Why Am I Bloated After I Eat?

Most people experience bloating after a meal now and then. It’s that uncomfortable sensation of pressure in your gut. It may be accompanied by what’s called abdominal distention, where your belly seems to expand. 

Bloating typically resolves on its own and isn’t cause for concern. However, it can negatively affect your quality of life if you experience it frequently. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to reduce bloating. 

What Causes Bloating?

From medical conditions to lifestyle choices, many things can produce bloating. The more common causes include:

• Health problems. Some conditions make you produce more gas or increase your sensitivity to the presence of gas in your digestive tract. This includes celiac disease, acid reflux (which irritates your esophagus), irritable bowel syndrome (which affects nerves in your bowel), and hemorrhoids.
• Consuming too many carbs. Carbs are an important energy source, but eating too many can cause your body to retain water, potentially making you feel overly full. 
• Overeating. Consuming more food than your stomach can comfortably accommodate makes you feel bloated. Keep in mind that while your stomach can stretch, it’s about the size of your fist when empty. 
• Constipation. When your digestive tract is stalled, eating or drinking can create or intensify bloating. 
• Swallowing too much air or gas. Eating too quickly can cause you to swallow air. So can drinking carbonated beverages. 
• Consuming certain foods. Everyone’s digestive system is different, but some people experience bloating if they consume salt, dairy, fructose, fat, or carbs called FODMAPS, found in some fruits, vegetables, dairy, and whole grains. 
• Having your period. You may retain water in the week or so before you start your period, which can cause bloating.  
• Gaining weight. Added pounds often end up around the belly, so there’s less room for the stomach to stretch.

How to Stop Bloating After Eating

If you feel gassy after every meal or nearly every meal, try these 10 tips for reducing or preventing bloating:

1. Understand your food issues. Food allergies and intolerances can cause your body to produce excess gas, which makes you feel bloated. Testing for food issues can be inaccurate or inconclusive, so the best approach is trial and error. Keep track of what you eat and how you feel afterward for several weeks. You’ll likely detect foods that cause bloating for you, and you can eliminate them from your diet or consume smaller quantities of them.
2. Eat and drink slowly. Consuming foods and beverages quickly can cause you to swallow air, which increases bloating. As an added benefit, enjoying meals at a more leisurely pace may help you more readily detect that you’re full and help with weight management.  
3. Avoid carbonated beverages. These drinks contain carbon dioxide gas, which can accumulate in your digestive tract and cause you to feel bloated. 
4. Eat moderate amounts of fiber and high-fat foods. Both are essential to a healthy diet but consuming either in excess can cause bloating. So, you don’t want to eliminate them. But it can be helpful to reduce your intake and monitor the results to determine how much you can eat without bloating. 
5. Avoid talking while eating. Speaking as you chew and swallow can cause you to swallow air, which, as noted above, can lead to bloating. 
6. Eat smaller portions. It’s vital to consume enough of the right foods to be healthy. However, eating more than that amount can increase bloating. Try reducing your portion size, particularly when you want to avoid feeling bloated. 
7. Get light exercise after a meal. Some people find that activities like going for a stroll after a meal reduce bloating.  
8. Try ginger. Studies have shown that ginger can help reduce excessive gas in the digestive tract and reduce or prevent bloating. 
9. Try probiotics. These live microorganisms may reduce gut inflammation and the sensation of tension after eating. 
10. Treat heartburn if you have it. In addition to causing a burning sensation, heartburn causes bloating. If you experience it, treating it with an over-the-counter medication may make you feel less bloated.

Talk with Your Baptist Health Physician About Bloating

Bloating is an unpleasant sensation you don’t have to “just live with.” If you experience frequent bloating, talk with your Baptist Health physician. (You can find a doctor using our online provider directory if you don’t have one.)

They can diagnose the cause of your bloating and recommend lifestyle changes, treatment, or both. If appropriate, your doctor can also refer you to a gastroenterologist, which is a doctor that specializes in the digestive tract.  

Learn More.

Categories

• Digestive Health

Tags:

• Bloated
• Bloating
• Food Allergy
• Food Intolerance
• Gas

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What you need to know

Bloating is an uncomfortable fullness, pressure or swelling in your stomach.

