Gas and bloating are the two most common things I hear when talking to folks about their digestive issues. By “most common”, I mean, almost everyone. And the two usually go hand-in-hand, although not always.

I know you know people with these complaints. You are going to want to send them a link to this article. Do it now…I’ll wait… :)

Ok, welcome back! Let’s get to it!

There are only two sources of gas and bloating: 1. Air that is ingested and 2. Gas that is produced through the fermentation of food by gut microbes. 

When you swallow air, it has to come out. Air is not supposed to be in your digestive tract, but some does get in there through every day things like eating and talking, even while exercising. That’s normal and happens to everyone. No biggie.

We’ll get back to this in a minute.

The second source of gas and bloating is when certain foods are fermented by your gut microbes which then produce gas. This is part of the digestion process, but it can get a little messy for some people. Again, this trapped gas has to come out. Oftentimes, this gas is smelly. 

So that is where gas and bloating come from. But what is actually causing it to happen in the first place?

This is where you need a detective! There are four possible root causes of gas and bloating. We’ll start with the simplest, and most likely, one first: 

ROOT CAUSE #1: Swallowed Air

There are SO many everyday things that can cause us to swallow air! As I said, it’s common to swallow some air, but when it’s causing a trend of gas and bloating or making you miserable, it’s an issue that should be addressed. 

Here are a few instances when we can swallow air: sipping through a straw, drinking carbonated beverages, chewing gum, sucking on hard candies or cough drops, eating fast, smoking, vigorous exercise, mouth breathing, loose dentures, reflux, hiccups, and forced air from CPAP machines or sleep apnea. 

The quick fix for most of these is to stop doing them altogether! So eliminate the culprits (as much as possible and is reasonable) and see if things improve. 

If you think your CPAP machine or dentures may be causing the issue, talk to your practitioner. Both the CPAP machine and dentures need to be properly fitted, but commonly are not.

ROOT CAUSE #2: Slow Bowel Motility (Constipation)

Generally, it should take no more than about 24 hours for food to make its way from your mouth to the toilet, ideally, closer to 8-12. But for many people, that is not the case. 

And when it hangs around longer than it should, gas and bloating often occur.

Constipation is a really big problem. But for now, let’s just look at it in the context of gas and bloating.

Constipation can occur even if you poop every day! You can have diarrhea and still be constipated. And that, my friend, is just plain miserable! 

The first thing to do if you think you’re constipated is to get things moving. Drinking more water, gentle exercise, and slowly increasing dietary fiber can be very effective. 

Magnesium citrate and prebiotic fiber supplements may also be effective, but I recommend working with a practitioner to get the correct dosage and type of supplement.

If your constipation is more substantial or if you are chronically constipated, you may need to dig a little deeper. There’s a reason for chronic constipation, we just have to find it!

ROOT CAUSE #3: Damaged Gut Microbiome

This is where the investigation into your gut gets really fun! There are so many directions this can take you! 

First things first, rule out medical conditions.

There are many medical conditions associated with dysbiosis or damage to the gut microbiome including:

• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

• Celiac Disease

• Crohn’s

• Ulcerative colitis

• Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI)

• Gallbladder dysfunction

• Acid reflux/GERD

• Gastritis

• Bile acid malabsorption

• Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)

And they can all cause gas and bloating. 

So, if you rule out possible Root Causes #1 and #2, it’s time to look at the possibility that there is a medical condition going on. These conditions can be or become quite serious. A qualified practitioner will be able to guide you through this part and make appropriate referrals as needed.

(By the way, I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice.)

The fix for healing gut dysbiosis depends on the medical condition and severity. Unfortunately, there is no quick fix.

If your doc can’t find a medical condition (great!), keep digging!

ROOT CAUSE #4: Excessive Fermentable Carbohydrates (FODMAPS)

FODMAP stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides Disaccharides Monosaccharides and Polyols. Basically, it’s the fermentable parts of our food that our gut microbes have the potential to turn into gas.

Many of these are found in very healthy foods, so hold up…

Before you stop eating ALL carbohydrates and resort to fearing them for the rest of your life, please understand that carbs are not evil. But right now, because of some damage to your gut, certain carbs may be causing your gas and bloating or making it worse. 

This does not mean that you have to eliminate these foods forever. However, eliminating them for two weeks can help determine if this is part of the root cause of your gas and bloating. I recommend working with a nutritionist who has specialized training in FODMAP elimination diets to help you do this in a healthy way and then add them back in, strategically (hi, that’s me!).

Ok, so now you have an idea of what may be causing your gas and bloating. It may sound complicated, but it’s rather straightforward. We peel back one layer of the onion at a time. 

I would never want you to try to figure all this out on your own. I’ve been there, done that. And it cost me over $43,000. Don’t do that.

Instead, take the first step and schedule a consultation with a nutritionist to help you create a plan of attack. (I happen to know a very good nutritionist who specializes in gut dysbiosis, wink wink 😉😉😉. Ok, it’s me, I’m that nutritionist! And I would love to help you!)

You do not need to live with painful, annoying, and embarrassing gas and bloating! And you don’t have to pop chalky pills for the rest of your life! Click the button below to schedule a time to chat and let’s get to the bottom of your gas and bloating!