Beat the Bloat

By Alex White, MD

You know the uncomfortable feeling when your belly suddenly balloons out as though you have just finished eating a 5-course meal, even though you haven’t had a bite to eat.  Suddenly, your pants seem to be too tight and you want to let out a window rattling burp.  That’s when you know that the bloat is back.

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Like one of those creatures that you see on sci-fi flicks, once unleashed, the bloat is hard to kill.  If you regularly experience the gas and discomfort that are brought on by bloating, fear not, because unlike Jason in Friday the 13^th, with a little knowledge you can beat the bloat.

It’s Alive!

Before you can tame this beast, you have to understand its habits.  Bloating can occur in either the stomach or the intestines.  In either case, the trigger that brings the monster to life has to do with digestion, or a lack thereof.  Here are the top 5 causes of bloating in the stomach:

1.      Eating a lot of fatty food slows digestion to the point where the stomach has difficulty doing its job.  This can create gas.

2.      Eating too quickly or drinking through a straw can inadvertently introduce air into the stomach.\

3.      Drinking carbonated beverages can also cause the stomach to balloon. Also, some people are sensitive to the artificial sweeteners used in diet beverages.

4.      Lactose intolerance or gluten intolerance can also make it difficult for the stomach to process food.

5.      The type of food you eat can also cause digestive distress.  Some people have difficulty processing carbohydrates, especially in veggies high in fiber, such as beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and onions.

The remedy for most of the above has to do with determining which of the 5 triggers bring on the bloat and eliminating it from your diet.  Over the counter antacids can also help curb bloating that takes place in the stomach, although you don’t want to make a habit of popping them unless you want to deal with other tummy troubles as well.

How Low Can You Go?

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If the bloat takes up residence in your intestinal tract, this monster is much tougher to slay.  Intestinal gas is the result of fermentation typically caused by undigested food, as well as by gluten or sugars contained in fruit and dairy products.  (That’s right, if left to its own devices, your colon can turn itself into a still.) The top 5 causes of intestinal bloating are:

1.      Constipation, which slows the elimination of waste, allowing food to ferment.

2.      Digestive disorders such as lactose intolerance or celiac disease.

3.      Incomplete breakdown of carbohydrates can upset the balance of beneficial bacteria in the intestinal tract.

4.      Antibiotics can also upset the balance of intestinal flora.  (This is especially typical after you recover from a cold or flu.)

5.      Drinking alcohol can also bulk up the bloat.

The Good, the Bad & the Ugly

When it comes to sending this creature back from whence it came, I have good news and bad news.  The good news is that by changing your dietary habits, or taking a laxative, those with the first two types of intestinal bloating can usually banish the beast without too much trouble. 

The bad news is that many of the same high-fiber foods that aid digestion and elimination can also aid and abet the bloat.  If left unchecked, the situation can get downright ugly, since the end result of intestinal bloating can be flatulence and diarrhea. 

Beating the Bloat

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Fiber is to the body as garlic is to a vampire; It can’t tolerate it. The irony is that on the one hand, fiber can’t be absorbed or digested by the digestive tract. On the other, fiber is essential for digestive function and bacterial balance.  It is also vital to the elimination of waste.  Therefore, the key to promoting digestive health while beating the bloat, boils down to ensuring a balanced amount of soluble and insoluble fiber in your diet. 

For some people, it is a matter of eating fiber-rich food in the right combination. For instance, you might try eating oatmeal without fruit, or have fruit for breakfast without eating whole-wheat toast afterwards.  For other people, the solution might come down to reducing the ingestion of food that is known to cause gas, such as beans, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower.

Courtesy of MicrobeFiber™

The third solution is to try a different source of fiber, such as a fiber supplement.  Of particular use are fiber supplements in a powdered form, since they can be mixed into beverages, and/or sprinkled over food.  Just make sure you find a supplement that isn’t adulterated with fillers or artificial sweeteners.  As with all fiber, don’t drop the bomb on the bloat or you might end up with an even bigger monster.  Introduce fiber supplements gradually to allow your belly to get accustomed to it. The bloat isn’t a vampire that you can drive a stake through.  This is a beast that bites back.

If you want to come to terms once and for all with bloating, remember that slow and steady wins the race.  And always beware of goalies brandishing carving knives.

Alex White, MD is the Clinical Research Director of MicrobeFiber™