Bloating in IBD
Is bloating common in IBD?
Occasional bloating is actually pretty normal particularly after a big meal or after eating a meal containing lots of fibre.
If you experience lots of bloating constantly or bloating that comes and goes during the day, you are not alone, bloating is a very common problem for those of us living with Crohns and Colitis, and in IBS.
What causes bloating in Crohns Disease and Ulcerative Colitis?
There are lots of different reasons why we might experience bloating and the cause, or causes, will be different for each of us.
Its important to remember that it can be just as much about our lifestyle and HOW we are eating, as well as WHAT we are eating. We are often quick to jump to food as the culprit for bloating but its important to look at other factors before removing important food groups as a first line approach to tackling bloating.
How to reduce bloating
Unfortunately, there is no magic superfood or supplement that will fix it but here are some easy initial steps you can try to help reduce your bloating and some tips for when it strikes:
Focus on chewing – aim for 20 chews per mouthful.
Destress around meals and remove distractions – try to eat when you are relaxed and calm rather than stressed – take a few deep breaths before your meals, remove any distractions like laptops or phones, and focus fully on your meal.
Smaller more regular meals – splitting your meals into smaller portions and eating more regularly during the day may help.
Check your caffeine and fizzy drink intake – reducing these may help as they are a common trigger for many.
Move regularly – regular movement and exercise can help improve the movement of food through our intestine. Even short walks or getting up regularly from our desks at lunch may help.
Reduce tight clothing -Tight and restrictive clothing around our tummy’s may restrict blood flow and the movement of our digestive tract and those of us with tummy issues may be more sensitive in that area so try more lose fitting clothing.
Fruit portions – space fruit intake out during the day (up to 3 portions) - stick to just one type at a time and no more than an 80g portion.
When bloating strikes:
Movement – gentle movement, stretching and gentle abdominal massage from right to left may help to release trapped wind and reduce bloating. Taking a short walk after eating in order to move digested food and gas around can be helpful even though its temping to sit on the sofa!
Hot water bottle – if you experience pain and bloating applying a hot water bottle to our tummy may help relieve some discomfort when bloating strikes.
Peppermint – we know from research that peppermint oil can help with IBS but peppermint tea may also be helpful so perhaps try brewing up a cup when you’re feeling bloated and see if this helps you.
If none of this works, there may be other triggers and factors at play, like food. Consider seeing a nutritionist who can help guide you as to what further avenues to explore and to help you get to the root cause of your bloating so you can move forward and feel better.
If you need help with your bloating, I can help you. How do you know if this is right for you? Lets chat and find out. We can have a (free) 20 minute no obligation phone call. I’d love to hear about you; your journey, your struggles, your life, and we can chat about the best route forward for you. If that sounds interesting click here so you can find a time that works for you for us to chat.
NB: I see all clients via video call so it doesn’t matter where you live - I work with clients in the UK and internationally.