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Beat the Bloat: Common Causes of Bloating and Digestive Discomfort

Why Am I Always Bloated? By: Bloating, which is generally caused by the buildup of gas in the digestive tract, is a common complaint. But just because it is common does not mean it is normal. Many people think that bloating is an unavoidable response to eating—and while it may

Picture of Dr Samuel Zuniga ND

Dr Samuel Zuniga ND

Dr. Samuel Zuniga, ND is a naturopathic physician specializing in metabolic health and physician-supervised weight loss treatments including compounded semaglutide and compounded tirzepatide. He works with patients throughout the Phoenix Valley to help them achieve sustainable health improvements through personalized medical care

Why Am I Always Bloated?

Bloating, which is generally caused by the buildup of gas in the digestive tract, is a common complaint. But just because it is common does not mean it is normal. Many people think that bloating is an unavoidable response to eating—and while it may be depending on the foods you eat—you should not be living with discomfort and misery after every meal.

If you constantly feel bloated, it is beneficial to figure out why you are experiencing this and what you can do to change it. At Valley Medical Weight Loss, we help patients identify the root causes of bloating and develop strategies to eliminate it for good.

What Causes Bloating?

Bloating of any type signals that there is something wrong with your digestion. It may be a problem with your digestive process itself, like your gut bacteria is off and you cannot properly digest any foods. Or it could be a problem with the foods you are choosing—like an undiagnosed food intolerance.

Let us explore the most common causes.

Weekly Digestive Health & Weight Loss Tips

Subscribe for expert insights on gut health, reducing bloating, and achieving sustainable weight loss. Get practical advice delivered straight to your inbox.

Improper Digestion and Gut Bacteria Imbalance

The bacteria in your gut help you digest food properly. They break down the food into smaller components that you can absorb. Without the right balance of gut bacteria, food moves through your digestive tract partially digested. This can cause bloating as well as gas, pain, belching, or flatulence.

How to Support Gut Health:

  • Eat probiotic-rich foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi
  • Include prebiotic foods like garlic, onions, asparagus, and bananas
  • Consider a high-quality probiotic supplement
  • Reduce processed foods and added sugars

Our Greens First supplement and Liver-GI Detox can help support digestive health and reduce bloating.

Food Intolerances

If you are intolerant to a specific food, your body cannot fully digest that food regardless of the state of your gut bacteria. If you eat that food, you will be left with symptoms like bloating, gas, and diarrhea or constipation.

Most Common Food Intolerances:

  • Gluten (found in wheat, barley, rye)
  • Dairy (lactose intolerance)
  • FODMAPs (fermentable carbohydrates)
  • Fructose (fruit sugar)
  • Artificial sweeteners

Anyone can be intolerant to any kind of food. If you suspect a food intolerance, try an elimination diet or speak with your healthcare provider about testing.

Constipation

This one kind of ties into improper digestion because constipation is a surefire sign that you are not digesting your food properly, but there can also be other reasons. When you are constipated, whether it is due to stress, lack of fiber in the diet, or dehydration, normal gas gets trapped behind the fecal matter that is trapped in your intestines.

When you eat, the gas increases (which is totally normal), but since you are constipated, it results in bloating and abdominal pain. If you experience constipation, you are not alone—42 million Americans are plagued by it.

How to Relieve Constipation:

  • Drink at least 64-80 ounces of water daily
  • Increase fiber intake gradually (fruits, vegetables, whole grains)
  • Exercise regularly to stimulate digestion
  • Consider Mag07 or Magnesium Citrate supplements

The Carbohydrates You Eat

Although any food can cause bloating, foods that are high in carbohydrates are the most likely culprit. The bacteria in your digestive tract LOVE carbohydrates. When undigested portions of carbohydrates reach these bacteria, they feed on them and create gas as a byproduct. As the gas builds up, you begin to feel bloated.

Some carbohydrates, like fructose (the sugar found mainly in fruit) and lactose (the sugar found in milk and milk products) are more poorly-digested than others.

High-Bloating Carbohydrates:

  • Beans and legumes
  • Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts)
  • Onions and garlic
  • Wheat and gluten-containing grains
  • Dairy products
  • Carbonated beverages (including seltzer water in excess)

Dehydration

It may seem silly that not drinking enough water can leave you feeling bloated, especially since a stomach full of water tends to distend, but it is true. When you are dehydrated, your body holds onto excessive water in an attempt to keep the amount of water in your body balanced.

