How to Prevent Bloating
If you suffer from painful gas or bloating, you might be able to alleviate your symptoms by taking probiotic supplements. One common cause of this ailment is having an overgrowth of harmful bacteria in your digestive tract. Probiotics add beneficial bacteria to your digestive tract, which work in harmony with your body, rather than against it.
More than 30 percent of people report experiencing bloating regularly, 10-15% have Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and at least 40% of people worldwide experience some form of FGID or Functional Gastrointestinal Disorder.
While developing small amounts of gas is quite normal, and everyone experiences it, gas and gas pain can be worse and more persistent for people suffering from GI disorders. It’s the same with bloating: for some people, it’s mild and merely a nuisance, but for others, it is painful and interferes with daily life. While scientists know what causes gas, there is no conclusion about what truly causes bloating and no pharmaceutical cure. Frequent and ongoing gas and bloat is often a sign that something is out of balance with your gut health.
Recent research has pointed more and more to imbalances in the gut microbiome as the culprit of many gastrointestinal issues.
The balance between healthy bacteria and harmful bacteria in your digestive tract is all-important. When the microbiome is balanced and the number of beneficial bacteria outweighs the number of bad bacteria, the digestive system will function properly.
But when there are too many pathogens and unwanted microorganisms in the gut, gas and bloating may be among the first warning signs. Depression, weight gain, and IBS, among other things, have also been linked to changes in the gut flora. And due to years of processed food, heavy antibiotic use, and stressful lifestyles, many—if not most of us—need help repairing our gut!
One important thing to note: researchers have identified that bloating (the feeling of swelling in your abdomen) is not the same thing as distention (actual expansion of the abdomen). We’ll use bloating and distention interchangeably because even most physicians do the same, and they’ll understand if you describe distention as bloating.