5 Reasons You’re Feeling Bloated

Guest Post by Cassie Mendoza-Jones – naturopath, nutritionist and herbalist. 

Good digestive health is at the core of naturopathic practice. All too often I see patients in my clinic suffering from bloating and digestive issues. It can be uncomfortable, painful and distracting. You don’t have to suffer through it! There are many reasons why you may get bloated; I have picked five that I feel are very common.

You’re eating too many raw nuts, seeds or grains that aren’t correctly prepared.

Raw nuts, seeds, legumes and grains contain what is known as phytic acid and anti-nutrients. Eating too many of these foods in there raw state can sometimes cause bloating and digestive issues. This is because these anti-nutrients can inhibit digestion and block the absorption of some nutrients (such as calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc) by binding to them. Zinc is one of the most important minerals for gut integrity and our immune system, so not only can a diet high in untreated, unfermented phytic acid lead to mineral deficiencies and bone loss, but it can cause gut disturbances and low immunity. Zinc is also crucial for proper hormone production and is involved in synthesising and storing insulin, thus helping to regulate our blood sugar levels.

To properly prepare your nuts, seeds, legumes and grains, they need to be soaked for 7-24hrs in something acidic; try water with either apple cider vinegar, lemon juice or some natural yoghurt or kefir (a wonderful fermented, enzyme-rich, cultured, functional food similar in texture to drinking yoghurt) which is incredibly high in beneficial bacteria.

There are numerous benefits to soaking your nuts, seeds, legumes and grains before eating, including removing or reducing phytic acid, neutralising enzyme inhibitors, encouraging the production of beneficial enzymes, increasing the bioavailabililty and therefore the absorption of many vitamins and minerals including B vitamins, zinc, calcium and magnesium which will then prevent deficiencies and reduce bone loss. They will also just be much more easily digested! Meaning no bloating or painful, gassy tummies. Hooray!

I promise your tummies will thank you for it! If soaking your nuts just seems too difficult, just try to reduce the amount you’re eating and remember that a handful of raw nuts is much better than a piece of banana bread!

Bondi BUF Tip: If you want to buy your nuts pre-soaked, one brand we love is 2die4.

 

You have low stomach acid (hydrochloric acid) levels.

The stomach, pancreas, liver and intestines produce a variety of secretions and enzymes to break down food into smaller more absorbable particles. Poor production and secretion of hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes can result in malabsorption, nutritional deficiencies and altered immune functioning. Stress, prescription medication, poor diet, lack of exercise, smoking and alcohol consumption can all impair digestive function. Symptoms associated with low levels of gastric acid include indigestion, bloating, belching, flatulence, reflux, diarrhoea, constipation, fullness after eating (for reasons other than having just eaten too much!) and the presence of undigested food in the stool.

The digestive system has three primary functions, the breakdown of ingested food into smaller molecules, absorption of these nutrients and the removal of waste products from the body. Each process relies on complex mechanisms involving many different organs, hormones, nerve stimulation and importantly, the production of digestive secretions.

Modifying your diet towards one rich in vegetables, fruit, free-range eggs, fish and lean meats will benefit digestion and reduce exposure to food additives and preservatives. Avoid refined sugars and carbohydrates, trans fatty acids, excessive saturated fats, gluten, lactose and any food allergens. To improve digestion, chew slowly, eat bitter foods and don’t eat on the run or in front of the TV.

Papain and bromelain are two digestive enzymes which I sometimes prescribe for my patients to improve their digestive function. The wonderful thing about using enzymes (I use vegetarian enzymes) is that they are recycled by the body, so you only need to use one course. In addition to digestive enzymes, I prescribe herbs such as gentian, globe artichoke and fenugreek (as well as many others) to help improve the secretion of digestive enzymes for patients in my clinics.

 

You’re eating foods your body doesn’t agree with

The usual suspects are highly processed wheat and dairy products, but there are many more. Sulphur dioxide in conventional dried fruit not only causes bloating and flatulence but is also damages our livers. Many other preservatives in our foods also cause digestive issues, so to the extent you can, I recommend eating foods that don’t come packaged (unless perhaps, it’s your box of organic produce being delivered)!

