One out of four of us has some type of digestive problem, and right up there among the top is bloating!

Although it tends to affect women more often, bloating is a very common condition that causes misery for millions of people.

Occasional bloating is one thing...but many people have it a LOT, as in several days a week or even every day.  This is chronic bloating and is nothing to take lightly.

Bloating isn’t a “condition” in and of itself—it’s a symptom that could have many causes including Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, celiac disease, food allergies, and sensitivities or diverticulitis.

But in the absence of a disease process, bloating has several possible sneaky causes…and when you tackle what might be behind YOUR bloating, your stomach can deflate faster than a popped balloon.

Here are some possibilities and ways you can get fast relief:

The #1 answer--probiotics

Poor digestion of starches and fiber is one of the most common causes of bloating. 

Your friendly intestinal flora helps to break down starches and fibers, but if your beneficial inhabitants are low in number or overpowered by harmful bacteria, you are lacking in their digestive help and may be seriously bloated as a result.

Full-spectrum probiotics like Super Shield are a must to help create and maintain a healthy flora balance and ease bloating.  Also, delicious fermented foods like yogurt, buttermilk, sauerkraut, pickles, kimchee, and kefir help further support these intestinal good guys.

Limit the beer, sparkling wine, and soda

Bubbles that go in must come out, usually in the form of flatulence, but sometimes the bubbles stop and visit in your intestinal tract for a while…

And blow you up like a pan of Jiffy Pop popcorn.

Beer is especially bloat-inducing because of the yeast it contains, which can counteract your friendly gut flora.

Apple cider vinegar

The pectin in apple cider vinegar can help to soothe intestinal spasms and bloating.  Search out raw unfiltered varieties that contain “the mother” like Bragg’s.  One tablespoon in a glass of water is all it takes. 

Stay away from sucralose (Splenda®)

Studies have shown that the artificial sweetener sucralose (known by its popular brand name Splenda®) raises the pH level in your intestines (thereby throwing off proper digestion) and can destroy up to 50 percent of your beneficial gut flora—both of which can lead to bloating.

It may be difficult to kick the artificial sweetener habit, but it can be done!  Concentrate on wholesome real foods because when your body is properly nourished, it doesn’t need to trigger sweet cravings to give you energy. 

Plus if you’re using artificial sweeteners to lose weight, you’re cutting your own throat.  All artificial sweeteners do is tease your brain into thinking calories are coming and when they don’t, your brain starts to demand them.

This makes it far more likely that you will binge, snack and overeat—the perfect recipe for weight GAIN, not loss.     

Take a look at your BMs

If you only “go” every few days, or your BMs are rabbit turds, or you nearly broke the toilet seat pulling on it as you were grunting, trust me, you’re constipated.

And the foods that are sitting there fermenting and putrefying in your intestines when you’re constipated can stir up lots of gas and bloating.

Super Shield multi-strain probiotic formula can help here too.  One of Super Shield’s 13 probiotic strains--Bifidobacterium lactis--has been shown in studies to be VERY effective in easing constipation.

Also be sure to work in some vegetables other than corn and potatoes, eat a tossed salad with dinner every day and strive to drink eight 8oz. glasses of water a day. 

Digestive enzymes

Digestive enzymes are in your saliva, your stomach and the upper part of your small intestine (with contributions from the pancreas, gallbladder and liver) and each of them serves a very important role in completing the digestive process.

So when you’re running low in enzymes at any point along the GI tract, it can impact your digestion and bloat you.  

This can happen for a variety of reasons—eating lots of highly processed foods, having gallbladder surgery, using acid reducers or even Mother Nature because as we age, our ability to produce adequate enzymes diminishes over time.

Many people have reported fantastic relief from bloating just by giving their bodies some enzyme support with a digestive enzyme supplement like Digestizol Max.  Supplementation can help pinch-hit where your body may be lagging in enzyme production and make a world of difference in your beach ball belly.

See what may be causing your bloating and put an end to it now!

To your health,

Sherry Brescia