We’ve all had that feeling of tightness in our bellies at one point in our lives – just after a Christmas dinner if not at any other time. But for some of us this sensation is one that we feel all the time, and it’s not caused by overeating.
I’m talking about Bloating, of course, and if you experience this regularly even when not eating much food, then there might be other reasons that can be addressed directly. For example, you might be intolerant to one or more of the foods in your regular diet. Or perhaps your body may be struggling to properly digest some of them.
Firstly though, try smaller portions, and chew them well. Remember your stomach starts out the size of your fist and then stretches if you eat more than that, which can cause a feeling of bloating. Also proper chewing aids digestion, and the better your digestive system works, the less gas is produced and the less undigested food clogs it up.
If these simple steps don’t help enough, you might need to try eliminating certain foods at least temporarily from your diet. Bloating can be triggered by intolerances to certain foods including dairy (lactose), some fruits and fruit juices (fructose), other types of sugar, eggs, wheat and gluten.
What is more concerning is that some of the triggers that cause bloating can also trigger complaints such as cramping, sore stomachs, diarrhoea and brain fog. Unattended, this can lead to chronic inflammation.
Tip: Keep a food diary and see if you can spot any relationships between things you have recently eaten or drunk and the feelings you are having.
Strengthening the immune system, of which approximately 70% resides in the gut, is a way forward. There are also pro-biotics and digestive enzyme supplements that can help your digestive system do a better job as well, and when your gut is healthy, so is your immune system!
In summary, gut health can be managed through a combination of inflammatory food elimination, a gentle detox, and adding the right combination of bio-available nutritional products. We have a wide range of options available, so don’t hesitate to contact us so we can find the best combination for you!
For more information about bloating and ways to avoid or find relief from it, please contact the Therapeutic Centre and one of our practitioners will look into your specific case and get to the bottom of it.
