FEELING BLOATED?

​You know that feeling you sometimes get after you eat? You may have eaten too much or was it the type of food you ate?  Or perhaps how fast you ate it? Her are some of the common reasons for bloating:

Eating 'gassy' foods - Some foods like beans, broccoli, cabbage & brussels sprouts have a substance called raffinose that the bacteria in your stomach has to breakdown - and this can cause gas, which leads to bloating.  You don't have to avoid these foods however, eating them regularly can cause your boy to adjust.

FODMAPs - These are a group of carbs that are hard to digest for some people, causing bloating, gas & fluid buildup.  FODMAPs include lactose in dairy foods, fructose in fruit & honey & many others.  If you think these foods may affect you, keep notes on how your body handles them & share it with your GP to help with a diagnosis.

Eating too fast - The faster you eat, the more air you can swallow.  This air can become trapped in your stomach & passed to your intestines.  Eating fast can also make you overeat, as it takes up to 30 minutes for your brain to tell your stomach you are full - & overeating can definitely make you feel bloated.

Over eating - Your stomach is only about the size of a fist, & although food compacts somewhat in the digestive process, eating too much can leave you feeling bloated as your stomach starts to stretch - aaaaahhhhhh!

Fizzy drinks - When you drink fizzy drinks the the gas you drink can fill up your digestive system.  Although you may burp some away, some remains & moves through to your digestive system until it 'passes' out the other end - yep that's where the term 'passing gas' comes from.

Too much salt - Consuming too much salt can make you retain water, which again can make you feel bloated.  Read your food labels to see how much salt is in the everyday foods you consume.

Too much fat - Fat takes a while to digest which means it can stick around in your stomach for a while making you feel bloated.  Skip the deep fried foods - you don't need them anyway.

Constipation - Feeling 'stopped up' can make you feel bloated.  This mostly happens when you need more water, fiber or exercise, but it can also be caused by illness or changes in diet & stress. Consult your GP if constipation is an issue for you.

Medical conditions - They are a range of conditions that can cause bloating, so if bloating is an issue for you, make sure you consult your GP or another medical professional for some expert advice.