Do you feel bloated after eating? Potential reasons + what to do
Do you feel uncomfortably bloated after eating? Bloating is fairly common, with more than 10% of people reporting that they experience it every week. Many people continue to live with bloating and other digestive symptoms that significantly impact their quality of life. But, there are some common reasons you may be experiencing this symptom and, importantly, things you can do to address them.
First, let’s consider when your bloating occurs.⌛️
Bloating that occurs right after eating vs. an hour or more later can be due to different causes. Let’s explore.
Bloating that occurs shortly (a few minutes) after eating may be due to:
💥 Eating too quickly or overeating. ⏱️
These two are often related. When we eat too quickly, we do not provide sufficient time for the message from our nervous system that we feel satisfied to reach us, and we may overshoot the mark.
💥 Insufficient stomach acid
Chronic stress, an under-functioning thyroid gland, some medications, and infections with H. Pylori (a bacteria that lives in the stomach and is associated with gastric ulcers) can all contribute to low stomach acid.
When stomach acid is low, we cannot break down the proteins in our food or absorb important nutrients and minerals like Vitamin B12 and Calcium.
Bloating that occurs a bit longer after eating may be due to:
💥 Too many gas-inducing foods
Certain foods are more gas-inducing than others. Foods like cabbage, broccoli, onions, and beans can all produce gas. But this does not mean you should not eat them. These foods have a lot of potential health benefits. We need certain enzymes to digest beans. If we do not eat beans regularly, our body will conserve energy, not making this enzyme. However, if we start to eat small amounts of beans regularly, we can induce the body to make more of this enzyme.
💥 Food intolerance - Foods not prepared for optimal digestion
This can be related to the rapid eating we discussed above, as eating quickly and insufficient chewing of our food can make more work for our digestive system further down the line. In addition, improper food preparation, such as not soaking beans or cooking them long enough, can make it difficult to break down food properly. All of which can cause irritation of the gut lining and potentially bloating.
💥 Imbalanced gut bacteria ⚖️
We increasingly recognize the benefits of our microbiome - the community of billions and billions of bacteria that inhabit our digestive tract and do everything from supporting our digestive process to our balanced mood. But the types of bacteria and where they are located in our gut matter, and increasing evidence suggests that when we develop an overabundance of certain bacteria in our small intestine, this can contribute to excessive bloating and gas. A condition commonly referred to as Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth or SIBO.
So, what can be done? The following tips may help with these issues.
Eat more slowly. If you are someone who eats so quickly that you never put down your fork (or spoon), make a habit of putting it down between bites. Eating more slowly also helps activate our vagus nerve and support digestion.
Avoid drinking large amounts of fluids just before or during meals to ensure you do not dilute your digestive power.
Assess your tolerance for certain foods like cabbage and broccoli. Do you experience more bloating when you eat them? See if the cooking method makes a difference. Seasoning foods with herbs like cumin, coriander, and fennel can help reduce gas.
I am a fan of digestive bitters - herbal tinctures that you can take in a small amount of water before a meal. This is one of my favorite brands. 🌿
Soak and/or pressure cook your beans to aid in their digestibility, and if you have not eaten beans regularly, add them back slowly to your diet. Some people find that they can tolerate their home-cooked beans but not canned beans or those they get when eating out. 🫘 + 😊
SIBO is a challenging condition to treat, but you can help support a balanced microbiome by avoiding processed sugars, snacking, and spacing meals at least 4 hours apart.
Please know that if you are experiencing severe and/or persistent, it requires further evaluation as it can be a sign of something more serious.
If, after doing this, your traditional medical evaluation has not turned up a sufficient explanation for your bloating, it can be helpful to work with an Integrative/Functional Medicine practitioner who can help you assess and address some of the underlying causes we have reviewed here and others. If you want to schedule a consultation with me, you can do so here.
To your health,
Dr. Nicole
