For some of us bloating is a totally normal part of the day!

Whether it occurs with food after food or just all the time for many of us it’s just a way of life.

But what if I told you this wasn’t normal and doesn’t have to be normal for you?
As a naturopath I know that bloating is a sign of a under functioning digestive system.

WHEN you bloat it is an indicator of what is happening in your gastrointestinal system, for example bloating straight after food indicates that the hydrochloric (HCL) acid in the gut isn’t functioning as well as it should, this could be from lowered HCL causing food to sit in the gut which causes fermentation of the food, which in turn expels gas and then that gas causes bloating,

however

If you bloat a few hours after eating may be indicative of a lack of pancreatic enzymes.

If you bloat all the time it may be that your gut flora or probiotics are out of balance.

Pain or discomfort after eating fatty food can often indicate the liver isn’t functioning as well as it could be.

Stress is a huge factor when it comes to eating- when we stress out we reduce our guts  function and bloating and flatulence is promoted. Look out for our up coming article on stress and its many effects.

Often food intolerances are a big part of gastric upset. Usually when bloating and fatigue occur simultaneously an underlying food intolerance may be the issue.

There are so many simple things you can do to increase your gut function.

Drinking water (or any beverage) while eating dilutes the HCL. If you have enough HCL this is ok but if you are already having difficulties in this area it could cause problems.
Diluted acid means the stomach doesn’t digest proteins as well as it should which means your food can sit there partially undigested, this may cause food to ferment over the space of a few hours causing bloating and excess gasses leading to flatulence.
So drinking water before your meal and not with your meal will greatly increase your digestive powers.

Lemon in water in the morning will helps to stimulate gastric acid secretions increasing you ability to digest your food and reduce your bloating.

Apple cider vinegar 30-10min before a meal can increase HCL secretions, if pain occurs with apple cider vinegar you may have too much HCL already and discontinue use.

There are so many more things that can help you increase your digestive ability if you need more information please do not hesitate to contact me at contact@samanthah22.sg-host.com or call for a consultation on 0412241198 to help get your gut under control.