5 Ways to Beat Bloating

My top tips for bloating ⬇️⬇️

But first, remember that bloating can happen for many different reasons—from stress to hormones, food sensitivities, dysbiosis, or SIBO. If you experience painful, extreme, or everyday bloating, the best approach is to be evaluated and follow a personalized plan based on YOU.

With that being said, here are some helpful tips to reduce the bloat:

1️⃣ Minimize trigger foods (common triggers are sugar, alcohol, carbonated drinks, artificial sweeteners, cruciferous vegetables, & beans)

2️⃣ Stay hydrated and gradually increase fiber to ensure regular bowel movements (constipation can cause bloating, but so can too much fiber too fast)

3️⃣ Consider probiotics or probiotic-rich foods (this is not appropriate for everyone because it can make things worse for anyone who already has overgrowth of bacteria)

4️⃣ Take a walk (movement can encourage healthy digestion)

5️⃣ Slow down (stress or eating on the run puts your nervous system alert, whereas calming your nervous system promotes healthy digestion)

We are here to get to the root cause, so if these things only get you so far, it’s time to look deeper.

Why Are You Bloated?

💥 Causes of bloating you didn’t know ⬇️⬇️

First, let’s be clear. Bloating is NOT normal when it is painful, extreme, or happens every day ❌

If you’ve tried the usual things (like eating slowly, chewing thoroughly, drinking beverages at room temperature, and walking after meals) but STILL can’t seem to find a solution for bloating…

It’s time to look deeper for a cause.

Some of the potential issues underneath could be:

▪️ Parasites

▪️ Low stomach acid

▪️ Gut motility issues

▪️ H.pylori overgrowth

▪️ Low digestive enzymes

▪️ Dysbiosis (disrupted gut microbiome)

▪️ Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)

▪️ Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIFO)

▪️ Leaky gut (increased permeability)

This is not an exhaustive list! These are only the issues that are specific to the gut, but bloating can also be caused by 🌸hormones, 😩stress, or 🍷alcohol consumption.

The only way to solve a problem is to first find out what the problem actually is. This is something we excel at in naturopathic & functional medicine.

Want to get to the root cause of bloating or other health issues?

Schedule an initial visit with Dr. Cantrell to get started!

🔗 https://www.elementsnatmed.com/naturopathic-visits

❌ Stop starving yourself!

⚠️ Don’t Make This Mistake ⚠️

Most people believe that if they have SIBO or IBS or other digestive problems…

….that they need to follow a highly restrictive diet forever.

❌ It’s not true!!!!

Here’s the reality:

✅ Bacteria in the gut feed on carbohydrates to produce gas

✅ Diets like the Low-FODMAP Diet and the Specific Carbohydrate Diet limit the fuel source for gas-producing bacteria

✅ These diets can be extremely helpful at temporarily reducing symptoms like gas and bloating

✅ In the long run, the gut microbiome needs variety AND carbohydrate fuel sources to stay healthy

✅ So a better approach is to work on healing the gut and gradually reintroduce foods over time

Don’t go it alone!!!!

We help our patients make sense of their digestive symptoms and find personalized long-term solutions.

We can do that for you too. Just book a consultation through our website!

SIBO vs IBS: Who Cares?

⬇️⬇️ What’s the difference between IBS & SIBO??

On the surface, IBS and SIBO are hard to tell apart. Both can cause bloating, gas, pain, and either diarrhea or constipation. 

❌ But they are NOT the same ❌

IBS and SIBO have different causes and different solutions—making it critical to know which is to blame if you ever want to heal. 

🔆 Solving digestive mysteries is one of our specialties. We always recommend testing to know for sure what we are working with 🔆 

Here are some differences between IBS and SIBO that anyone struggling with gas and bloating needs to know:

✅ SIBO affects the small intestine, whereas IBS affects the large intestine

✅ SIBO is caused by overgrowth of good bacteria, whereas IBS often involves yeast, parasites, or pathogenic bacteria

✅ Antibiotics may give temporary relief from SIBO but not IBS 

✅ Probiotics and prebiotics are more likely to make SIBO worse and IBS better

The bottom line?

If you are at all confused about the cause of digestive distress, it’s time to stop guessing and actually test. 

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🤯⁉️ Why Am I So Bloated?

🤯⁉️Why am I so bloated??

Bloating is one of the most aggravating symptoms because of how uncomfortable and embarrassing it can be!

When attempts to avoid beans and broccoli fail, it’s time to get to the root cause. Here are some driving factors we look for when a client comes to us with bloating:

1️⃣ Food Reactions
It’s not only beans that can cause the bloat! Some people are reactive to gluten, dairy, or other foods they eat every day without even thinking about it. 

2️⃣ Gut Dysbiosis

That’s a fancy word to say the gut microbiome is out of balance. There could be an overgrowth of yeast or unwanted bacteria to blame. 

3️⃣ Hormones

Hormonal changes can cause fluid retention and bloating—sometimes leading people to believe they have a digestive problem when it’s actually hormones!

4️⃣ SIBO or IBS

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth and irritable bowel syndrome are two common diagnoses that cause bloating. I’ll break down the difference in my next post!!

How can you know what the cause is for you?

➡️ That’s our forte. We use functional medicine testing to eliminate the guesswork. 

Give us a tap ❤️ if you found this helpful, and head over to our website to learn about our functional medicine services!