Many men and woman suffer from bloating and indigestion, and assume that it’s just normal, “seemingly benign” and accept it as a part of their lives. But health experts warns that this is not the case–it may be a sign of digestive imbalance, food intolerances, hormonal factors or constipation.
“Bloating is NOT normal and can, of times, be a sign of digestive imbalances, food intolerances or maybe related to where you are in your menstrual cycle, or even be related to overall constipation,” nurse practitioner Cynthia Thurlow tells us.
Here’s why your bloating may be persisting, according to Thurlow.
Food Sensitivities
“If you have an imbalanced microbiome (gut), it can contribute to an overgrowth of non-beneficial bacteria that can make you prone to bloating; as well as underlying food sensitivities, to things like gluten, dairy, grains or even certain types of carbohydrates,” Thurlow, who is the author of the upcoming book “Intermittent Fasting Transformation” explains.
Menstrual Cycle
Thurlow explains that it is not uncommon for women to experience symptoms of bloating related to their menstrual cycle and hormones.
"During our luteal phase, when progesterone predominates, this hormone acts a a natural diuretic, but as we get closer to menstruation, and progesterone levels start to drop off, it is not at all uncommon to get bloated." Declines in bile production due to low estrogen levels during this cycle can lead to constipation and other gastrointestinal symptoms (bloating).
Constipation
"Lastly, bloating can be related to lazy bowel and constipation," Thurlow explains. "If we are eating a highly processed diet with little fiber, are sedentary or don't consume adequate hydration, it can all exacerbate or even contribute to constipation woes."