Some people describe it as a feeling like they have an inflated balloon or trapped gas in their abdomen. A bloated stomach most often occurs after eating a meal. Here you’ll learn more about bloating, including what causes bloating and if there are certain foods that don’t make you bloated.

What causes bloating?

Bloating is common, occurring in 20% to 30% of the general population and in up to 96% of people with irritable bowel syndrome. It tends to be caused by gas in your digestive tract. The gas can occur for many reasons, including swallowing too much air, consuming foods that cause gas, and having certain health issues. Medical conditions that can cause bloating include:

• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): If you have bloating and gas after eating, you may have IBS. This is a group of symptoms that affect how gas moves through your intestines. It causes bloating, pain, cramping and diarrhea.
• Constipation: Bacteria can ferment on stool that sits in your colon. This can lead to increased gas and bloating.
• Gastroparesis: In this motility issue, the muscles along the digestive tract do not work properly, which causes the stomach to empty too slowly. This can lead to bloating, nausea and bowel blockage.
• Small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO): SIBO is marked by an increase or change in the bacteria in your small intestine, leading to bloating, diarrhea and weight loss. SIBO often occurs with other conditions, such as IBS.
• Gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD): In GERD, the contents of your stomach flow backward up into the small intestine. This can cause burping and bloating.
• Problems digesting carbohydrates: Your stomach and small intestine aren’t always able to digest all of the carbohydrates you eat. These undigested carbohydrates can travel to your large intestine, where bacteria break them down and produce gas.
• Celiac disease (an inability to tolerate gluten, the proteins found in wheat, barley and rye) and lactose intolerance (an inability to break down lactose, the naturally occurring sugar in dairy products) can cause bloating.

What foods make you bloated?

Bloating and gas can be caused by consuming certain foods. While foods that cause bloating differ among people, the following foods, drinks and products can cause excess gas, which can lead to bloating.

How to manage bloating

Bloating treatment depends on the underlying cause. For instance, if you have bloating due to SIBO, your healthcare provider may prescribe an antibiotic. Bloating due to celiac disease means avoiding products that contain gluten, and bloating from lactose intolerance means eliminating dairy products from your diet. For occasional bloating, treatment may include lifestyle and dietary changes or over-the-counter (OTC) medications.

Lifestyle changes
Everyone swallows air when they eat and drink, but swallowing too much air can lead to belching and bloating. Changing certain behaviors can help reduce the amount of air you take in:

• Eat and drink more slowly
• Don’t chew gum or suck on hard candy
• Avoid carbonated or fizzy beverages
• Don’t smoke; if you smoke, get help to quit
• Make sure your dentures fit tightly enough, if you wear dentures
• Getting enough exercise and improving your posture may also help improve bloating in some people

Dietary changes
Avoiding or limiting foods that cause gas may help reduce bloating after eating. To figure out the exact foods that cause you to feel bloated, consider keeping a food and symptom journal. Log each food you eat and note your symptoms afterward. This can identify your personal triggers and help you find foods that don’t make you bloated.

OTC medications, such as antacids, can also decrease bloating and gas in some cases. Although other commonly used remedies, such as simethicone, activated charcoal or probiotics haven’t been proven to help, some people feel that these products work. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist before trying any OTC medicines for bloating.

If you often have bloating after eating and changing your habits doesn’t help, talk to your healthcare provider. They can figure out the cause of your bloating and recommend a treatment plan.

Clinically reviewed and updated December 2021.

Sources:

1. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/overview-of-intestinal-gas-and-bloating
2. https://www.niddk.nih. gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/gas-digestive-tract/symptoms-causes
3. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/bloating-causes-and-prevention-tips
4. https://www.iffgd.org/symptoms-causes/bloating-and-distension.html

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Bloating and gas after fruit. Multi-probiotic BAK-SET

All nutritionists consider fruits and berries to be very healthy foods. They are rich in fiber, which is necessary for normal digestion, contain a lot of vitamins and minerals, due to the high content of carbohydrates they give a boost of energy and cheer up. Unfortunately, the body of some people reacts negatively to such healthy food. Are you worried about bloating and gas after fruit? Find out what could be the cause of the problem and what will help solve it.

