Bloating, indigestion, gas, heart burn, stomach pains, headaches. These are common symptoms that we all experience at some point, but sometimes they occur so often that we start to feel like they’re normal. “I’m always bloated after dinner” or “I go through Tums like crazy” are regular phrases. Yet, while common, they are definitely not normal. They are a sign of digestive distress.
Eating should not be causing you to feel pain or discomfort. I spent years as a vegetarian thinking that bloating was a normal side effect of my diet, which included lots of beans. Eat beans -> get bloated was just what happens, I believed (of course, this was before I was a nutritionist!). It wasn’t until I started learning about digestion and nutrition that I awakened to the fact that bodily discomfort is never a normal side effect of eating.
Your body is communicating through what and how you feel, and every feeling is a reaction to something. It can be difficult to figure out what is being communicated, but when you become aware of your diet and symptoms, you will begin to make connections between what you eat and what you feel, and then you can take action.
(Of course, checking with your doctor is important to rule out any serious issues. If you have already done that and everything “looks fine”, then read on!)
What are your symptoms?
The first step to making connections between your diet and symptoms is to figure out the ‘what’ and ‘when’. To get to the bottom of things quickly write these answers in a notebook every day because YOU WILL FORGET! (Even though I still tell myself “I won’t forget this time”, I always do!)
What are you feeling? (Bloating, gas, heart burn, tiredness, stomach pains, changing bowel movements, etc.)
When do you feel it? (Right after eating, an hour later, a few hours later, or the next day when your bowel movements are different)
What did you eat that day? (Include ALL food and drinks, even tiny snacks)
How are you feeling, emotionally? (Are you stressed, hurried, calm, happy, sad, angry, etc. Emotions can have a huge impact on digestion.)
Causes of common symptoms
Feeling uncomfortable symptoms after eating, means something is not working correctly. Because every person is so different, it is impossible to give a general response to ‘what do the symptoms mean’, but here are a few possibilities to begin exploring.
Not enough stomach acid
Stomach acid is necessary for digestion and if there is too little, food can’t be broken down effectively. If this is the case, you might have heartburn or a feeling of heaviness in your stomach right after you eat and possibly for a while after. Low stomach acid can also cause fatigue (because proteins and Vitamin B12 are not being digested well, constipation, or bloating.
Gut hyper-permeability
The the intestines are lined with cells that are tightly held together (tight junctions), allowing only specific particles to get through. When this wall is weakened, tiny food particles, bacteria, and toxins to enter the bloodstream. This causes a wide range of symptoms, but most common are bloating, fatigue, food sensitivities, skin issues, brain fog, inflammation, joint pain, and even anxiety.
Too much or too little fiber
Fiber is important for ‘cleaning out’ our digestive tract and maintaining regular bowel movements. Soluble fiber in oats, beans, apples, citrus fruits (and more) turns to a watery gel and hydrates our stool. Insoluble fiber does not break down as much which adds ‘bulk’ to stool to push it through the digestive tract more effectively. Insoluble fiber is found in beans, many vegetables, and grains.
Not getting enough fiber from whole food sources will cause digestion to become sluggish, causing bloating, gas, and constipation. On the other hand, too much fiber is difficult to digest, especially without enough water, and can cause the same symptoms. I know the guidance of “eat more, but not too much fiber” can be difficult to decipher, so some experimentation is necessary. Track your food for 2-3 days of your typical meals and see how much fiber you’re eating – a general good range is 25grams per day. (I can also help with this!)
Stress
Stress influences our body in SO many ways and prolonged stress can alter how our body functions. It is a major reason for digestive issues because it causes intestinal movement (peristalsis) to change – it either becomes tense and slow causing bloating, gas, and constipation, or overly fast causing loose stools and lack of nutrient absorption. Stress can also cause overeating, which overloads your digestive system and causes the same symptoms.
If you suspect stress, then relax (literally!). Try meditation, tai chi, qigong, walking in nature, journaling, talking to a trusted source or even allowing yourself to relax on the couch with a book.
