Easy Ways to Live Well: Steph McGovern discusses bloating

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Stomach bloating is primarily the result of wind clogging up the digestive system. The causes of trapped wind can be numerous but diet is usually the main culprit. Measures aimed at expelling wind should therefore (in theory) receive bloating.

Exercise is regarded as one of the most effective means of expelling wind.

According to research published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology, mild exercise “enhances intestinal clearance and prevents retention of intestinal gas loads in healthy subjects”.

Researchers aimed to evaluate the beneficial effects of physical activity in patients with abdominal bloating.

Researchers monitored eight patients complaining of bloating, seven with irritable bowel syndrome – a digestive complaint that has bloating as a main symptom – and one with functional bloating.

For the mild exercise, researchers opted for intermittent pedalling (five minute with three-minute rest intervals.

The control group just rested to evaluate the impact of the mild exercise.

During rest, a significant proportion of the gas infused was retained in the gut.

However, retention was significantly lower during exercise, the researchers found.

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“Mild physical activity enhances intestinal gas clearance and reduces symptoms in patients complaining of abdominal bloating,” the researchers concluded.

Other key tips to alleviate bloating

A handy self-tip for alleviating bloating is to keep a food diary.

As the NHS explains, noting everything that you eat and drink and when bloating troubles you most can help you to identify the word offenders.

It may reveal whether you have a food intolerance, for example.

A food intolerance is difficulty digesting certain foods and having an unpleasant physical reaction to them.

According to the NHS, a food intolerance can lead to bloating when:

Your bowel does not empty properly

• The food causes gas to be trapped
• Too much gas is produced as a reaction to the food.

“The most common foods to cause problems are wheat or gluten and dairy products,” says the health body.

It adds: “The best approach if you have a food intolerance is to eat less of the problem food or cut it out completely.”

Sometimes treating belly bloat requires a multifaceted approach.

“It’s often a case of using traditional approaches in combination with the newer approach of thinking of bloating as a sensory issue,” explained Dr Kyle Staller, a gastroenterologist at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.

According to Harvard Health, your doctor or a gastroenterologist can help you resolve belly bloat.

“It may require some trial and error,” notes the health body.

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