The nine most common causes of a bloated belly

Bloating, abdominal pain and bloating are difficult to talk about because we are often ashamed of them, but the truth is that they afflict an incredibly high percentage of the population. For some people, the problems occur only sporadically - perhaps following a dietary mistake, but in other cases they can be a long-term problem. Particularly in long-term cases, it is necessary to find the cause and start addressing it effectively. As well as being unpleasant and leading to avoidance of company, bloating can also be caused by a more or less serious illness or food allergy in some cases. Today, let's take a look together at the nine most common reasons why bloating occurs and tell you how to prevent or deal with them.

Inappropriate diet composition

One of the main causes of bloating is undoubtedly the inappropriate composition of our diet. At a time when ultra-processed foods, semi-processed foods, fast food, huge amounts of caffeinated drinks or sweets are predominant, we can't expect our gut biome to be doubly grateful. Digestive discomfort can also occur when you skip meals during the day and then cram in everything you can find at home in the evening, even though it may fall into the category of healthy foods. Frequent consumption of bloated foods (such as broccoli, cabbage, kale or even your favourite onion) and, last but not least, incorrect or insufficient cooking (which applies to legumes, for example) can also be problematic.

We wrote a comprehensive article on what a healthy diet should look like, what foods to include and what to look out for at the beginning of the year, so we'll just recap it today (see link below). We also throw in a recommendation to make time for meals during the day and eat regularly. You don't have to worry about legumes or other bloated foods in your diet either - just eat them in moderation and make sure they are prepared properly. For example, it is very important to soak the aforementioned legumes before cooking - ideally for 12-24 hours. Cooking with herbs is also a great tip for reducing the onset of bloating, as they can aid digestion or reduce the effects of the substances that cause bloating. Marjoram, anise, mint, basil or even cumin are great choices in this case.

Food under stress

If we eat under stress, on the go, over the computer at work, or throw food at ourselves in a hurry on a short break, it can be very easy to get a bloated belly, feel heavy, or simply overeat because we eat so fast that we don't give our body a chance to signal that it's had enough. Moreover, if we gulp and eat in a hurry, in addition to the food, we also swallow air, which causes gas production in the intestines and bloating is in the world. But swallowed air is not the only problem that causes indigestion if we eat too fast. We also tend to chew a lot less when we throw food at ourselves in a hurry, and this leads to larger chunks of food entering our intestines that take longer for the body to process before it can fully digest, and this is what can cause further difficulties or feelings of heaviness.

How to prevent this? Set aside enough time to eat at all times. Eat calmly, pay attention only to your food (mindful eating), chew thoroughly and savour. Enjoy the flavours, textures, colours, in short, feel the food with every sense. Not only does this give you a better idea of what and how much you're eating, but it also gives your body a chance to react when it's full. This can be both a prevention against a sore tummy, but it can also help you save some extra calories, which can come in handy when you're trying to trim down a bit.

Not enough/too much fibre

Fibre is absolutely crucial for our gut and proper digestive function. Fibre is a partially digestible and partially non-digestible polysaccharide. It can be found in many foods, especially in the health food category. Good sources include all fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes. Fibre binds water to itself and can thus increase the volume of food in our intestines and prolong the feeling of satiety. In addition, in optimal quantities, it can speed up the movement of food in the intestines, which is important for regular emptying. Its role in the process of healthy digestion is therefore really significant.

Of course, the problem is that there must be neither too little nor too much of it. The moment there is not enough of it in the diet, we can be plagued by constipation or bloating. But an excess of it can be just as troublesome. Apart from the side effects of flatulence and bloating, high fibre intake can also inhibit the absorption of certain nutrients and minerals such as magnesium, sodium, calcium and potassium. Be cautious even if you know that your diet is deficient in fibre and you want to increase your intake. Increasing your intake should be done slowly, as a sudden and too significant increase can cause acute digestive problems and ultimately do more harm than good.

Bubbly drinks

Drinking is crucial for the distribution of nutrients throughout the body, proper bowel function, natural detoxification of our bodies, mental and physical performance and health in general. But it's not just how much we drink in a day that matters, but also what we actually drink. At a time when the bulk of our drinking regime is made up of bubbly drinks (and it could very well be plain, highly fizzy water!) we can feel the bubbles in our gut not doing us any favours. In addition to the typical burping, we may just experience bloating and gas, which is caused by a buildup of air in the intestines. Excessive consumption of alcohol, too much caffeine or sweetened drinks also does not do the intestines any good.

Therefore, prefer still or slightly fizzy drinks in your drinking regime. If you don't like plain water, throw in some herbs, cucumber slices or fruit - strawberries or citrus fruits are great. For acute problems, abdominal pain or excessive bloating, you can try the power of herbs and make mint, fennel or ginger tea. All the herbs mentioned can very effectively harmonize the diet of our biome and provide us with quick relief from unpleasant pains.