Even if you don’t suspect stress – relax! Try one of the activities above to calm your mind and body. Many people have Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or other digestive issues with no known cause, but there is a strong correlation with GI issues and anxiety and stress (even if it’s unexplored stress).
A note – stress can be obvious, such as financial strain or trouble with a family member, or it can be less obvious. Unprocessed emotions are held in our body, so if you have a history of pushing away emotions or not facing issues, then those unreleased feelings are being held in your body. Many types of emotions are stored in the intestines, especially fear, anger, frustration, and grief, and those unprocessed emotions are not benign.
Not enough water
Bristol Stool Chart
Hydration is crucial for all aspect of health, including digestion. Dehydration can cause digestion to become sluggish and cause stool to become hard. Check the Bristol Stool Chart – if you are at #1-2 then dehydration can be the answer.
Also, if you already eat a lot of fiber or are increasing fiber in your diet, you have to drink enough water. Fiber pulls water into the intestines to hydrate and ‘clean out’ the digestive tract, but without proper hydration the fiber will just add more weight to an already dry stool.
The general rule of thumb is to drink half your body weight in ounces. So, if you weigh 140 pounds, aim for 70 ounces of liquids per day.
Intolerance or sensitivity to a food
Food intolerances or sensitivities can first show up as a change in digestive habits even if there is no pain. The way to figure out a sensitivity to is recognize the patterns between what you eat and how your body reacts. Even if you don’t think you have sensitivities, a food journal will show you if there are any patterns to what you are experiencing. It is worthwhile to write down (not just keeping it in your head!) every thing you eat or drink for at least 5 days, including any symptoms you are experiencing within 30-60 minutes after eating and daily bowel movements (see Bristol Stool chart).
Ways to help your digestive system
Cook your vegetables
The process of cooking actually begins the digestive process for us and makes it easier to digest food. Digestive symptoms are a sign that the digestive tract is struggling in some way, so cooking food makes it much easier for our body to do its job. Raw vegetables are hard to digest and even though cooking does destroy enzymes and some nutrients, it also make the nutrients more available. If you eat a lot of raw food, try cooking some vegetables to see how you feel.
Eat with the seasons
Your body has some different requirements during each time of the year, and eating with the seasons helps your body adjust to seasonal changes. For example, cold smoothies in the winter are not a great idea. The cold drink will slow your digestive strength (and make you feel colder all day), which will reduce the amount of nutrients you digest and cause bloating. Likewise, warm stews in the summer make us feel heavy, lethargic, over heated, and bloated. Eating with the season means understanding what your body needs at that time the year, not what you ‘always’ do and not what someone says you ‘should’ always do.
In the winter, do you want to remove your comfy sweater and stand outside in the cold? Neither does your digestive tract. In the winter, you body needs warming foods.
In the summer, do you want a hot beef stew with squash and potatoes when it is 80 degrees outside? That doesn’t sound too appealing! In the summer, cooling salads and lighter foods keep our body acclimated to our environment.
(Learn more about this concept in Dr. Douillard’s book The 3-Season Diet.)
Eat calmly
Eating while stressed, active, or on-the-go can cause digestive problems. Even eating while watching the news or a dramatic show is a stressor that can decrease digestion. When you are ready to eat, take 10-15 minutes to sit and slowly eat your food. Chew thoroughly to start the digestive process and make it easier for your food to be broken down and absorbed. When you’re done eating, sit for 5 minutes instead of immediately getting up and active again.
Move your body
Sedentary days can lead to digestive problems. Walking or twisting movements (such as pilates or yoga) can make a big difference in helping tone and move your intestines, which helps with peristalsis.
Now you have a good idea to start figuring out your digestive issues. For extra support, there are certain supplements that can be helpful to bring your digestive system back into balance – view my top recommendations here.
If the above recommendations don’t help there could be something more complex going on, such as Candida overgrowth, SIBO, mental health concerns, untoned vagus nerve, liver congestion, stagnant bile, or more (the digestive system is complex!). Feel free to reach out to get expert help so you can get to the bottom of your digestive issues sooner – schedule a free 25 minute mini-session.
