What are the reasons for abdominal bloating?
Are you constantly experiencing abdominal bloating? When you feel too full, it is can get uncomfortable. While most people assume it is because they have eaten too much, this is not always the reason for bloating. From having an intolerance to a certain food to other health issues, there are many reasons for abdominal bloating to occur. Let’s take a look at a few of them to figure out why you are feeling this way.
Eating too much salt
Do you eat a lot of fast foods and pre-packaged meals? They are likely to contain a lot of salt, also known as sodium. When you have eaten too much salt, this means that you are going to hold onto a lot of water in your body. This might be what is making you feel very full and causing the bloating. The best thing you can do to combat this is to cut down the amount of salt you are consuming. This is going to be good for your overall health since too much salt is linked to high blood pressure.
Drinking a lot of fizzy drinks
Are you a big fan of fizzy drinks like cola and lemonade? Or even beer or prosecco! This is another common cause of bloating of the abdomen. Think about all of those bubbles you are consuming. This is going into your digestive system. In addition, these fizzy drinks typically contain sugar which also causes water retention. This is something else that is going to make you retain water at the same time. And yet there is a drink that can actually help reduce abdominal bloating.
You have irritable bowel syndrome
Another reason why you may be feeling bloated a lot is because you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) This is a common condition that a lot of people suffer from because of the stresses of modern life. It can affect your digestive system, causing pain and diarrhoea, as well as bloating. There are a lot of different triggers and you will have to figure out what could be causing your symptoms. Keeping a diary and visiting the doctor is a good way to see if you have IBS. For instance, stress and anxiety can be your trigger, as well as certain foods that you eat. You may have to make dietary changes to make yourself feel better.
Consuming too many carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are an important macronutrient that our body needs for energy. But, if you eat a lot of carbs in one go, you can actually end up retaining a lot of water. This all relates to the speed at which carbs get into your bloodstream, so it is not only the volume but the type of carb that makes a difference. Simple carbohydrates such as white bread and white rice enter your bloodstream almost immediately, so lots of simple carbs in one go is really not very good.
Intolerance to dairy
A lot of people have an intolerance to dairy, which can lead to stomach pains and bloating. This is because the body cannot digest lactose, which is found in dairy products. So, if you notice that you feel uncomfortably full after drinking milk or eating cheese, you may have an intolerance to dairy.
There are lots more reasons for abdominal bloating as you can see from this slide show.