By drinking more water, you tell your body that it is safe to let some of that water go, since there will be more coming shortly.

Hydration Tips:

  • Aim for at least 64-80 ounces of water daily
  • Drink water consistently throughout the day
  • Increase intake if you exercise or live in a hot climate
  • Herbal teas and plain seltzer water count toward your total

Hormonal Changes

If your bloating tends to follow a cycle, like you experience it only before your menstrual cycle is due, then it could be related to your hormones. When estrogen levels rise, the body holds on to more water, which causes discomfort and bloating.

If hormonal imbalances are affecting your digestion and weight loss, our Hormone Replacement Therapy program can help restore balance.

How to Beat the Bloat for Good

The good news is that even if you have dealt with bloating for a long time, you do not have to continue to live that way. Here are some strategies that can help:

Eat Mindfully

Slow down, chew thoroughly, and avoid eating while distracted. This helps your body properly digest food and reduces swallowed air.

Keep a Food Journal

Track what you eat and when you experience bloating. This can help you identify trigger foods.

Support Your Gut Health

Include probiotic and prebiotic foods in your diet, or consider supplements like Greens First.

Stay Hydrated

Drink plenty of water throughout the day to support digestion and reduce water retention.

Manage Stress

Stress affects digestion. Practice stress-reduction techniques like deep breathing, meditation, or yoga. Consider Cortisol Manager for additional support.

Exercise Regularly

Physical activity stimulates digestion and helps move gas through your system.

Consider Medical Support

If bloating persists despite lifestyle changes, speak with a healthcare provider to rule out underlying conditions like IBS, SIBO, or celiac disease.

Real Patient Success

Many patients at our Chandler, Phoenix, Tempe, and Glendale locations have found relief from chronic bloating.

One patient shared, “I was bloated every single day for years. Dr. Zuniga helped me identify that I was lactose intolerant and recommended Greens First to support my gut health. Within two weeks, the bloating was gone. I feel so much better!”

See Real Weight Loss Transformations

Browse before-and-after photos from Valley Medical Weight Loss patients who improved their digestive health and achieved incredible results.

Ready to Beat the Bloat?​

If you are struggling with chronic bloating and digestive discomfort, we can help. Our team will identify the root causes and create a personalized plan to help you feel better.

Walk in today

Beat the Bloat: Common Causes of Bloating and Digestive Discomfort

By Dr. Samuel Zuniga, ND
Valley Medical Weight Loss | Chandler, Arizona

Why Am I Always Bloated?

Bloating, which is generally caused by the buildup of gas in the digestive tract, is a common complaint. But just because it is common does not mean it is normal. Many people think that bloating is an unavoidable response to eating—and while it may be depending on the foods you eat—you should not be living with discomfort and misery after every meal.

If you constantly feel bloated, it is beneficial to figure out why you are experiencing this and what you can do to change it. At Valley Medical Weight Loss, we help patients identify the root causes of bloating and develop strategies to eliminate it for good.

What Causes Bloating?

Bloating of any type signals that there is something wrong with your digestion. It may be a problem with your digestive process itself, like your gut bacteria is off and you cannot properly digest any foods. Or it could be a problem with the foods you are choosing—like an undiagnosed food intolerance.

Let us explore the most common causes.

Weekly Digestive Health & Weight Loss Tips

Subscribe for expert insights on gut health, reducing bloating, and achieving sustainable weight loss. Get practical advice delivered straight to your inbox.

Improper Digestion and Gut Bacteria Imbalance

The bacteria in your gut help you digest food properly. They break down the food into smaller components that you can absorb. Without the right balance of gut bacteria, food moves through your digestive tract partially digested. This can cause bloating as well as gas, pain, belching, or flatulence.

How to Support Gut Health:

  • Eat probiotic-rich foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi
  • Include prebiotic foods like garlic, onions, asparagus, and bananas
  • Consider a high-quality probiotic supplement
  • Reduce processed foods and added sugars

Our Greens First supplement and Liver-GI Detox can help support digestive health and reduce bloating.

Food Intolerances

If you are intolerant to a specific food, your body cannot fully digest that food regardless of the state of your gut bacteria. If you eat that food, you will be left with symptoms like bloating, gas, and diarrhea or constipation.

