1. High-fibre
diets
Oatmeal, breads, bran flakes,
cooked barley, spaghetti (even whole wheat), lentils, beans, peas, apples and
pears with skin, banana, and scores of other foods are essential for good
health and to avoid many gastrointestinal problems, but too much of these
can make your stomach bloat.
Reason: Fibre
cannot be digested in the human intestine. Bloating from fibre foods occurs
because the bacteria inside the colon digest the fibre to a certain extent. Gas
is produced as a by-product of this digestion.
Solution: Fibre
is important, so you shouldn’t avoid eating fibre. Just take note if your
stomach bloats after you’ve had too much of fibre for your breakfast or other
meals. Lower the amount of fibre in your diet in that case. Start from a very
low fibre intake for some time and gradually increase the intake to a level
where it just starts to bloat. Now you know the trigger level for bloating.
Problem solved!
2. Sugary
foods
Sugary foods such as pastry,
cookies, fruit juices, sweetened soda, sugary desserts, too, can cause bloating.
Reason: The
reason for bloating is the same as in cases of high-fibre diets but this time
the bacteria in the intestines (and not colon) digest the sugar and produces
gas.
Solution: Try
the same experiment as in high-fibre diet if you feel the bloating after consuming
sugary foods.
3. Constipation
If you have constipation,
you might have noticed that your stomach bloats and as the day progresses you
get a ‘tight’ belly with abdominal pain.
Reason: The
gas formed as a by-product of digestion gets trapped behind slow moving stool
and keeps building up depending on the severity of the constipation, and you
feel the bloating.
Solution:
Change your eating habits and diet, but not drastically. Gradually include more
of insoluble fibres such as fruits and vegetables and nuts in your diet. Drink
lots of water. (Ten home remedies to beat constipation)
4. Smoking
Bloating
is quite common amongst smokers.
Reason: This
is because smokers tend to inhale a lot more air than non-smokers which can
lead to the build-up of gas either in the oesophagus, the stomach or the colon.
Solution: Control
the addiction or just kick the butt; bloating won’t trouble you as much
then. (Read: Natural remedies to quit smoking)
5. Acid
reflux
If you feel bloated in the
upper belly especially after meals, feel nauseous after a meal, or burp
excessively within an hour of the meal, you may be having a condition called dyspepsia
or acid reflux or simply, indigestion.
Reason: When
the food, stomach acid, and other digestive juices backflow into the
oesophagus, it is called acid reflux. The backflow occurs when the valve
between the stomach and the lower end of the oesophagus does not close tightly
enough or relaxes at the wrong times. Over eating may also cause acid reflux.
Other reasons for reflux are smoking, drinking, and obesity, being over 35
years of age and being pregnant.
Solution:
Solution for mild dyspepsia can be in taking carbonated drinks in this case
since fizzy drinks can relieve the pressure in your belly by inducing belching.
Or better still, take some antacids. Severe dyspepsia, however, will require
you to consult your doctor. (Read: 10 home remedies for acidity that really work!)
6. Splenic-flexure
syndrome
When the air (gas) gets trapped
inside the bends in the colon situated next to the spleen, it is called the
splenic-flexure syndrome. It is a painful condition and the pain occurs in the
upper left side of the abdomen and can sometimes be misconstrued as a heart
attack. Abdominal bloating is the most common symptom of this disorder.
Solution: The
best way to deal with this disorder is to avoid foods that cause gas. Broccoli,
cabbage, processed foods, prunes, peas and apples are examples of gas causing
foods. (Expert tips to avoid ‘gas’ problems)
7. Irritable
Bowel Syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome or IBS
is when you have bloating accompanied by abdominal pain and cramping and change
in bowel movement but with normal bowel structure.
Probable
cause: Infection in the intestine or even stress can be a trigger for
IBS.
Solution:
Avoiding large meals and avoiding foods that contain caffeine or colas that
stimulate the intestines can improve the condition. Although it is a common
intestinal problem, it is best to consult a gastroenterologist (bowel
specialist) if the change in your bowel habits persist. The specialist may ask
you to get some tests done to rule out Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis,
coeliac disease and colon cancer
8. Coeliac
disease
Coeliac disease, commonly
prevalent in western countries and Africa, is generally considered to be caused
by allergy to gluten present in wheat and related grains.
Probable
cause: Medical fraternity now believes that it is actually a
multi-system disorder which is highly variable in its clinical expression, may
occur at any age, and may present with a variety of manifestations and is
common in India as well.
For
example, in an article published in the Indian Journal of Medical
Research, B S Ramakrishna suggests that the disorder can have
gastrointestinal manifestations that include diarrhoea, weight loss, stunting,
abdominal pain, bloating and distension, anorexia, vomiting and constipation;
or it may not be gastrointestinal related at all. It could be iron deficiency
anaemia, osteoporosis, vitamin deficiencies, or fatigue. Celiac disease can
also be associated with infertility in women, type 1 diabetes, mouth ulcers,
thyroiditis, depression, and even epilepsy.
Solution: Given
these facts, Indian researchers recommend changing back to growing / consuming
older diploid varieties of wheat and other cereals that are considered to be
safe.
9. Crohn’s
disease
Crohn’s disease is a chronic
inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that can occur throughout the gastrointestinal
tract but more commonly affects the intestines. Common symptoms include
abdominal pain, diarrhoea, and weight loss, but patients with Crohn’s disease
also can develop symptoms such as worsening of diarrhoea, bloating, fatigue,
fever, nausea and vomiting, and anaemia.
Probable
complications: A number of complications can develop from Crohn’s disease –
narrowing of colon causing obstruction, perforation or abscesses in the colon,
colon cancer, sepsis (infection of the blood), osteoporosis, gallstones, liver
damage, and blood clots, to name a few.
Solution: Do
not ignore the symptoms and get proper medical treatment for the condition.
10. Diverticulosis
Diverticulosis is the formation
of abnormal pouches in the bowel wall. These pouches can occur throughout the
gut, but they most commonly occur in the colon. Although they don’t cause
symptoms, they co-exist with IBS and the symptoms you get are those of IBS.
Diverticulosis, as such is not a serious disorder but if they start to bleed or
perforate, they become a serious illness.
Unexplained
bloating
Sometimes the cause of bloating
may not have a simple explanation. One such disorder is a psychosomatic illness
called Alvarez’s syndrome in which there’s abdominal bloating without any
excess gas in the digestive tract.
If bloating persists, even
though you have tried elimination diets and other methods of dealing with
bloating, talk to your doctor. Bloating may be a symptom of a more serious
disorder which may not
No comments:
Post a Comment