Is bloating a bad word ??

Is bloating a bad word?

Oh the dreaded bloat- a tight, puffy tummy after eating must mean you’ve reacted to your food right?

Well yes…and no!

When is it normal?

Social media and magazines would have us believe that bloating is to be avoided at all costs, a sign of something going wrong inside. Whilst we might feel a little uncomfortable and more windy than usual, often bloating is simply a sign of your body doing very normal activities. For example, the fibre from your food fermenting in your large intestine will produce gas which causes bloating. This also means the fibres are nourishing our good gut bacteria who are involved in the fermenting process. In this case bloating is a good sign of happy gut bacteria! Lots of healthy foods can cause bloating or extra gas and we certainly shouldn’t avoid them….except maybe before a long car trip!

Some completely normal causes of bloating include:

• Chewing gum (you swallow more air)
• Fizzy drinks
• Eating large portions of food- hello food baby!
• Eating too quickly
• Not having a bowel movement daily
• Meals high in fat
• Suddenly increasing how much fibre you eat
• Some foods are particularly gassy- legumes (e.g. kidney beans, lentils), vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli, chia seeds and artificial sweeteners

When to worry?

In some people, bloating is a sign of something else going on,particularly if it is happening at nearly every meal. This is especially the case when it comes with diarrhea or frequent constipation and you should seek attention for vomiting or blood in your stool.

Some causes of abnormal bloating:

• Irritable bowel syndrome or irritable bowel diseases
• Food intolerances- e.g. lactose intolerance or intolerance to FODMAPs (a group of poorly digested carbohydrates)
• Coeliac’s disease
• Intestine obstructions
• PCOS
• The bacteria Helicobacter pylori

The key message: most people can bare their bloated bellies with pride!

If you are concerned about your bloating (or other digestive symptoms) book in with your GP or dietitian. In the meantime, keep a food record of what you ate and any symptoms which arose.