogether.
Curious what your culprits may be? These are some of the most common foods that cause bloating.
Sorry, La Croix addicts: your fav bevvy might be giving you major bloat.
“I think most people are aware that sugary sodas trigger bloating,” says Sass. But the bubbles that give any sparkling drink its fizz are also a factor. Even without any sweetener, that carbonated gas can inflate your belly like a balloon.
To see if this is the culprit, Sass suggests you try eating the same meal or snack with flat water, then with sparkling, and compare how you feel.
Key word: temporarily. If youve got nowhere to be tonight, pop away.
You May Like: How Long Does It Take To Lose Your Stomach
How To Stop Stomach Bloating
Many stomach issues arise from an inflammation response. Reducing the triggers that cause the body to elicit that response will dramatically limit your stomach bloating troubles. Once your cause is identified, Dr. Goodbiner and staff can begin to develop a specialized plan to improve the afflicted area.
Whether that involves creating an entirely new diet regiment, developing a nutrient supplement plan, or impacting other lifestyle factors The Epigenetics Healing Center will better your stomach bloat struggles. Schedule an appointment today, and lets solve your discomfort.
Fizzy Drinks Expand Your Waistline
If you experience stomach bloating after eating very little, maybe its what you drink rather than what you eat. Fizzy or carbonated drinks cause carbon dioxide to build up in the body, inflating your stomach, resulting in gas immediately after eating.
The best drink to combat this is water. Just still water, not sparkling though. If, like many others, youre not keen on the taste, try adding a little flavour like a slice of lemon or lime. These not only enhance the flavour of water, but wont expand your tummy either.
Also Check: Why My Stomach Gets Big After I Eat
Gas And Bloating Within 90 Minutes Of Eating
Although excessive intestinal gas and bloating are common symptoms in IBS, the timing of the onset of these symptoms can provide you with some valuable information.
It generally takes about 90 minutes for any undigested carbohydrates to arrive at your large intestine, where they are set upon by gut bacteria, resulting in a fermentation process that produces gas.
Therefore, if your gassiness shows up prior to that 90-minute mark, it could indicate that you have more bacteria in your small intestine than you should. This is a condition known as small intestinal bacterial overgrowth . SIBO is diagnosed through the use of hydrogen breath testing and can be treated with select antibiotics.
If your gas and bloating happen within an hour and a half of eating, it doesn’t mean that your doctor was wrong about your IBS. It is just that it might be worth your while to be tested for SIBO.
Remember that these conditions are relatively rare and it is possible that your diarrhea after eating is simply a symptom of your IBS. But, if reading about these conditions makes you wonder, discuss your thoughts with your doctor.
Ease Into A Yoga Pose
Once the dessert is cleared, find some space to give your body a nice stretch. Gentle yoga poses like Childs pose or Cat/Cow can help relieve abdominal discomfort associated with bloating, Doyle says. Hold each pose for five deep breaths , and continue repeating until you feel some relief, she says. Allow your belly to expand fully with each inhale, Doyle says. This helps to activate your bodys parasympathetic nervous system, or rest and digest mode, which is calming and will allow you to better digest your food.
You May Like: Does Your Stomach Hurt If You Are Pregnant
After I Finish Eating My Stomach Start To Blow Up What Is That
Ask U.S. doctors your own question and get educational, text answers â it’s anonymous and free!
Ask U.S. doctors your own question and get educational, text answers â it’s anonymous and free!
HealthTap doctors are based in the U.S., board certified, and available by text or video.
Does Lemon Water Help With Bloating
As a bonus, lemon juice helps to loosen the toxins floating around in your GI tract, relieve the painful symptoms that accompany indigestion, and even reduce the risk of burping and bloating resulting from excess gas production in your gut. Lemon water can keep your digestive system purring like a kitty all day long.
Recommended Reading: How Do I Get Rid Of The Stomach Flu
What Naturally Reduces Bloating
Here are additional suggestions to decrease bloating: Eat slowly, and consume smaller, more frequent meals. Chew your foods well. Drink beverages at room temperature. Have your dentures checked for a good fit. Increase physical activity during the day. Sit up straight after eating. Take a stroll after eating.
A Combination Of Prebiotics + Enzymes + Phenolic Compounds
It turns out, the key to a balanced digestion is in a combination of nutrients found in the kiwifruit. These nutrients work together so that everything you eat and drink is digested more efficiently.
These nutrients include
- Prebiotics fermentable fibers that feed your intestinal bacteria and stimulate their growth.
