Diet Digest
Get rid of your Bloated Stomach right at home to make it look and feel flatter. A bloated Stomach can have several causes and is not to be confused with Belly Fat. Belly Fat is fatty cells around your middle, and you can't get rid of it without losing weight through diet and exercise.
A bloated stomach can usually be flattened… if you can figure out what is causing the bloating… here’s the story:
Stomach bloating is when the abdomen feels full and tight, even when you have not just eaten. It most often occurs in the small intestine rather than the stomach, as most people believe. And the most common cause is irregular digestion that produces gas at a higher rate than normal.
Common causes of intestinal gas that bloat the abdomen include:
- Eating too fast
- Air swallowing (a nervous habit)
- Overeating
- Lactose intolerance
- Certain food intolerances
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Partial bowel obstruction
- Constipation
If you are eating heavy meals late at night, or drinking too much alcohol, it will encourage the build up of acid. The digestive system works more effectively when you are up and about for at least 3 hours after eating before retiring to bed and lying flat. A large meal can also cause bloating as the stomach becomes distended and certain foods produce more gas than others.
Intolerance to some foods can cause abdominal bloating
Digestion is a series of chemical reactions that break down food into components from which we derive energy and nutrients. The remaining material is waste and is eliminated through the intestinal tract.
Some of those wastes are gases that are normally managed easily by the elasticity of the intestinal canal. Sometimes, however, large pockets of sulphur-bearing gases stretch the gut wall past its comfortable elastic limit and we feel uncomfortable by a “blowing up” or expansion in the abdomen; in other words, bloating. It may even become difficult to fit into your jeans.
Other Causes Of Stomach Bloating:
Sometimes faulty lifestyle is not the culprit. Some people produce more acid than others naturally and, in addition to causing bloating, this acid can break down the protective lining of the stomach, even lead to ulcers or an inflammation known as gastritis.
A bloated stomach can also be the result of an infection, caused by an organism called Helicobacter Pylori, which is sometimes found buried deep in the stomach. Such an infection needs medical attention and appropriate antibiotic treatment.
There is only one way to identify food intolerance and that's by the process of elimination… one food at a time.
Once you or your doctor has determined there is no medical condition causing the excessive gas, you can begin eliminating foods that may be causing the symptoms. (See foods listed below.)
Continue to eat as you normally do, but eliminate one gas producing food for at least a week. If there is no lessening of gas, put that food back in the diet and go on to eliminate another one. Follow this procedure until all gas producing foods are tested.
Experience tells us that beans (all types), milk and milk products may be the worst offenders in causing gas. Other troublesome foods include onions, celery, carrots, raisins, apricots, prune juice, wheat products and brussels sprouts.
Offending foods may not have to be completely eliminated. Sometimes, they can be tolerated in smaller amounts. Also, it is possible that tolerance to certain foods can be acquired. Many people complain that adding fiber to the diet causes gas. This problem can usually be reduced by adding fiber gradually over a period of several weeks.
Try some anti acid medication, which you can buy over the counter which may settle your symptoms within a few days. If not, you should see your GP who can conduct some tests to see if Helicobacter Pylori might be at the root of your symptoms.
Digestive Enzymes, could be your answer
It's no secret that as we age it becomes harder to enjoy a meal without suffering from some type of digestive discomfort. Every 10 years of life the pancreas produces fewer digestive enzymes. In addition, our modern diets are largely void of natural plant enzymes. This overall lack of enzymes causes the body to work harder, putting a strain on our internal organs and digestive system.
A well balanced intestinal enzyme builder is the first step in creating a more comfortable and flatter stomach. This balance should contain a high amount, and a variety, of enzymes as well as other necessary ingredients that address every type of food ingested: protein, fats, starches, dairy, plant, vegetable material and sugar.
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