Bloating is one of the most common forms of stomach discomfort that you will likely encounter. Feelings of pressure and fullness are often described as symptoms, along with a distended tummy and, on some occasions, pain. Knowing when to panic and when not to will help you know when to seek treatment and when to evaluate your diet and lifestyle choices while you’re sprawled on the couch moaning “I feel bloated”. But what if you feel bloated all the time, meaning on a regular daily (or almost daily) basis?
Overeating is one of the easiest ways to poof your pouch. You might think that the third plate of dinner was a good idea, but few will sympathize with your “I feel bloated” cries after you have horked down a third piece of pie. Have you also considered not only how much you’re eating, but what? For instance, as surprising as it sounds, some raw veggies (such as lettuce and cabbage) can lead to large amounts of gas (because of fiber in them) which can, in turn, leave you moaning “I feel bloated” for hours on end. This may not be a huge reason to get concerned if your digestive system is generally healthy (because fiber from vegetables is healthy); however, if you do experience digestive problem symptoms like constipation, diarrhea, IBS, etc, it may be best to cook your veggies thoroughly for awhile, as to break down the fiber cell walls, and hence help you not feel bloated all the time.
Is it that time of the month? The majority of women experience feeling bloated during their monthly cycle. In fact, menstruation is one of the most common causes of stomach bloating and pain. Ladies, don’t think that your days of battling the bloat will end when you reach your golden years, however, because menopause and bloating go hand in hand as well. The good news, however, is that you can significantly reduce the length of your Aunt Flo’s monthly gift of bloated discomfort, by addressing your likely vitamin and mineral deficiency accumulated in your body throughout many years of ignorant dietary choices, which is the most common cause of women’s severe PMS and menstrual pain symptoms. If you feel bloated all the time and/or are in pain during your period, removing reproductive system harming food items containing sugar, gluten, processed foods, bad carbs, foods with preservatives, fried foods, and alcohol, will help relieve your discomfort over time. Adding healthy vitamin supplements A, B, C, D, E, Omega-3 and Calcium Magnesium to your daily dietary regimen will further increase your chances of health improvements. After all, B vitamins and Calcium/Magnesium deficiencies are known to cause menstrual problems.
So what do you do if you’re still crying the “I feel bloated” blues and you’ve taken your diet and lifestyle into consideration and you’ve made dietary accommodations to reduce bloating and increased your activity level in every effort to be proactive and you are still bloated? Should you be concerned? Well, maybe. It’s certainly worth seeing a physician if you have been bloated for more than a few days.
In addition, if changes that you are making to your routine and diet are leaving you sans results (over the course of several months), you could have a more serious underlying problem like a lactose intolerance and/or gluten intolerance (which often go hand in hand), or even celiac disease (which, in some cases, may actually lead to infertility and some types of cancers!). And while what causes celiac disease and other diseases often has a genetic component and candida connection, most of these issues are effectively remedied by diet and vitamin supplements. In case of celiac, removing gluten-containing foods and those that cross react with gluten that can all aggravate the condition, is a “must”.
Because serious health problems like cancer and crohn’s disease can sometimes exhibit as painful bloating; unusual bloating, that which lasts more than a few days, or that which does not respond to treatment or therapy should be evaluated by a physician. Bloating is a very common disorder, however feeling it all the time can also be a symptom of more serious conditions.
