Bloating – What is it, Causes and Treatments

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Bloating
Unhappy young european male suffering from stomach pain, pressing hand to body, isolated on white background, copy space. Ache, heartburn, chronic gastritis or abdomen bloating and health problem

How does Bloating occur?

The stomach produces a lot of gas in the form of H2O. The excess water passes through the bowel into the colon, where it gets absorbed by the body. This causes bloating. If you have any other health issues like heartburn or acid reflux, this can also cause bloating.

What are some common symptoms of bloat?

The most commonly reported symptom of bloating is pressure on your abdomen, which may feel as if there’s something heavy sitting on top of your belly button. Some people experience pain when they eat certain foods that produce more gas than others. Other symptoms include:

  • Pressure around your navel.
  • A feeling of fullness after eating small amounts of food.
  • Feeling bloated even though you’ve eaten less than usual.
  • Breathlessness while lying down.
  • Fatigue.
  • Nausea.
  • Vomiting.
  • Diarrhea.
  • Constipation.

What are the things that worsen bloating?

1)If you are bloated, the chances are that your stomach is full of gas. The food we eat may contain too much fiber or not enough water. This happens when people have an overly-filling meal without drinking adequate amounts of fluids beforehand. When our bowels move slowly through their normal cycle, they create less pressure on the colon wall than moving quickly.

2) Certain bacteria and yeast produce large quantities of hydrogen sulfide, which causes the body to retain fluid. If this occurs, it will cause us to feel bloated.

3) A lack of exercise can lead to constipation. As a result, more air gets trapped inside the bowel, causing us to become bloated.

4) Stressful situations such as exams, job interviews, etc., can also make us bloat up because stress makes us hold onto extra moisture.

5) Some medications, certain medical conditions, and even pregnancy can all contribute to excess gas production.

6) Bloatedness can sometimes occur after eating a very high protein diet. In these cases, the digestive system has difficulty absorbing nutrients from proteins. Therefore, there isn’t sufficient energy for the cells to break down other substances like carbohydrates into usable forms. Instead, the undigested material builds up in the intestines until it reaches a point where it’s uncomfortable to pass.

7) Too many calories can also cause bloating. Eating lots of refined sugar, white bread, pastries, cakes, cookies, ice cream, soda pop, sweetened cereals, fried foods, fast foods, processed meats, and alcohol can leave you feeling stuffed and bloated. These types of foods tend to fill out the belly so that it looks bigger than usual. They don’t provide any natural nourishment but instead add empty calories to the diet.

8) Another reason why some people get bloated is due to poor digestion. Poorly digested food passes directly through the small intestine and then into the large intestine before being absorbed into the bloodstream. It takes time for the small intestine to absorb what was just eaten. During this process, gases produced by the intestinal lining mix with the food particles. Because the food hasn’t been adequately broken down yet, it creates a lot of pressure within the abdomen. This results in bloating.

9) Finally, another common factor that contributes to bloating is dehydration. Dehydration means having low levels of salt in one’s bloodstream. Low sodium levels indicate that the muscles throughout the body contract excessively. This leads to muscle cramps and discomfort. Additionally, the heart beats faster and becomes weaker. All of these things increase the amount of work required to digest
the food we consume. Excess weight puts added strain on the stomach walls.

10) Overweight individuals are at greater risk of developing bloating problems. This often requires them to squeeze harder to push the contents forward.

11) Sometimes, bloating is caused by allergies. Certain foods may trigger an allergic reaction which causes inflammation and swelling around the area. The person who eats those particular foods will experience abdominal pain and bloating.

12) If someone suffers from irritable bowel syndrome, they could be prone to experiencing bloating. IBS occurs when the nerves located along the gastrointestinal tract send signals to the brain indicating that something might not be correct. Food moves too rapidly through the gut without enough stimulation.

13) Some medications have side effects such as constipation and gas. People taking certain drugs should avoid consuming fatty foods because they’ll make their condition worse.

How to reduce bloating?

1) Avoiding greasy foods is essential if your problem seems to worsen during the day. Try avoiding foods containing saturated fats. Also, try cutting back on foods made with hydrogenated oils. Hydrogenation involves adding oil to flour products to extend shelf life and improve texture. However, hydrogenation makes trans-fatty acids. TFAs raise cholesterol levels and contribute to cardiovascular disease.

2) Drinking plenty of water helps flush toxins from the system. In addition, drinking more fluids keeps the digestive juices flowing smoothly.

3) Exercise regularly. Regular exercise reduces stress hormones and strengthens the immune system. Both factors help control bloating.

4) A healthy lifestyle includes eating well-balanced meals every three hours. Eat smaller portions and eat slowly. Don’t skip breakfast! Breakfast sets up the entire morning.

5) Consider using probiotics. Probiotic supplements contain live bacteria that can add beneficial microorganisms to the intestines. These organisms promote good health and prevent nasty bugs from growing. They also produce compounds called short-chain fatty acids. SCFA’s stimulate the growth of friendly flora while suppressing harmful ones.

6) Take fiber supplements. Fiber adds bulk to stools so that you pass less stool each month.

7) Drink ginger tea. Ginger contains anti-inflammatory properties that ease symptoms associated with indigestion. It also stimulates digestion and improves appetite.

8) Add a few drops of peppermint essential oil into hot drinks like coffee and tea. Peppermint has been shown to relieve nausea and vomiting.

9) Use antispasmodic herbs for relief. Spasms in the intestinal wall cause cramping and discomfort. Antispasmodics relax muscles to lessen these spasms. Herbs like chamomile, fennel, black walnut, licorice root, and aloe vera work effectively against this type of muscle contraction.

10) You can use some natural remedies to get rid of bloating. One way is to drink apple cider vinegar mixed with warm water before going to bed.

Conclusion

Our habits make us perfect. Therefore, we must thoroughly eat what is good for us and drink an adequate amount of water. Staying fit will reduce all the unnecessary toxins in our body, and we will feel fresh for doing any chores. Practice a healthy lifestyle rather than lagging with all sorts of abnormalities in the body

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