Root causes

Fruits and berries often cause increased gas formation, as they contain a lot of fructose, which can irritate the gastrointestinal mucosa and provoke fermentation processes. The risk of discomfort is higher in people suffering from intestinal dysbacteriosis. When the balance of the intestinal microflora is disturbed, it becomes even more difficult for the digestive tract to digest food rich in carbohydrates.

You should not permanently exclude fruits from the diet, as this is a very healthy product. To reduce the risk of bloating and increased gas, follow simple rules.

• Choose unsweetened varieties. The more fructose, the higher the risks. It is worth giving up ripe bananas, grapes, juicy nectarines in favor of oranges, blueberries, kiwi, pineapples.
• Peel and grind fruits before eating. This will make it easier for the body to digest them.
• Try not to eat fruit immediately after another meal – this increases the risk of developing fermentation processes in the intestines. It is better that juicy fruits are not a dessert, but a snack.

How to normalize digestion?

Bloating and gas, which are regularly disturbing after eating fruits, is a reason to consult a specialist. He will determine what exactly caused such violations, and recommend drugs to normalize bowel function.
and stomach. With increased gas formation caused by dysbacteriosis, a specialist may recommend probiotics. Complexes with live beneficial bacteria help restore microbial balance.

Adults and children from 3 years of age with dysbacteriosis can take the BAK-SET Forte complex. It has clinically proven efficacy, contains 14 strains of beneficial bacteria at once, which are not afraid of acidic gastric juice and begin to act directly in the intestines. The complex does not require refrigeration. You can buy it at the pharmacy and online.

Probiotics for the intestines: when are they needed and how are they useful?

The quality of digestion and absorption of nutrients depends on the composition of the microflora in the intestine. Changing the balance of bacteria inevitably affects well-being. Probiotics help to fill the deficiency of beneficial microorganisms.

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Good bacteria for the intestines: what will help restore the microflora?

Bacteria are an integral part of the human body. What role do they play in our life? What threatens the imbalance of intestinal microflora?

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Discomfort in the intestines, distention of the intestines, causes

Symptoms: stomach, bloating, indigestion, bloating, intestinal discomfort, frequent stools, frequent urge to stool, indigestion, diarrhea (diarrhea), constipation, stool retention, abdominal distention, flatulence, gas in the intestines, heartburn, belching after eating , food intolerance, bitter taste in mouth, dry mouth .

Disorder of the gastrointestinal tract, or problems with digestion – are manifested by various symptoms: constipation, diarrhea, flatulence, pain, pain, burning sensation or heaviness in the abdomen, discomfort in the intestines, and in addition heartburn, belching and unpleasant sensations in the mouth (dryness, bitterness). Quite often, symptoms may worsen immediately after eating. Disorder of the gastrointestinal tract may be accompanied by a deterioration in appetite, general weakness and irritability.

Defecation in such disorders always brings noticeable discomfort: starting with pain in the abdomen and sensations of bloating, it occurs either too slowly and difficult (with constipation), or, conversely, too often, and the stool has a liquid consistency (with diarrhea) ). In both cases, increased gas formation (flatulence) is observed.

Disorder of the gastrointestinal tract can be caused by disturbances in the work of the vegetative centers responsible for the work of the digestive organs. In such cases, diets and standard drug treatment of gastritis, dysbacteriosis and other diseases of the digestive system remain ineffective. Gastroenterological examinations do not reveal serious problems, and the patient continues to suffer from the inability to calmly eat and go to the toilet. In this case, the patient is recommended to check the autonomic nervous system of the body. When the work of the affected vegetative centers is restored, the digestive process normalizes on its own.

Case studies

Male, 28 years old, supervisor.

In 2015, a young man came to us with complaints of digestive problems. For more than a year now, he has been on a strict diet: on cereals and broths. I could not eat fried and fatty foods, flour products, as bloating, a feeling of “cola” in the stomach, seething, and increased gas formation immediately appeared. These sensations were most often accompanied by diarrhea, less often by constipation. Symptoms were accompanied by a feeling of bitterness and dryness in the mouth. The tongue was constantly covered with a white coating.

Symptoms were accompanied by general weakness and a constant feeling of anxiety due to the fear of getting into another stressful situation: being on the street, in a traffic jam or at work without close access to the toilet room.

