4 BIG reasons you’re always BLOATED

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It’s happened to all of us…

You have a big event in the evening, so you go about your day, desperately trying to keep the status quo in the digestive department (that little black dress doesn’t leave much to the imagination). You go to the gym, you make sure not to eat too many carbs, but no matter what you do by around 4 pm you look like you’re 5 months pregnant. And with summer creeping around the corner, we’re even more aware of that belly bulge! That bloat shows up like an uninvited guest you can’t get rid of. So what better time to address it than the present?

Here are 4 big reasons you are struggling with that bloated belly:

  1. Food sensitivities
  2. Low stomach acid
  3. Poor enzyme production
  4. Gastrointestinal Infection

  1. Food sensitivities

Yeah you heard me, you’re probably sensitive to some foods….and yeah, they’re probably going to be all the delicious ones. The most common allergens are gluten, dairy, eggs, corn soy, nuts, citrus fruit, nightshades (tomatoes, bell peppers, potatoes, eggplant), and yeast. We can identify what foods might be particularly aggravating to you by running a blood test or doing an elimination diet.

When I saw my test results, I cried (actually). But then I got over it. And now, I go by the 80-20 rule. 80% of the time I eat all the right things and 20% I give myself freedom to choose the “wrong” ones.

Once you know what’s aggravating your tummy, you can choose to avoid those things or you can choose to eat them, but the locus of control is always in your hands.

Food sensitivities trigger the immune system, creating inflammation and damage in the gastrointestinal system. This can lead to gas/bloating, in addition to pain, nausea, constipation, loose stools, irritable bowels….and more.

  1. Low stomach acid

Contrary to popular belief, many of us have LOW vs. high stomach acid. One symptom of low stomach acid is acid reflux or heartburn. It is a commonly held misconception that if you get heartburn, then you’re producing too much stomach acid. We need high acidity in our stomach in order to break down our food properly, especially high protein meals (and to absorb certain key nutrients like Vitamin B12).

If your stomach acid is low, then the food you eat is not digested adequately in the stomach. It then passes into the intestines where it is fermented instead of being digested, leading to gas and acid production. It occurs because of increased pressure in the digestive system and an insufficient closing of the valve between the esophagus and the stomach. The gas produced leads to a bloated belly.

  1. Poor enzyme production

Digestive enzymes are produced by our bodies. They function to break down larger food products into smaller building blocks that we can absorb and use. If enzyme production is insufficient then we are unable to break down our food products, again leading to bacterial fermentation, gas and bloating.

  1. Gastrointestinal “infection”

Now I’m not talking about an acute, fever-causing infection…what I’m talking about is symptoms that are more of the low-grade, chronic variety. They could be caused by a. an overgrowth of “bad” bacteria or yeast that naturally live with us coupled with a lack of “good” bacteria OR b. a foreign invader we picked up from the outside, like a parasite, for example. Some parasites live in the upper small intestine, creating persistent abdominal bloating.

I’ll be happy to help you get to the root cause of your belly bloat and say sayonara to food babies forever! I’m launching a brand new 5 week bloat course (Sign up –> HERE) in April 2022.

OR, if you live in Ontario, Canada and would prefer to work 1:1, book an appointment with me HERE.

OR, if you’re not quite decided and want to learn more, read about my approach to digestive issues HERE.

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