Professional Health Blog

Feeling bloated? Bloating in women is very common… like you didn’t know that! But did you know that some of the simplest culprits are things that we never think will bloat us!

To avoid the “bloated” syndrome avoid these few things…

1) Raw foods that tend to be more bulkier than their cooked counterparts. Instead of a cup of raw carrots try a cup of cooked it takes up less room inside.

2) Watch out for the salt shaker… I think this one we all know. Water is attracted to salt, and women especially tend to hold excess water after eating salty foods.

3) Watch out for excess carbs. When our body stores carbs it stores them in a type called glycogen - but each gram of glycogen takes about 3 grams of water. So, excess carbs mean your body is storing more water.

4) Watch out for those gassy foods… this should be a no brainer… gassy foods will definitely cause bloating. Some of the more common culprits are broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, onions, peppers, citrus, legumes, and cauliflower.

5) Watch out for sugar substitutes… these are often found in sugar free cookies or snacks and even energy bars. Sugar alcohols cause gas, bloating, and sometimes even diarrhea…( Ahhh… that reminds me of a story… a dear friend of mine had gotten a box of sugar free candy for Christmas, and it was so good she at the whole box. I think you can probably end the story for me!)

6) Watch out for chewing gum… yes, it’s true chewing gum can cause bloating. As you chew you swallow air, and of course when you swallow it goes into your digestive tract.

7) Watch out for spicy foods…spicy foods can irritate the stomach and cause bloating.

8) Watch out for fried foods… fried fatty foods are digested more slowly and cause you to feel bloated.

9) Air travel… wow… this is getting ridiculous. Is there anything that doesn’t cause bloating? No really, the average plane’s air pressure is kept between 5,000 and 8,000 feet above sea level (to provide a comforable atmosphere for the passengers). At this pressure the available air within body cavities begins to expand by about 25%. Then as the pressure in the cabin drops the air in your intestines expands again causing… bloating.

10) Watch out for a lack of sleep… make sure that you get at least 7 hours of sleep a night. Enough sleep allows for your digestive tract to function properly.

Jamie Gaddy, Ed.D. has been an educator for over 15 years educating both children and teachers. Currently an Educational Consultant and contributor to time4learning.net/blogs/homeschool_online/ and onlineeducationforkids.com/, she homeschools her six children and enjoys incorporating technology into their daily learning.