Food intolerances

Nowadays, a great deal of digestive problems are blamed on food intolerances, but the truth is that for most of those who suffer from digestive problems, the stumbling block is usually in the composition or style of consumption rather than suffering from any food allergy. Still, allergies and sensitivities to certain foods are another, though actually less common, cause of bloating and a distended belly. People who are allergic to gluten, lactose or even just certain types of food can experience digestive discomfort. If you are not sure whether you have an allergy or intolerance to any such food, or if you do not know which foods in your diet are not good for you, we recommend that you try an elimination diet in the first phase.

This involves cutting out foods that you think might be causing your problems for a few weeks and then gradually introducing them back into your diet. If you discover that a food is really not making you feel well, it's a good idea to look for a substitute or simply cut it out of your diet altogether. If you still don't find the cause of your problems with the elimination diet, contact your doctor or see a gastroenterologist and ask him or her to test you for food allergies.

Abnormal stress

A very common cause of a bloated belly or flatulence is a high stress load over a long period of time. This can stem from many different directions - work, family worries, too many demands we place on ourselves, but it can also come from too much exercise or too much control over what we eat. But we already know that everything in our body is connected to everything else, and the effect of stress on our digestion is actually quite logical. In one of our earlier articles, you may have read about the "gut-brain axis" connection. This connection allows our brain to communicate directly with our biome, so it's no wonder that when we're not feeling well mentally, it shows up in our digestion.

And how to get rid of stress? There are countless ways to regulate stress and something different will work for each of us. For some, sports will be a nice relaxation, for others a walk in nature, meditation, a good massage, time with friends or a good night's sleep. But it is always important to first look for the source of the stress itself and try to eliminate, or at least eliminate as much as possible, that one. If you feel that you can't deal with your source of stress on your own, don't be afraid to reach out to a professional and get therapy. There's no shame in asking for help and it can save you a lot of grief.

Overtraining or lack of exercise

As mentioned above, bloating is a common manifestation of enormous stress strain. On our website, we cannot forgive the comment that in the case of athletes it is very often overtraining. Although sport is a great relaxation and a way to unwind from everyday problems, we must not forget that it is also a stressor for the body, especially after demanding activities such as strength training, which we cannot compensate for with proper rest. Apart from enormous fatigue, moodiness, difficulties with concentration or sleep, digestive problems are another common phenomenon accompanying overtraining. So make sure your body gets enough exercise, but don't forget to rest properly and ideally vary your physical activities so that you don't get overloaded or find sport a boring routine.

At the other extreme is the situation where individuals live a downright sedentary lifestyle and devote virtually no space to exercise, and this is obviously not good either. Movement, on a daily basis, is a necessity for overall health, optimal weight, but also proper bowel function. In fact, when you move, you encourage intestinal peristalsis, so that there is better movement of food in the intestines, which facilitates the process of digestion and excretion of undigested residues. Movement should be a daily part of our lives, at least in its most natural form, which is simple walking. If you are not too keen on physical activities, at least try to limit your driving, walk to get your lunch at work, stretch regularly and schedule a short walk in the air every day, which will kill two birds with one stone, because you will be doing something for your health, both physical and mental.

Medication

Another fairly common reason behind the development of indigestion is the overuse of antibiotics or other medications. While antibiotics are a really effective way to destroy hostile pathogens and "bad" bacteria, they are also a huge burden on our biome and destroy a huge number of beneficial bacteria essential for gut health. This often leads to bacterial imbalances, which is one of the most common causes of bloating. That's why we should always supplement antibiotics with probiotics in the form of a supplement if it is really necessary to take them. Other medications can also have similar effects - for example, corticosteroids, and a very frequent occurrence of bloating is also indicated for steroid substances.

Diseases of the digestive tract

Long-term bloating, however, may not only be caused by an inappropriate diet, but may also be caused by a more or less serious disease. If your problems persist for a long time, get worse, severely restrict your normal functioning or do not ease after an elimination diet, see a specialist immediately. It could be a more serious condition, such as irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. If your problems are long-standing, you shouldn't wait too long to see your GP or gastroenterologist.

What to take away from this article?

Optimal digestion is a very important factor for a happy life and health as a whole, so we should definitely not take problems with its functioning lightly. If you are often plagued by feelings of a bloated belly or flatulence, it really isn't right. The key should be to find the cause - it could be a dietary mistake, excessive stress, lack or excess of fibre, inappropriate eating habits, but it could also be a food intolerance, a side effect of antibiotic treatment, or a more serious digestive tract disease. You can try an elimination diet to start with, adjust your eating habits or add more vegetables to your diet, but if the problems persist, you should definitely not hesitate to see a doctor who will do the necessary tests and help you deal with your problems.

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