Most Common Food Intolerances:

  • Gluten (found in wheat, barley, rye)
  • Dairy (lactose intolerance)
  • FODMAPs (fermentable carbohydrates)
  • Fructose (fruit sugar)
  • Artificial sweeteners

Anyone can be intolerant to any kind of food. If you suspect a food intolerance, try an elimination diet or speak with your healthcare provider about testing.

Constipation

This one kind of ties into improper digestion because constipation is a surefire sign that you are not digesting your food properly, but there can also be other reasons. When you are constipated, whether it is due to stress, lack of fiber in the diet, or dehydration, normal gas gets trapped behind the fecal matter that is trapped in your intestines.

When you eat, the gas increases (which is totally normal), but since you are constipated, it results in bloating and abdominal pain. If you experience constipation, you are not alone—42 million Americans are plagued by it.

How to Relieve Constipation:

  • Drink at least 64-80 ounces of water daily
  • Increase fiber intake gradually (fruits, vegetables, whole grains)
  • Exercise regularly to stimulate digestion
  • Consider Mag07 or Magnesium Citrate supplements

The Carbohydrates You Eat

Although any food can cause bloating, foods that are high in carbohydrates are the most likely culprit. The bacteria in your digestive tract LOVE carbohydrates. When undigested portions of carbohydrates reach these bacteria, they feed on them and create gas as a byproduct. As the gas builds up, you begin to feel bloated.

Some carbohydrates, like fructose (the sugar found mainly in fruit) and lactose (the sugar found in milk and milk products) are more poorly-digested than others.

High-Bloating Carbohydrates:

  • Beans and legumes
  • Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts)
  • Onions and garlic
  • Wheat and gluten-containing grains
  • Dairy products
  • Carbonated beverages (including seltzer water in excess)

Dehydration

It may seem silly that not drinking enough water can leave you feeling bloated, especially since a stomach full of water tends to distend, but it is true. When you are dehydrated, your body holds onto excessive water in an attempt to keep the amount of water in your body balanced.

By drinking more water, you tell your body that it is safe to let some of that water go, since there will be more coming shortly.

Hydration Tips:

  • Aim for at least 64-80 ounces of water daily
  • Drink water consistently throughout the day
  • Increase intake if you exercise or live in a hot climate
  • Herbal teas and plain seltzer water count toward your total

Hormonal Changes

If your bloating tends to follow a cycle, like you experience it only before your menstrual cycle is due, then it could be related to your hormones. When estrogen levels rise, the body holds on to more water, which causes discomfort and bloating.

If hormonal imbalances are affecting your digestion and weight loss, our Hormone Replacement Therapy program can help restore balance.

How to Beat the Bloat for Good

The good news is that even if you have dealt with bloating for a long time, you do not have to continue to live that way. Here are some strategies that can help:

Eat Mindfully

Slow down, chew thoroughly, and avoid eating while distracted. This helps your body properly digest food and reduces swallowed air.

Keep a Food Journal

Track what you eat and when you experience bloating. This can help you identify trigger foods.

Support Your Gut Health

Include probiotic and prebiotic foods in your diet, or consider supplements like Greens First.

Stay Hydrated

Drink plenty of water throughout the day to support digestion and reduce water retention.

Manage Stress

Stress affects digestion. Practice stress-reduction techniques like deep breathing, meditation, or yoga. Consider Cortisol Manager for additional support.

Exercise Regularly

Physical activity stimulates digestion and helps move gas through your system.

Consider Medical Support

If bloating persists despite lifestyle changes, speak with a healthcare provider to rule out underlying conditions like IBS, SIBO, or celiac disease.

Real Patient Success

Many patients at our Chandler, Phoenix, Tempe, and Glendale locations have found relief from chronic bloating.

One patient shared, “I was bloated every single day for years. Dr. Zuniga helped me identify that I was lactose intolerant and recommended Greens First to support my gut health. Within two weeks, the bloating was gone. I feel so much better!”

See Real Weight Loss Transformations

Browse before-and-after photos from Valley Medical Weight Loss patients who improved their digestive health and achieved incredible results.

Ready to Beat the Bloat?​

If you are struggling with chronic bloating and digestive discomfort, we can help. Our team will identify the root causes and create a personalized plan to help you feel better.

Walk in today

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