Do you eat a healthy diet yet experience bloating? 

Bloating should not be a symptom that our society should perceive as normal as we think it is. Bloating can be caused by so many minor triggers that are not harmful or dangerous however it still is a product of something being disrupted internally. 

How many of us experience bloating as the normal, day to day occurrence? I want to share that this does not have to be an aspect of daily life. When we understand the triggers we can navigate, regulate and maintain ourselves in a way which promotes an anti bloat lifestyle. 

Physicality Of Bloating

For some people looking bloated is more of a concern than feeling bloated. Bloating will most likely look or feel different for each person. In general, bloating can feel like your stomach or core area is full, tight, physically swollen, stomach distended and generally uncomfortable around the abdomen.

Beyond The Bloat 

Bloating is a by product of a chemical reaction in the body however before this reaction occurs, a trigger lies. The triggers for bloating can be both physical and mental. Bloating can be firstly a sign of stress. Mental, emotional and physical. This may be down to many aspects for example; stress at work, or experiencing a breakup or even over exercising. Stress comes in many forms and in result stress slows down digestion and causes physical bloating symptoms.

Mindfulness to beat the bloat

Bloating can be encouraged by mindset so in order to avoid the bloat, the first area that someone should consider is mindfulness and stress management. We can dive deeper into mindful eating. Are you consuming your food in a slow, mindful manor and with intention? You could be eating the cleanest purest foods available but if you are not properly digesting then problematic bloating can occur. We aren’t what we eat but how and what we digest. Digestion takes place in the gut so maintaining good gut health needs to be a main priority in our life and needs to become a talked about aspect of living that needs education and emphasis. Essentially, when you’re feeling anxious or stressed, your brain goes into a fight or flight mode ( also known as the sympathetic nervous system) and stops your body from performing proper functions, as a result of the brain sending disruptive signals to the gut. 

Connect To The Food You Consume 

Mindful Meals

We are what we digest but we need to recognise this in an energetic sense. If everything is energy then when we do sit down to eat, we need to be aligned with an energy of calmness and relaxed presence as this will aid in digestion. We need to be in an enviroment that will favour easy digestion. Sometimes we can be in busy chaotic environments at meal times and leave feeling unsettled, wonder why? I believe home cooking and starting the process of mindfulness when we are preparing the food is the first step. Remember the energy exchange! When assembling a plate take time, thought and a calm approach. We digest best when our minds and bodies feel at ease. As the gut is the second brain and also where digestion takes place, if we are tranquil in our minds we can send messages to the gut that we are safe and able to do our main functions such as digest our food. 

Things you may not know cause bloating:

• Drinking carbonated beverages, like sparkling water
• Eating too fast
• Not chewing your food thoroughly
• Not eating enough fibre
• Not drinking enough water
• Not eliminating 
• Feeling overwhelmed and busy
• Eating large or oversized portions
• Taking certain medications
• Eating too late before bedtime

Diet Triggers 

The major chemical reason for bloating is gas. The gas could come from carbonated drinks or from swallowing air if you eat too fast. However what we actually eat that may cause the gas can usually be the problem. If you believe stress and mindset are not the cause for your bloating, I invite you to explore potential trigger foods. Triggering foods are bio individual and certain foods that cause gas to one will not effect others. There are foods that cause gas in some people and not in others, and that depends on your digestive enzymes and on the bacteria in your gut. 

It’s the gut bacteria that produce gas, methane and hydrogen, from our leftover foods. Whatever foods we don’t digest and absorb in the small intestine travel on down to the large intestine, where bacteria use them and produce gas. 

For example even some extremely heathy foods can cause bloating in some people, such as :

• Cruciferous Veggies Like cauliflower and broccoli 
• Beans, and legumes
• Onions and Garlic
• Or even Drinking Too Much Water During Meals

These are all healthy beneficial foods! It just shows how bio individuality and getting to know our bodies with awareness is again the first step to conscious consumption. A practical action step to undergo ( with a nutritionist or health coach) is trying out an elimination diet. An elimination diet involves removing foods from your diet that you suspect your body can’t tolerate well. The foods are later reintroduced, one at a time, while you look for symptoms that show a reaction.

Foods To Include Soothe Bloating:

Many ingredients have been shown to promote regularity, prevent fluid retention, and enhance gut health, all of which can help keep bloating at bay and encourage proper digestion and elimination.

De Bloating Superfoods:

• Avocados. Avocados are rich in potassium, an essential mineral involved in regulating fluid balance and sodium levels to prevent water retention.
• Fennel. fennel and its seeds possess antispasmodic properties, meaning it can help relax the muscles in your intestinal tract to provide relief from gas and bloating.It also acts as a diuretic to increase urine production and reduce water retention
• Cucumbers. Cucumbers are water rich foods which can reverse dehydration, which could be the cause of your bloating.
•   Probiotic foods. Such as Yogurt or fermented foods. Yogurt is packed with probiotics, a beneficial type of bacteria that plays a key role in gut health.
• Green tea. Green tea is packed with antioxidants like epigallocatechin gallate which can neutralize harmful free radicals and reduce inflammation in your body.
• Ginger. Ginger is an herb that’s well known for its ability to soothe stomach problems. It also contains an enzyme called zingibain, which helps break down protein more efficiently to support healthy digestion.

Takeaway 

Bloating consistently after eating is avoidable and can be managed and reduced however we have to accept that bloating occasionally, as it is part of normal digestion. Sometimes we need more food than other times or we really desire a potential triggering food, which is totally helathy as we remember the importance of balance and being a food group. However there is always a reason for bloating. Bloating is a symptom. To address reducing bloating we must address the cause. Discovering the root of your bloating is the key to navigating a bloat free life. Maybe you need to relax and decompress or perhaps your healthy diet full of particular plants just isn’t working for your body right now. Experimentation and exploration will allow for the answers that are bio individual to you.

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