Let’s talk about bloating!
I know it will always be a popular question, so let’s talk about it. When food is in your GI system, it gets broken down by enzymes. The parts that don’t get digested and absorbed move on to your colon.
Your colon is where your gut bacteria live and they love to feed on the remaining bits of food that makes its way there (thinking of things like fiber). When the bacteria feed, they go through a process called “fermentation” and a gas is produced as a result, and you feel that as bloating.
With that being said, there can be times when the bloat gets significantly worse: you experience pain, it lasts longer than 4-6 hours, or is accompanied by diarrhea or constipation. But for the most part on a day-to-day basis, when you wake up in the morning, the bloating should be mostly resolved. But when trouble shooting, consider your stress, emotions, and quality of sleep.
There are several culprits that can contribute to bloating:
1. Carbonated beverages and drinking with straws.
2. Cruciferous veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, and brussel sprouts. These tend to be more gaseous during digestion, especially if you don’t eat them frequently and then go all in.
3. Not enough fiber! We want to keep things moving, so keep in mind that animal products don’t contain fiber. It’s only found in plant based foods. So regardless of your dietary preferences, please don’t forget about your plants, they’re in my opinion the most important for your gut health.
4. Inadequate chewing. Alright guys, this seems silly but take your time and enjoy your food. Digestion starts in the mouth with chemical and mechanical digestion.
5. Portions. Maybe you’re more sensitive to large meals. Trying smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day.
6. Overall, listen to your body. We will all tolerate some foods differently. But chances are if you have serious issues with bloating, there’s not going to be an influencer out there with a fad diet or “cleansing” program that’s going to magically erase your bloating. I recommend keeping a food symptoms log so you can narrow down problematic foods and then plan accordingly.