Bloating ..what's the cause?

Bloating is a sign that something isn't right in your gut.. There can be a few different reasons but they can be addressed with basic treatments that will make a dramatic difference in your health and quality of life. Our gut health is the foundation of our overall health so any bloating, excess gas, discomfort, or irregularity must be addressed to achieve good health.

Let's look at some of possible causes of bloating.

Low stomach acid: stomach acid is necessary for healthy digestion because it helps to maintain a healthy gut flora and is essential for the secretion of pancreatic enzymes which digest and breakdown your macronutrients (fat, protein and carbohydrates, including fiber). This enables you to use the nutrients from your food for your cells to function properly. If you have low stomach acid you will experience bloating after meals, possibly GERD (acid reflux) and over time may develop a dysbiois in your gut (this is when the bacteria in your gut are out of balance see below).

Severe Dysbiosis in the your gut: SIBO and H.Pylori are two examples of overgrowth of bacteria that you can develop if your good bacteria and gut health have become compromised. Some things that can lead to SIBO and H.Pylori are overuse of antibiotics, NSAIDS (medications such as ibuprophen, Aleve, and Motrin) that can cause gastrointestinal bleeding and inflammation of the GI tract (a major cause of leaky gut which sometimes leads to autoimmune disease) and Tylenol. Tylenol is one of the leading causes of liver damage and depletes us of a very important detoxifier in our body, glutathione. Both H.Pylori and SIBO can be diagnosed with testing. A breath test is the Gold standard for both of these.

Proton pump inhibitors: (PPI's): Prilosec, Prevacid and Nexium are examples of medications used to treat acid reflux (GERD which is commonly known as heartburn). These medications interfere with B12 absorption which can increase your risk for depression and issues with your detoxification pathways.  Low B12 can also cause neurological problems such as tingling and numbness. PPI's can increase the growth of bacteria in the small intestine that cause SIBO, which can contribute to food intolerances leading to chronic inflammation.

As you can see there are a few causes of bloating. You may be able to live with the bloating or perhaps you aren't even aware you have bloating because you have had it for years and it has become "normal" for you. The bloating isn't harmful, other than being uncomfortable, however it is the cause of the bloating that is harmful and can lead to chronic disease that will impact your health.

If you do have bloating, wonder about food intolerances, are ready to address the underlying cause of your acid reflux or chronic inflammation be sure to check out my 1:1 coaching program here or email me at info@drglennacalder.ca.