Are you feeling bloated right now? If our collective Internet history is anything to go by, many of us do. Google Trends data shows that searches for “anti-bloating foods” have increased by 400% in the past 30 days, while the number of people trying to establish “the causes of bloating” has doubled. Bloating can feel uncomfortable and, in some extreme cases, even debilitating, so understanding why we have bloating – whether it’s due to irritable bowel syndrome or a reaction to certain foods – and treating it. Ways to fix, useful.
Before we begin, it’s worth noting that the world of inflammation treatment has a dark side. The term has been viewed 532.8 million times on TikTok, with a worrying number of posts highlighting users with six-packs, showing how they “reduce bloating”. While some may be well-intentioned and helpful, the topic can quickly veer into detox tea territory, so it’s really important to only seek and heed the advice of qualified experts when it comes to your digestive health.
Here, Ryan Stephenson, nutritionist, naturopath and founder ArthExplains some key things you need to know about preventing and treating inflammation.
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Motility is the ability of the intestine to successfully contract and move food through the digestive system – if it’s slow, you’re more likely to experience bloating. “If motility remains slow for a period of time, it can contribute to constipation, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), and other bacterial imbalances in the gut,” explains Stephenson. “Poor mobility is common in people with diabetes, chronic stress and thyroid problems, but one of the key regulators of this is triggered by the absence of food, so eating too often can also slow things down.”
If you’re chronically stressed, make relaxation — breathing, taking a walk, even intentionally putting down your phone — a priority. If frequent eating could be a problem, Stephenson recommends leaving at least 12 hours between your dinner and breakfast the next morning and avoiding grazing. “Aim for a three to four-hour gap between meals during the day,” she advises. “Walking is a prokinetic agent for the bowels, meaning it helps everything get moving, so try walking more often after meals or throughout the day.”
avoid raw food
Feeling bloated, you may assume that simple, raw food is a good idea – wrong. “Too much raw food can be difficult to digest and will increase bloating if you have a poor digestive system,” says Stephenson. “Many vegetables have tough cellular structures that require more energy to digest, so although they are great sources of fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, you should reduce your intake if inflammation is an issue.”
