Your stomach is so tight that you can hardly close your pants, which is not nice. What can you do to prevent or reduce a bloated stomach?
A bloated stomach is a typical female ailment that is often caused by gas. This can be caused by overeating and drinking a lot of carbonated drinks or alcohol. Stress, eating a lot of meat, smoking, certain medicines (such as antibiotics), an allergy to certain foods and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can also have an influence.
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Usually the solution is simple:decrease everything above. Refined sugars in food and meat, in particular, cannot be broken down properly in the digestive tract. Undigested food in your gut is a source of bacteria. That creates a lot of gas, which gives you that bloated feeling. Stress can aggravate the stomach pain. Easier said than done, of course, but try to relax and reserve the evening for relaxation.
Eat less "windy" foods, such as onions, cauliflower, wheat, kidney beans and milk, as well as honey, nuts, cantaloupe, coconut, apples, pears, cherries, refined sugars and avocado.
If you suffer from a bloated stomach, you can call in a professional. A dietician looks at where things go wrong in your diet and can give you advice based on that.
A bloated stomach can also be caused by IBS. The symptoms of IBS include cramping, abdominal pain, and bloating. According to the Maag Lever Bowelstichting, about five to twenty percent of the Dutch suffer from an irritable bowel, women more often than men.
If you have an irritable bowel, the low FODMAP diet may be worth a try. The (scientifically substantiated) diet assumes that the stomach complaints are caused by certain carbohydrates:Fermentable, Oligo-saccharides, Di-saccharides, Moni-saccharides And Polyols. FODMAPs end up in your small intestine and cannot be broken down. And there the same story arises as with sugars and meat:in your large intestine they encounter millions of bacteria, which react with that undigested food.
Not everyone suffers from the same FODMAPs. Usually the big culprits are in ready-to-eat products and processed flavors. But wheat, artificial sweeteners and some vegetables such as asparagus, onions, artichoke and leek can also cause complaints. You can find more information at www.fodmap-dieet.nl.
There is about 100 to 200 milliliters of gas in your gastrointestinal tract? To get rid of all those gases, you (unconsciously) let out about twenty winds a day. Don't hold them in:this can cause nausea, bloating and abdominal cramps.
