Top Reasons Why You Feel Bloated— and How to Help

Bloating— that uncomfortable feeling of abdominal over-fullness. You might experience it as a pang of discomfort in your midsection, or feel clothes (the same ones that fit well when you first put them on) that are suddenly too tight around the waist. While you know that bloating will eventually pass (no pun intended), let’s look at the ways to eliminate the bloat before it starts.

The foundation of any bloat-free body is a well-functioning digestive system. Improving your gut health baseline is a universal first step toward eliminating bloating— and Broc Shot whole broccoli sprout powder offers a proven gut health tune up. The phytochemical sulforaphane in Broc Shot has been shown to normalize intestinal flora and enhance the health of the gut barrier, resulting in a healthier gut and lower inflammation overall. When digestion functions smoothly, everyday bloating triggers like constipation and imbalanced gut flora are removed.

After the first step of supporting your digestive system, you can further troubleshoot bloat by taking note of when it happens. Do you experience bloating as an every-now-and-then thing, or a daily occurrence? Do you reliably bloat after eating a certain food or food group, or are your episodes seemingly random? Noticing patterns can go a long way toward figuring out a root cause.

Pay close attention to these common bloating triggers: 

1.  Not breaking down food efficiently. A lack of adequate digestive enzymes or stomach acid can make bloating common, as your body struggles to digest food that hasn’t been fully broken down. You might regularly see undigested food in your stool, or notice that your food feels like a rock in your stomach after eating.
2. Constipation. Bloating can happen when food builds up in the digestive tract. Supporting gut health and eliminating regularly prevents this type of bloating.
3. Not chewing well or eating too quickly. In a rush? Gulping down food not only makes it more likely that you’ll swallow excess air, it’s a missed opportunity to break down food more fully with your teeth and salivary enzymes, easing the workload on the rest of your digestive system.
4. Sugar substitutes. For some people, both natural and artificial sugar substitutes like sucralose, xylitol, sorbitol, aspartame, and saccharin cause bloating, as they are not easily digested.
5. Imbalanced gut flora. If you’re experiencing gut dysbiosis (an increase in unwanted gut flora and a lack of beneficial flora), you might have trouble breaking down certain foods, or find that your gut is reactive to specific ingredients. An overall gut health tune-up is warranted.
6. Hormones. Fluctuating hormones can cause water retention that creates abdominal fullness. This water retention often feels like bloating.
7. Sensitivity to FODMAPs. For some people, a certain type of carbs called FODMAPs found in wheat, beans, dairy, and some vegetables (like broccoli, garlic and onions) and fruits (like apples and cherries) can cause bloating. Limiting FODMAPs has been shown to reduce bloating in those with IBS.
8. Lack of bile. Bloating is a common result of inadequate bile flow— often meaning that your liver needs extra support. 

 PREVENT BLOATING BEFORE IT STARTS

 Bottom line: a well-functioning gut helps prevent bloating before it begins to stretch your waistband— by maintaining a healthy balance of bacteria, producing adequate digestive acids, enzymes and bile, and ensuring regular elimination. While it might be a quick fix to skip sugar substitutes or chew food more completely to cut down on bloating, a healthy gut benefits you head to toe. Supporting a well-functioning gut with Broc Shot, the most effective sulforaphane source, helps prevent and address many of the common root causes of bloating all at once.