Many people feel bloated after eating. It’s often thought to be the most common complaint when it comes specifically to eating effects. It’s one of the most dreaded after-effects of eating. For most people, it’s simply because it causes you to have to undo a button or two after eating and makes you look and/or feel like you’ve gained 10lbs. For others, however, it’s about discomfort. Bloating can cause serious short or long-term discomfort and it is a symptom that should be taken seriously.
What does it mean?
If you find that you are bloated after eating to the point of being seriously uncomfortable, or even leading you to avoid eating large meals, it’s important to understand what is causing the bloating in the first place. There are quite a few reasons that you could be experiencing bloating. The top ones include:
• Food intolerance or food allergy: If you have a food intolerance or food allergy — assumed to be undiagnosed — bloating is a common side effect. The more you eat of it, the more you will deal with bloating. Testing for both is important in figuring out if this is the cause.
• You’re eating a “problem food”: The reality is that there are certain foods that cause bloating more than others. Popular bloat-rich foods include foods rich in carbohydrates, lactose, and fibre. It could be helpful to consume less of these foods to help with bloating.
• You’re dealing with an inflamed stomach: If you have an ulcer or another stomach issue, the lining of your stomach can become inflamed. This will lead to bloating which is often accompanied by other stomach issues.
• You have an intestinal blockage: Sometimes the road to your digestive tract gets blocked for one reason or another. This leads food to become backed up and it can cause bloating along with flatulence and other uncomfortable symptoms that may or may not pass when you use the bathroom.
What to do if you are bloated after eating
If you aren’t sure which one is the right match for you, or you want to rule out any potential ones to help you narrow down the list a bit more, it’s a great idea to look at food intolerance as well as food allergy testing. This will help you know one way or the other that you are dealing with one of these issues. Even if the results turn up nothing, having those two options off the list will be helpful for you to get the right diagnosis and treatment for you, whatever it may turn out to be.
If you are ready to find your way free from the world of bloating, take it upon yourself to take a look at the major causes and do what you need to do to figure out what is causing the uncomfortable and painful bloat in your stomach. You don’t need to suffer through it, you just need to know what to do about it.
