bloating 101

“I have gas up to my shoulders!” My great grandma would always say…somewhat jokingly but I’ll be honest with you, I can 100% relate to this. I’ve had the feeling of gas up to my shoulders + it’s AWFUL!

What is bloating?

Most people describe bloating as feeling full, tight, or swollen in the abdomen. 

Your abdomen may also be swollen (distended), hard, and painful. Bloating is often accompanied by: pain. excessive gas. Bloating is one of the most common GI complaints - especially in women! 

Did you know bloating is COMMON, but not NORMAL?  *yes it can be normal for your stomach to feel full or less flat than when you wake up in the morning, BUT if you can’t button up your jeans, it feels like a balloon in your stomach, or your stomach just hurts… these are signs that something is not right! For years my classic line after I ate was either “I’m bloated” or “my stomach hurts.” Now when I feel this way (albeit rarely) after a meal… I feel sad that I used to feel this way DAILY - for so so long! 

Before we go further don’t hate the bloat just yet ;) be grateful your body is communicating with you + asking for help! 

The honest truth about bloating…..

It’s complicated!!! 

The list of reasons you could be experiencing bloating is exhausting….but here are a few:

  • Imbalance of gut bacteria

  • Irregular BM’s

  • Not chewing your food enough

  • Lack of digestive enzymes 

  • Low stomach acid

  • Food intolerances/sensitivities

  • Food poisoning

If you regularly feel bloated and have been feeling so for a long period of time, this could mean that you have poor digestion or a food intolerance. This can manifest itself in three ways: 

1- too much gas may be produced in reaction to a food. 

2- as a result of food intolerance, your bowel may not empty properly 

3- the food may cause the gas to be trapped. 



These common causes may give you some insight into what is causing you so much pain. One thing you can do TODAY is to take 3 deep breaths before each meal. This will help you get into ‘rest and digest’ mode to support better digestion!



Have you ever felt like certain foods you eat make you feel bloated?

Here are some foods that can cause bloating.

Gum - along with the sugar alcohols, air is also swallowed when you chew gum

Carbonated drinks - the bubbles….may cause trapped gas

Cruciferous veggies - contains a sugar that is hard to digest and can ferment in the gut leading to bloating

Beans - they contain anti nutrients that make them hard to digest. Learn how to properly prepare grains + legumes in the GGM. It IS possible to eat these foods without gas and bloating!

Sugar alcohols- indigestible sugars often found in gum and sugar free foods. Once they reach the large intestine, sugar alcohols are fermented by gut bacteria and can lead to gas + bloating

Commercial dairy products - the manufacturing processes can kill enzymes that are needed for proper digestion

Another one to be aware of it RAW veggies, as they can be very hard to digest. If your digestion isn’t up to par then you body may not tolerate them well. In the Good Gut Method we follow steps to help bring your digestion back up to par so you can eat more foods without having to worry about bloating!


An Elimination diet can be a helpful tool to pinpoint which foods are leading to your bloating. Join the GGM to discover if you simply need to optimize your digestion to beat the boat, or if it is in fact a food sensitivity that is the culprit of your bloating!





3 Tricks for bloating

1- Go for a short walk after your meal. When you are bloated…there is excess gas in your body. It has to go somewhere…..walking will help release that gas causing you pain, help manage stress and help support your digestion!

2- Avoid snacking and grazing all day - this prevents our body from sweeping out food and bacteria from your small intestine. When we are snacking or grazing all day it can increase fermentation and gas buildup throughout the day.

3 - Not just about what you do and eat but also how you think!! You can be doing all the “things” but if you aren’t giving yourself grace and addressing the emotional aspect of your health and bloating you are going to have a really hard time kicking it! You can heal a body you hate!



Is there any hope for my bloating?

There was a time I felt like there wasn’t…and maybe you are feeling that way too. But I’m happy to say….you can have that bloat free happily ever after you dream of!

My clients have gone from 

  • feeling like they are 6 months pregnant from bloating

  • Not being able to wear some of their fav outfits because dang bloating was stomping on their confidence

  • Nervous their bloating would turn into them running to the bathroom

TO

Enjoying food again without the fear it will make them bloat

  • Forgetting what it’s like to feel bloated daily

  • Not having to unbutton their pants after a meal


It’s time to ditch the skinny teas, bloat pills, juice cleanses… all the temporary fixes you have tried! Let’s get to the root cause to beat the bloat for GOOD!


**this is for informational purposes not medical advice. If you are concerned about your bloating you should get checked out by your general practitioner to rule out any serious illnesses.

How Can I Help?

If you are ready to no longer let bloating dictate your plans, let’s chat about a proven method to beat the bloat. Book a 15-minute discovery call to see if The Good Gut Method is the right fit for you. I help women with digestive issues increase their energy + say buh-bye to IBS symptoms + food fear.

Download my free guide to discover the source of your symptoms

Enroll in The Good Gut Method - a self guided online program to help you understand your food sensitivities are not a life sentence. Let’s work together so you can eat the foods you love again!

erin lamb