Login

Do you feel bloated all the time? 8 surprising reasons we bet you didn’t know

If you feel bloated all the time, then let’s break it to you: your gut is in a rut!
Do you feel like your belly is perpetually bloated? Image courtesy: Shutterstock
Nikita Bhardwaj Updated: 19 Apr 2022, 12:28 pm IST
OPEN APP

Imagine waking up from a deep slumber, and realising that your body looks puffy from head to toe – if that sounds like you, then you are a victim of bloating! 

FYI, bloating is normal. When your body feels tight and oh-so-full, all it means is that gas has accumulated in your stomach and intestines. Now this happens the moment you wake up in the morning, and subsides as the day progresses. 

It is problematic when bloating reaches the next level, and you experience severe abdominal pain, constant farting, and much more. That’s why it is important to know why bloating happens, so that you can stay alert and take immediate action!

Here are 8 legit reasons why you could be suffering from bloating:  

1. Your bowel movement isn’t right
If you’re constipated all the time, there is a high chance that you might be dealing with irritable bowel syndrome or problems in your small intestine. This is majorly due to bad eating habits, and not drinking enough water during the day. This leads to accumulation of gas in your gut, thereby causing severe pain!

2. Celiac disease is the culprit
Are you allergic to food that is gluten-rich? If yes, then that’s a big reason why you suffer from bloating! Consuming foods like pasta, spicy sauces, beer, and bread at dinner can make you bloat. Celiac disease is often overlooked, since we don’t have much information about it. Contrary to general perception, it is not just an allergy but an autoimmune disease. Our body attacks gluten when we consume it, and causes Oedema – swelling caused by a build-up of fluid in the body.

Go gluten free and avoid the chances of you getting a celiac disease. Image courtesy: Shutterstock.

3. You binge on junk food
It is no rocket science that junk food has zero nutritional value and no fibre, which means it takes longer for your body to digest it. Also, packed food is loaded with sodium, which is the biggest cause of water retention in your body. Plus if you are a soft drink fan and use a straw to sip or suck on it, then your bloating might get worse! This is because when you use a straw, you also suck in air and since aerated beverages contain carbon dioxide, you bloat more than usual!

4. You aren’t chewing your food properly
Chewing your food properly is the most simple thing you can do to keep bloating in check. If you chew food too fast, or do not chew properly, bloating is likely to happen. This is because your body has to work harder to secrete more digestive juices to amp up the process, and more acidic juices means more gas!

5. You aren’t eating dinner on time
It is important to maintain a proper gap between dinner and bedtime. If you do not, you are most likely to wake up feeling puffed up next morning. This is because you aren’t giving your body enough time to digest food and store it properly.

6. You’re sitting all the time
Ever since the lockdown began, we’ve been hardly moving our bodies! And that’s a huge reason why you might suffer from bloating these days. Sitting all the time slows down the digestive process, which is why it is imperative to keep taking breaks throughout the day and squeeze in some physical activity. Your digestive system will thank you for this!

Select Topics of your interest and let us customize your feed.

PERSONALISE NOW
Don’t forget to take breaks. Image Courtesy : Shutterstock

7. You aren’t adding fibre to your diet
Think good gut health, think fibre! If you do not consume fibre regularly, your gut might need help – after all, bloating and gastrointestinal infections are just waiting to happen. Fibre in your food helps to eliminate waste faster, which means goodbye to bloating!

8. You are skipping your meals
We’ve often skipped our meals to lose weight, but FYI, it’s a bad, bad idea! It’s not just unhealthy but also leads to severe bloating. Skipping meals signals our body to retain fats and water, so that we feel energised throughout the day! It is because of this that you feel bloated all the time. What’s more, after you skip a meal, you’re bound to hog on junk food, because you’re starved. Obviously, you tend to eat way more than your stomach can store, which makes the digestive system work overtime. And then we all know bloating happens!

Also, watch:

It is best to consume smaller and frequent meals, instead of having an erratic diet. Also, make sure to pack in loads of salads and fruits, pre and probiotics to eliminate bloating forever! Sounds like a plan, doesn’t it?

Nikita Bhardwaj

Six-pack abs are all that Nikita needs, along with her daily dose of green tea. At Health Shots, she produces videos, podcasts, stories, and other kick-ass content. ...Read More

Next Story