The man was examined by a gastroenterologist. No stomach problems were found. The doctor first diagnosed irritable bowel syndrome, and later – dysbacteriosis. The patient tried to be treated with medications and probiotics, but nothing helped.

When the patient came to us, a thermal imaging study showed quite serious changes in the paravertebral vegetative nodes at the thoracic level and in the nodes of the solar plexus, caused by overexertion of these centers. Only in a calm state was the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract possible. At the slightest load, the autonomic nervous system could no longer cope with the digestive functions of the body.

After the first course of treatment, the patient felt much better and was able to triple his work without fear of re-experiencing old problems.

Male, 47 years old, worker.

From the anamnesis it is known that the first symptoms of the present disease appeared in the patient 17 years ago, one year after he got into a car accident (concussion of the 2nd degree of severity). Began pain in the abdomen after eating.

The local therapist referred me for gastroscopy (conclusion: superficial catarrhal gastritis). Drug therapy (enveloping, enzymes, diet) was prescribed. However, no improvement was observed within six months. Repeat gastroscopy showed normal gastric mucosa. The diagnosis of “gastritis” was removed, another was made – intestinal dysbacteriosis, probiotics were prescribed.

Over the next years, the condition gradually worsened, heartburn appeared, frequent (up to eight times a day) stools, a burning sensation in the abdomen after eating, which were replaced by severe pain, flatulence (“the stomach swells like a drum”).

A man came to the Clinical Center of Autonomic Neurology in January 2010 with complaints of burning in the abdomen, severe flatulence, indigestion, insomnia, anxiety, severe weight loss (due to intolerance to many foods, he followed a strict diet, ate once a day).

All symptoms of the disease disappeared two months after the first course of therapy. A second course was conducted at the request of the patient to “fix the positive results.” So far, he feels completely healthy.

Woman, 30 years old, housewife.

Turned to us for help two years after the onset of the disease, in 2008.

Complaints of a burning sensation in the lower part of the sternum and epigastric region, “as if it were hot there.” These sensations appeared to her sporadically (several times a day) and lasted from 10 to 30 minutes.

Constant general weakness, chills, nausea, trembling in the body. In order to get rid of the discomfort, she had to lie down for at least 15 minutes. After resting, the discomfort disappeared.

These symptoms testified to the “interest of the solar plexus nodes”, which was confirmed by a computer thermal imaging study.

A woman underwent a complex of physiotherapy procedures aimed at normalizing the functioning of the solar plexus. So far, she has no health complaints.

Male, 30 years old, driver.

At the time of contacting the clinic, the center of autonomic neurology, the patient was not working due to existing complaints. The main complaint was frequent urge to defecate, sudden and very painful bowel spasms. Loose stools were observed at least ten to fifteen times a day…

A driver by profession, the patient was forced to change jobs frequently, as he could not perform his duties. “Every half hour I ran and looked for any doorway.” For the same reason, he could not stand long trips by public transport.

Despite the strictest diet and even weeks of fasting, the symptoms persisted. And any meal caused a strong “abdominal seething” and colic.

The patient underwent two courses of therapy at the Clinical Center for Autonomic Neurology. Positive dynamics was noted already in the second week after the first course. And after six months, all the symptoms of gastrointestinal disorders disappeared completely.

Other symptoms of VSD

Shortness of breath, difficulty breathing

Strong palpitation, rapid pulse

Trembling in the body, shaking hands

Sweating, perspiration, profuse sweat

Stomach pain, burning in the abdomen

Heaviness in the head, headache

Muscle tone , spasm of neck muscles

Incontinence urine

Feeling of fear, anxiety

Blurred vision

Presyncope

Sleep disorder, insomnia, drowsiness

Subfebrile temperature

Chronic fatigue syndrome

Weather sensitivity

Myths and truth about VSD

— Put yourself in the place of a doctor. The patient’s tests are fine. All kinds of examinations from ultrasound to MRI show the norm. And the patient comes to you every week and complains that he feels bad, has nothing to breathe, his heart is pounding, sweat is pouring down, that he constantly calls an ambulance, etc. You cannot call such a person healthy, but he does not have a specific disease.