We’ve all been there…. You’re eating out at a restaurant catching up with friends and suddenly your pants start to feel snug. It’s not too bad at this point so you ignore it and continue enjoying the conversation but it keeps getting worse. Now it’s progressed to the point where it’s starting to hurt and you do what we’ve all done before…
Unbutton your top button (And now you’re distracted trying to hide it and the night is ruined)
It’s rare that a patient tells me they have no issues with bloating. It’s important to get to the underlying cause of why you’re bloating so much but here’s some tools to get you through the day in the meantime:
Teas:
These are such easy and delicious tools to use to battle your bloat. My favourites are chamomile, ginger, peppermint, and lemon balm. This is because they all contain volatile oils which help with coordinating and soothing gut contractions.
Pro tip: When you make these teas it is important to steep them covered so the steam doesn’t escape. If you don’t to this the active volatile oils can escape in the steam and the tea may be less effective.
Probiotics
An unhealthy balance of bacteria in the large intestine (Called dysbiosis) can lead to an increase in bloating. Some people find that taking a good quality probiotic everyday can decrease daily bloating.
Pro tip #1: If you find probiotics make your bloating or other digestion concerns worse then look into getting tested for SIBO (Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth).
Pro tip #2: Taking probiotics with food appears to be more effective than on an empty stomach because they more easily survive the acidic environment in the stomach.
Topical essential oils:
Companies like Saje are putting essential oils in convenient roll on applicators. Rolling a little bit of peppermint, chamomile, or fennel essential oil directly onto the stomach can quickly help ease symptoms.
Pro tip: More people are starting to use essential oils orally. Seek professional advice before doing this to make sure what you are doing is safe. Essential oils are very strong and can be potentially dangerous.
Decrease carbs, sugar, and grains:
These types of foods provide a feast for bacteria in our guts. The bacteria will ferment them and turn them into the gasses that cause bloating. Try decreasing added sugar (Like desserts, sugar in coffee, and sweetened yogurt), as well as processed grains (Like bread, pasta, and white rice) to start.
Pro tip: Don’t just switch from sugar to sugar free alternatives. Zero calorie sweeteners like aspartame, xylitol, sorbitol, and others can also contribute to bloating.
Apple cider vinegar before meals:
Apple cider vinegar can help promote increased acidity in the stomach. This promotes improved protein digestion as well and increase enzyme production downstream in the small intestine and pancreas. This means food will be more thoroughly digested and will leave less partly digested food for bacteria to feast on.
Pro tip: If you suffer from heartburn this can be beneficial for preventing it as well.
Look for the underlying cause, some of the more common causes include:
SIBO
Food sensitivities/leaky gut
Intestinal dysbiosis
Malabsorption
Dr. Kelsey Murray, ND