The most common cause of temporary bloating is gas in the abdomen. About half of gas in the digestive system is swallowed air. The rest is produced by bacteria in the gut that help digest food. If the gastrointestinal tract does not move it through efficiently, gas builds up in the intestines, causing bloating and discomfort.

Avoid Bloat-Inducing Foods

Difficult-to-digest foods can cause gassiness and bloating. These are some familiar culprits.

  1. Beans and lentils contain indigestible sugars that must be broken down by bacteria in the intestines.
  2. Fruits and vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, prunes, apricots. These contain sugars and starches that may cause gassiness and bloating.
  3. Sweeteners can also cause gas and bloating. Sorbitol, an artificial sweetener, can’t be digested. Fructose, a natural sugar added to many processed foods, is difficult for many people to digest.
  4. Dairy products can be a source of intestinal distress and bloating if you have trouble digesting lactose, or milk sugar.
  5. Whole grains, recommended for their many health benefits, can sometimes cause bloating and gas problems. Overgrowth syndrome is a term that describes clinical manifestations that occur when the normally low number of bacteria (fungus or even parasite) inhabit the stomach, duodenum, jejunum, and proximal ileum significantly increases or becomes overtaken by other pathogens.

Identifiy Microbial Overgrowth (Bacterium/Fungi/Parasites)

The upper intestinal tract was once thought to be a sterile environment; however, low concentrations of various bacteria are now widely accepted to live within or attached to its luminal surface. These bacteria are thought to be present from the time of birth and through adulthood, living in symbiosis with the human host. This relationship is thought to be vital for normal digestive processes, immunity, and intestinal development. Bacterial species usually present include lactobacilli, enterococci, oral streptococci, and other gram-positive aerobic or facultative anaerobes.

Various etiological processes including the above-mentioned bloat-inducing foods, along with antibiotics and certain primary intestinal diseases can disrupt mechanisms that keep the number of these bacteria low.

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