Bloat, bloat, bloat your boat, down your digestive stream…
Sorry, couldn’t resist that title. Seriously now, bloating is among the top concerns that my patients raise with me. It would be easy to think “oh, that’s so common” and dismiss it, but I never do, as all symptoms are important. If you’re noticing it and it’s bothering you, then it’s important to me. Treating the cause is ALWAYS the primary goal in naturopathic medicine, so let’s go on a dive down into your gut and let me explain some of the reasons why bloating happens, and more importantly to you, what you can do about it.
What is bloating?
Your experience of it will likely be a look and or feel of distention in your lower abdomen. Clothes not fitting as well, discomfort when bending over, a sense of fullness which can sit just below the ribs also, often regardless of when or what you ate. It can be extreme and embarrassing for some people, and can be associated with uncomfortable wind. Most of my clients have already tried eliminating certain foods before they come to see me, or a random selection of probiotics, which can provide some temporary relief sometimes, but not always, and not for long. So let’s look at why it happens:
bloating can be either fluid, gas, or fecal matter buildup
constipation (a whole other topic, but fermenting food matter than is not moving through at an appropriate rate causes gas buildup in the gut and bloating)
Poor digestive enzyme production in the pancreas - resulting in stagnation in the upper part of the gut, and consequent bloating
Hormonal imbalance - you’ll know this because your bloating will be worse in the week or so before your period (or if menopausal, all the time!)
Inflammation - which often causes the production of additional fluid and swelling. Let’s look for the cause of this.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): a diagnosis of exclusion (of other conditions), which often doesn’t leave you with a good strategy to fix your symptoms. I like to get to the bottom of why your bowel is irritable in the first place, and fix the bloating and other symptoms this way. One condition, pelvic inflammatory disease, needs to be taken seriously and I will refer you to your physician if I suspect this or any other more serious gut complaint, such as bowel blockage
food intolerance - some foods are more common triggers than others, e.g. lactose, high sulphur foods (eg. onions, garlic, leeks, eggs) - I work with sulphur intolerance frequently, and can help you if you struggle with these foods.
Medication or supplement reactions - a possibility that is always considered
What to do?
Firstly, a thorough assessment (questioning) to get closer to the “why” for you; then a plan; and a good thorough digestive function or food intolerance test if I think we need to. Getting to the bottom of bloating is a great goal, treating the cause of it, not just bloating as a symptom. Want to talk bloating? email me: flourishonline@gmail.com
