Bloating: Causes and treatment

Most of you might feel heavy on stomach just after eating food and wants to loosen the jeans or wake up with a swollen belly and puffy face. And not to forget the after party mornings when you feel almost like an air filled balloon. Are you aware what is troubling you? The answer is bloating. Bloating is defined as a swollen state of the abdomen which can be due to multiple reasons like gas in the intestine, constipation, overeating, poor eating habits, etc. A bloated stomach feels full, tight, and painful at times too. It is usually a digestive issue but stress and hormonal imbalances can also lead to bloating. It can also be a result of an underlying medical condition. Let’s move forward to discuss the causes and treatment of bloating in detail.

Causes of bloating

1. Constipation

Constipation is a cause of bloating.

One of the most popular cause of bloating is constipation. As the stools stays longer in intestine it leads to gas build up which in turn results in swollen and tight belly. So, if you are having difficulty in maintaining regular bowel movement it can be the reason for your bloating.

2. Gas

Man having stomach ache, grimacing from pain and touching belly, standing over yellow background.

You swallow and pass a lot of air throughout the day unknowingly. But if you are being troubled by bloating watch out your eating habits. Eating too fast, using gadgets while eating or consuming fizzy drinks can add up to gas in your gut and causes discomfort like tight stomach and feeling of fullness. Therefore, chew each bite for at least 20-30 times, eat with all your senses, avoid using mobile phones or watching television while eating and replace your carbonated drinks with healthy beverages like lemon water, coconut water and buttermilk.

3. Medical conditions

Bloating due to medical conditions.

Sometimes you might be suffering from bloating due to any other underlying medical condition like delayed gut emptying (gastroparesis), SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth), ulcerative colitis, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), etc. Consult with a doctor if your experiencing bloating very often that does not get better with home remedies.

4. Excess intake of sodium

Processed food is loaded with soidum.

Consuming excess sodium is one of the possible reasons for bloating. High sodium intake makes your body retain water and swelling in abdomen, legs, ankles and feet. To get rid of bloating and water retention limit the intake the processed, packaged and refined food as they are loaded with sodium and avoid salt over fruits and salads.

5. Smoking

Smoking increases bloating.

Another common reason of bloating can be your habit of smoking. While smoking you inhale a lot of air that leads to build up of air in the gut and makes you burp through the day.

How to reduce bloating?

1. Probiotics

Curd: The natural probiotic.

Your gut needs bacteria to digest food and to keep your body healthy. This type of bacteria is known as good bacteria or probiotic. It helps in improving digestion and prevents overgrowth of bad bacteria that produces excess gas and in turn results in bloating. Therefore, adding probiotics in your diet helps in reducing bloating by maintaining a balance of good and bad bacteria in your gut. So, do not forget to add natural probiotics curd and pickles to your meals.

2. Walking

Walking reduces bloating.

Get regular with walking. Walking helps in improving bowel movement, releases excess gas and relieves water retention. Build a habit to walk for 30 minutes everyday and for 5-10 minutes after main meals to relieve bloating permanently.

3. Fennel-ginger tea

Fennel ginger tea.

Fennel and ginger are star ingredients to relieve all kind of digestive issues especially bloating and gas. Fennel seeds are an amazing source of fibre and along with it carry anti-inflammatory properties which helps in relieving constipation and relaxes intestinal muscles. On the other hand, ginger speeds up stomach emptying and alleviates all kind of gastric issues including bloating. So prepare mouth watering and refreshing concoction with fennel seeds and ginger in water and drink 1-2 times in a day after your meals to get the maximum benefits.

4. Vajrasana

Vajrasana

Yoga has found to be extremely beneficial to improve digestion. One of yoga asana that works wonder to relieve bloating is vajrasana. Sitting in vajrasana for 3-5 minutes after your meals increases blood flow in stomach area, improves digestion, prevents constipation and swollen belly .

5. Eat mindfully

Eat mindfully.

Eating without mobile, television and laptops looks quite difficult these days. Performing different activities while eating leads to overeating, gulping and swallowing of food that further causes digestive issues. Try eating with all your 5 senses and practice mindful eating to avoid bloating. Before eating your food, see all the colours and ingredients in your plate, enjoy the fragrance and flavors of food, eat with your hands, chew slowly and relish each bite of your food and listen to sounds in your surroundings. Doing this will avoid any sort of overeating and digestive issues.

Practice all these remedies and habits do not forget to drink enough water and add 5-6 servings of fibre to your meals. Make sure to take a proper sleep of 6-8 hours. If still you are not able to manage bloating and you are experiencing it every now and then so, please do not hesitate to book an appointment with your doctor to understand the root cause and start with required treatment.