- Phenolic compounds powerful antioxidant boiactives that strengthen your immune system and kill harmful gut bacteria.
- Digestive enzymes essential for breaking down hard to digest food resulting in less gas and bloating.
Once your digestive system is working in balance, your body becomes a more efficient machine. This results in fewer infections, indigestion, gas and of course bloated stomach.
Because you are eliminating waste more effectively, this prevents toxins being absorbed into your cells.
You feel more energetic
Your skin has a healthy glow
You lose that bloated feeling after eating
With all these benefits going for it, do you need to be eating kiwifruit everyday? Well, it isnt as simple as that.
You see, a high percentage of these nutrients occur naturally in the kiwis skin. If you havent tasted the skin of the kiwifruit, then believe me, its an acquired taste.
Thats why a natural kiwifruit supplement called Kiwi-Klenz can really help.
This is a 100% pure kiwi extract supplement that contains all three nutrients in one easy to swallow capsule.
Read Also: How To Get Rid Of Stomach Fast
Foods To Help You Beat The Bloat
Just as there are foods that cause bloating, there are foods that can be bloat blasters, even as youre enjoying their delicious tastes.
- Tomatoes. This summer staple is rich in potassium, which can help cut down on bloating by lowering your body’s sodium levels. If you want help with keeping dehydration at bay, eat tomatoes. Theyre made up of about 95% water and can boost your daily fluid needs to help fight bloating.
- Cucumbers. Cukes are packed with water. Surprisingly, theres even a bit of sodium in cucumbers. When combined with the other nutrients, that small amount helps keep you hydrated one of your best weapons in the fight against feeling bloated.
If youve had too much salt, watermelon’s abundant water content makes it a go-to for flushing out the extra sodium.
- Watermelon. If youve had too much salt, this fruits abundant water content makes it a go-to for flushing out the extra sodium. Eating a water-dense food like watermelon is a tasty way to rid your body of a salt imbalance.
- Avocados. Its an amazing fruit and a staple of summer fun eats. Avocados are low in sugar and contain soluble fiber. This combination feeds your gut the good bacteria, which aids your digestion and keeps you feeling full without making you gassy.
Put Away The Salt Shaker
By now, you know that eating too much salt can cause a slew of long-term health problems, including high blood pressure. In the short term, an extra salty meal may lead to water retention, which causes bloating.
You can avoid excess sodium in your diet by using flavorful herbs instead of salt, and by reducing the amount of processed and packaged foods you eat.
You May Like: How Do I Get Rid Of Stomach Fat Fast
Bloated Stomach As A Result Of A Medical Condition
Persistent bloating is one of a number of symptoms that can be caused by medical conditions related to the digestive system.
Common digestive disorders include
- Coeliac disease
- Diverticulitis
For example, with Coeliac disease you can have a sensitivity to foods that contain gluten and wheat. Thats why people with this condition often experience bloating after eating bread or pasta.
Each of these chronic conditions disrupt and compromise the three major functions of the digestive system which are digestion, absorption and elimination.
Furthermore, they require constant management and treatment because theres no medical cure.
In addition to stomach bloating you can also experience nausea, stomach cramp, diarrhea, lactose intolerance, gastric gas and blood in the stool.
If you experience any of these symptoms you should see your doctor immediately.
Foods That Cause Bloating And Gut Discomfort
Your diet is often to blame for belly bloat. That goes for both foods that cause bloating as well as dietary habits and underlying medical conditions.
When your belly is bloated, you haven’t gained weight. Instead, you’ve likely gained water weight or are suffering through digestive issues that cause a distended belly. Unlike fat gain, bloated stomachs are oftentimes temporary.
There are many different reasons why you’re experiencing bloating:
- your diet is high in sodium, which can cause water retention
- you have a sensitivity to certain foods that cause bloating
- you might be experiencing a food intolerance
- you’ve increased the fiber in your diet
We explain more about the dietary causes of bloat below, but let’s start with the 19 most common foods that cause bloating.
Also Check: What Can Cause Severe Stomach Pain And Bloating
Stomach Problems For Bikers
- Acid reflux
- Indigestion
Up to 67 percent of athletes get acid reflux, compared with about 10 percent of the general population, according to a Polish study. It’s common in cyclists because of their forward-leaning riding position, which increases pressure on the abdomen and can direct stomach acid back up the esophagus, says Carol L. Otis, M.D., a sports medicine physician in Portland, Oregon.
Fix it fast: Switch your position so that you sit more upright in the saddle. If possible, take a short break during your ride and walk for a few minutes. Stop eating and drinking until symptoms subside.
Prevent it: