5 Reasons You Bloat More After Age 45
Bloating is generally the result of not being
able to properly digest foods. These
not-so-digested foods feel like they're just sitting around causing discomfort
and a general feeling of being stuffed and “gassy”.
It can happen at any age but if it seems to be
more frequent as you're getting older it can very well be because of your
stomach's reduced ability to produce enough acid for proper digestion.
Normally, when we eat cells in our stomach
release more acid which is important for so many digestive processes like
breaking down foods and activating enzymes.
As we age this process can become less efficient and the result can feel
like it's wreaking havoc on the rest of the digestive system.
Unfortunately, this can have wide-ranging
effects on all of our digestion abilities “downstream” and that can result in
bloating.
Bloating Reason #1:
Sometimes our bodies are (or become more as we
age) sensitive to the fiber in certain fruits or veggies. This can also occur when we introduce new
ones into our diet as it may take a while for our body to get used to them.
Pro Tip:
Try chewing your vegetables more thoroughly, or lightly cooking or
steaming raw ones. If a fruit or veggie
seems to be consistently related to bloating try eliminating it for a few weeks
and monitor your symptoms.
Bloating Reason #2:
Decreased stomach acid can reduce the activation
of a key protein-digesting enzyme “pepsin”.
This means that the proteins you eat aren't broken down as much and they
can pass through your system somewhat “undigested”.
Pro Tip:
You may consider reducing the amount of animal-based foods you eat and
see if that helps you out.
Bloating Reason #3:
One thing that can seriously cause bloating is
when your digestive system slows down.
Then things seem to be a bit stagnant, just hanging around in there a
bit (a lot?) longer than you'd like.
Ginger has been found to help with digestion and
reduce nausea for certain people. And
peppermint is thought to help your digestive muscles keep pushing food through,
so it doesn't stay in one spot for too long.
Pro Tip:
Consider drinking a digestive tea like peppermint or ginger. See my recipe below.
Bloating Reason #4:
All this lack of digesting in your stomach and
small intestine puts extra stress on the large intestine. The large intestine is the home of all of your
wonderful gut microbes that have SO many functions in the body. The problem is when undigested food enters
the large intestine it can feed the not-so-great microbes. These “unfriendly” bacteria produce waste
material and gas as a part of their natural metabolism. The more of these microbes you have in your
system (they will multiply if they are constantly being fed by undigested food
in the large intestine) the more gas that will be produced in the large
intestine.
Pro Tip:
Try eating more fermented foods.
Fermented foods contain probiotics which will feed the good bacteria and
microbes in your system to keep the bad guys at bay This includes things like yogurt, kefir,
sauerkraut, and kimchi (as long as these don't cause bloating for you!). Make sure they're unpasteurized and contain
live cultures. If you cannot tolerate dairy
based yogurt and kefir dairy free options are available or you could make your
own dairy free versions.
You can also consider taking a probiotic
supplement. Just check the label first to make sure it's right for you.
Bloating Reason #5:
With reduced stomach acid you also have a
reduction of the “activation” of several of your digestive enzymes
(protein-digesting pepsin being one of them).
In order for certain enzymes to go to work digesting your food they need
to be activated. This usually happens
with the assistance of stomach acid.
Pro Tip:
You may consider trying an enzyme supplement to assist your body in
digesting food while you work on reestablishing your own production of stomach
acid (a healthy diet and lifestyle can do this!). But before you do make sure you read the
labels because some of them interact with other supplements, medications, or
conditions, and may not be safe for long-term use.
Conclusion:
You can try the “pro tips” I've given you in
this post. Maybe you'd prefer working
with a practitioner on an elimination diet to get to the bottom of which foods
you may be sensitive to? If bloating is
a serious problem you should see your doctor or alternative health care
practitioner.
Recipe (Tummy Soothing Tea):
Ginger Tea
Serves 1
Fresh ginger root (about 2”)
Hot water
Lemon slices (optional)
Honey (optional)
Pour the water into a saucepan and heat it on
the stove.
Grate the ginger root into the saucepan. Let it come to a boil, and then simmer for
3-5 minutes.
Strain the tea into a cup with a fine mesh
strainer and add lemon and/or honey as desired.
Serve & Enjoy!
Tip: If
you don't want to use a grater and strainer then you can peel the ginger and
thinly slice it into your cup before adding boiling water. The pieces should be big enough that they
will sink to the bottom.
Dedicated To Your Success,
John Heary, CFT, SFN, PFTS, MMACC, CUSC, CCFT
Certified Fitness Trainer
Certified Specialist in Fitness Nutrition
Certified Physique and Figure Trainer Specialist
Certified Mixed Martial Arts Conditioning Coach
Certified Underground Strength Coach
Certified Fitranx Instructor
Certified TRX Instructor
Certified Corporate Fitness Trainer
(716) 545-4090
References:
http://summertomato.com/too-many-vegetables-how-to-prevent-gas-and-digestive-problems-caused-by-healthy-eating
https://nccih.nih.gov/health/ginger
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