If you’re anything like the clients I work with, you struggle with major bloat. Not the kind of bloat that goes away shortly after eating a portion of broccoli – the kind that is painful, debilitating and seems to worsen throughout the day. By 4 pm, you feel 6 months pregnant and can’t button your pants.
Sounds like you? Trust me, I get it. I’ve been there too. I honestly felt really discouraged at times, because I felt like I would never get better. I’d been to SO many doctors who had told me my symptoms were “normal” and that I should “just take Miralax.” This wasn’t the case. My bloat, just like the bloat my clients experience, was not a matter of taking more Miralax. It signaled something else going on that needed addressing.
Your “6 months pregnant by the end of the day” bloat is the real deal and you are not alone. The good news? We can do something about it. You don’t have to feel like this forever!
Top 3 reasons why you feel bloated:
- You are eating too quickly. Sounds silly, but it’s the #1 reason my clients feel bloated. How often do you take the time to eat a meal and REALLY chew your food? Rushing through a meal could be part of why you feel pregnant by 4 pm! I suggest taking 20 minutes to eat a meal without distractions (bye-bye Tik Tok) and at a table. If possible, eat with others and linger over conversation! The difference will amaze you.
- You are constipated. Did you know that you have over 20 feet of intestines? Crazy, right? That is a LOT of space for stool to hang out. The more “backed up” you are, the more bloated you can become. Your already-full intestines trap gas and air, creating bloat. To start, look at the reasons WHY you might feel constipated and address them first: lack of dietary fiber, dehydration, magnesium deficiency, low stomach acid, poor motility (movement of waste through your intestines) and/or bacterial overgrowth.
- You’re too stressed. What on earth does stress have to do with your bloat? They’re actually so connected! When you feel stressed (AKA in fight-or-flight mode), your body thinks it’s being “chased by a bear.” It doesn’t think about digesting the delicious meal you just consumed. Stress of all kinds (physical, emotional, spiritual) contributes to bloat and gut symptoms, because your body is in a fight-or-flight state and not in a parasympathetic (AKA rest-and-digest) state. Take 5 minutes to breathe when you find yourself getting stressed, and work on training your brain to relax when you feel amped.
Many of my clients, just like you, struggle with uncomfortable bloat and are searching for answers. By working on the action items listed above, we are able to help them slowly find relief so they can move forward with their life bloat-free!
Which action item will you address first? Let me know in the comments and keep me posted on your results!
If you are looking for more individualized support, click here to become a “Gut Groupie” and identify the underlying issues that are contributing to your bloat and constipation so that you can find relief and live your best life!