It’s also worth noting that it’s usually the gluten in highly refined wheat products that cause bloating, but in my clinics I routinely see the positive impact in clients’ symptoms when I take them off refined gluten (such as supermarket breads and cereals) but allow them to have oats which have been soaked overnight (see first point on soaking nuts and grains) and a couple of pieces a week of a very good sourdough. Sourdough is the only bread I really let my clients eat as it’s usually yeast free, naturally and slowly-risen (usually over at least 36hrs) with a sourdough culture that may actually be hundreds of years old! This sourdough culture has many significant health benefits, including its high B vitamin levels, especially B12. It also contains highly absorbable calcium and helps to generate good intestinal flora thus aiding digestion. Even though the base flour may be wheat – although you can buy spelt, kamut and rye sourdough loaves – the slow-rising process means the wheat is highly digestable and easy on your tummies. Many people who are highly sensitive to wheat can tolerate, and enjoy, a little sourdough bread.

 

You’re very stressed!

The stress of modern-day life can negatively impact our digestion. Even acute stress can stimulate our body’s ‘fight or flight’ mechanism which springs into action and tells our bodies to stop digesting that glutenous sandwich right now! Because for heaven’s sake, that bear is chasing you! And it’s true, think about how you feel after a heavy meal. You want to lie on the couch and watch Modern Family, correct? How could you ever run away from danger in that state? Our bodies basically cease digesting when we’re highly stressed. Further, our cortisol levels increase in the initial stages of stress which packs fat onto our mid-sections and then our cortisol levels plummet when we reach the exhaustion, or final stage, of adrenal fatigue.

It’s so important to notice how you feel before you eat. If you’re feeling stressed and agitated, don’t reach for anything heavy. Simple soups and broths such as miso soup, chicken or vegetable soup or lentil stew are much better options than what people often go for in times of stress – chocolate, coffee, chips and alcohol! Eat slowly, chew well, don’t eat too late at night (try for before 8pm) so your food has ample time to be digested before bed. If you eat too late, your food will sit in your digestive tract all night and you’ll wake up with a heavy body and a foggy head. Not cool.

Eat bitter foods to help stimulate digestion. Why not try a lunch of salad (with some kind of protein) including rocket, alfalfa, asparagus, endive and chivory with a dressing of olive oil, lemon juice and apple cider vinegar, followed by a dandelion root ‘coffee’ with cinnamon (for added anti-inflammatory effects and improved insulin response). Happy days!

Drinking lots of clean water is important, however don’t drink too much close to your meal times as you will dilute all the beautiful digestive and pancreatic enzymes that will help digest your food. This can also cause bloating. Eat foods that help digest fats such as globe artichoke or a small amount of pickled food (also high in digestive enzymes) such as sauerkraut.

 

Unbeknownst to you, you have intestinal dysbiosis or candida

Intestinal dysbiosis is just a fancy way of saying your ‘friendly’ gut bacteria is outnumbered by ‘unfriendly’ gut bacteria. Candida albicans is a naturally occurring yeast-like fungus which is present in the mouth, oesophagus, throat and genital tract. Problems only start to arise when there’s an imbalance in the ratio of good to bad intestinal flora. This can happen when we’re stressed or run down, or when our diets high are in sugar, refined and processed foods and alcohol. The use of certain medications such as the contraceptive pill, cortisones and antibiotics can increase also the risk of getting an overgrowth of candida.

Symptoms of candidiasis include bloating, flatulence, bad breath, fatigue, food cravings (especially for sugar), food intolerances, depression and mood swings, irritability, headaches, lack of concentration and brain ‘fog’, fungal infections, ‘jock itch’ and rashes.

If you think you have candida, it’s worth seeing a naturopath or even your GP. You’ll need to avoid sugar in all its forms, yeast, refined carbohydrates, a high intake of fermented foods (such as miso, tempehe and vinegars), fruit and most nuts and seeds, especially peanuts. Antimicrobial herbs are excellent and are definitely needed here! I often use Manuka, Echinacea root blend, Pau d’arco, Wormwood, Black walnut, Clove, Golden seal plus probiotics.
It’s worth taking note of when your bloating gets worse. Is it just before or during your period? Is it around ovulation? Then it’s probably a hormonal imbalance and calls for some herbal medicine and liver support. If you wake up with a relatively flat stomach but it seems to protrude more and more throughout the day then it’s most probably caused by something you’re eating. If however, you wake up with a bloated stomach before you’ve eaten a thing, then it could be caused by something else such as very imbalanced gut flora or you could have just had a very late, very big dinner!

 

About Cassie

Cassie Mendoza-Jones is a dedicated, caring and passionate naturopath, nutritionist and herbalist who believes in the healing power of nature. She has particular interests in stress, exhaustion and adrenal fatigue, anxiety and depression, disordered eating, weight loss and digestive disorders as well as hormonal imbalances and women’s health issues. Cassie is passionate about helping her clients achieve their goals of health, balance and wellbeing through nutritional and herbal treatment, education and motivation. You can visit her website, find her on or , or read some of her previous blog posts.