There are MANY causes of bloating. Bloating can be caused by simple dietary irregularities, but it can also be a sign of a much more serious issue. Always see your doctor to rule out serious issues when you have sudden severe or chronic issues. My mother suffered from back pain and bloating, and didn’t find out they were caused by ovarian cancer until it was too late. Please take care of yourself and be proactive about your health, and tell your doctor about any chronic issues you have.
Okay, you’ve seen your doctor and she can’t find a cause for your bloating. Bloating is a great clue from our bodies that something we are doing is not working for us. So how do we know? We have to be honest with ourselves, and rule out the most obvious causes first. These include eating fast food, processed foods like chips, drinking too much alcohol, eating too much bread and pasta or sugar?
Most people don’t admit to themselves that they are over indulging in these types of foods, or they are unaware that what they are eating is processed or not healthy. I remember asking my sister, who wanted some health advice, about her sugar intake. She said she doesn’t eat sugar. Five minutes later, she’s telling everyone how she ate a whole cake on Thanksgiving, between mouthfuls of whip cream and pie. It’s not her fault, we are all prone to denial. If you’re an expert at denial, let me put it this way. Do you cook all of your food from scratch at home, using whole grains, fresh or frozen vegetables, raw nuts and seeds, fresh proteins, individual spices, and sea salt? Or are you eating snack bars that say “whole grain,” or even worst, “non-fat” anything? Do you eat or drink anything with the word “diet” on it? Be honest, and start a food journal to bring at your appointment with me.
From the tough love paragraph above, you probably see a trend that processed foods, sugar, salt, alcohol and food additives can make you bloated. Some people with this issue are also insulin resistant. Blood sugar levels are part of routine blood work, and you may know that you have high blood sugar. People who are insulin resistant often have the muffin top, spare tire weight gain. Insulin resistance occurs when there is too much sugar in the blood stream, the cells are saturated with it, but the body keeps releasing irritating insulin because there is still sugar in the blood. The only way to fix this is to eliminate sugar from your diet so that your cells start to release stored sugar.
There is no magic pill, just good ole’ discipline. Completely eliminate gluten, wheat, dairy, sugar (including artificial sweeteners), grains, and rice from your diet. You need do this five days, no cheating, just for your body to reach the point where cells begin to release sugar. Continue on this plan until the bloating is eliminated. This is one of the best bloating remedies! Be mindful when you bring the two common food intolerances back in-gluten and dairy. If you bloat up after eating either of these foods, you know you have an issue with them and should avoid them.
What if you eliminate the foods listed above for a week, and there is no change?
You could have another food intolerance, like eggs, corn or soy.
You might have a really weak digestive system, and need Chinese herbs and acupuncture.
You might have dysbiosis, or an imbalaced digestive tract. You need to feed the good bacteria while eliminating the harmful bacteria and yeast. A low FODMAP diet can also help in this case.
Chinese medicine doctors have been studying digestive system health for centuries. We have an excellent understanding of how your digestive system fits into your whole health picture. Come in for an acupuncture treatment and find out how we can help you feel better, faster, while getting the guidance and support you need to make positive changes in your diet and lifestyle.
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