Belly Bloat and Women

According to Michelle Smith, a nurse practitioner with Sutter Gould Medical Foundation in Modesto, bloating is often part of a menstruating woman's normal cycle. “It can be a pretty good little message that your period is coming soon,” Smith says.

During certain phases of the menstrual cycle, as progesterone drops, cells retain more water. This can cause a bloated feeling in the belly and even in fingers and feet. 

What to do? Smith suggests two paths: natural approaches and acceptance.

“You might want to pull out those more forgiving pants (we all have a pair) and spend the day in comfort. And bloating can remind you to take good care of your body right now. Walk more. Eat really nutritious foods. Rest,” she says. 

Although it may seem counterintuitive, drinking more water or eating natural diuretics like watermelon, celery and cucumbers also will help. This signals the body to release its excess water as you urinate more frequently and get your kidneys working. 

Bloating and Gas

For men, postmenopausal women or women experiencing symptoms not timed with your menstrual cycle, gastrointestinal issues are the likely cause. And there can be many, from occasional gas to more chronic conditions like Irritable Bowel Syndrome, gluten sensitivity or lactose intolerance.

Richard Sundberg, M.D., a gastroenterologist at the California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, notes that certain foods do, indeed, tend to produce more gas. “Most food is broken down in the small intestine, but sometimes food moves into the colon not fully digested, and is metabolized there, producing gas and causing discomfort,” he says.

Lactose intolerance exists when your body lacks the enzymes needed to digest milk and milk products. This family of enzymes, known as lactase, is most prevalent in babies, who consume milk as their primary food. As you grow older, your lactase level decreases, and with it the ability to easily digest dairy products. Some ethnic groups also tend to produce less of the enzyme.

Dr. Sundberg says other food sensitivities can trigger gas and bloat as well, including gluten, which is found in bread, pasta, cookies, pizza crust and many other foods containing wheat, barley or rye. Other culprits include legumes (beans, peas and peanuts) and Sorbitol, an artificial sweetener used in many things, including candy and gum.

And for some, bloating comes simply from swallowing air. “If you chew gum, drink through a straw or smoke, you are bringing an extra amount of air into the digestive system,” Dr. Sundberg says.

Cause for Concern

Though bloating and gas may cause some discomfort, most people need not worry. Symptoms that appear after a meal, or late in the day, probably relate to your diet. To test this theory at home,  remove one category of food (for instance, dairy products or wheat) for a week, and then reintroduce that category.

“If that food was your problem, it should become very clear to you,” Dr. Sundberg says.

What’s more concerning is a sudden appearance of a bloated belly in a woman who has never had this symptom. Although rare, an enlarged abdomen can be a warning sign of ovarian cancer, especially if you’re at a higher risk for ovarian cancer. Some of these ovarian cancer risk factors include: never having been pregnant; never taking birth control pills; or a family history of the disease.

If you’re suspicious of your symptoms, talking it through with your doctor and receiving a physical exam, review of diet and blood pressure check makes sense.

Also, for both men and women, any abdominal discomfort that is severe and persistent, or that you notice first thing upon wakening, deserves a visit to your doctor to rule out a more serious issue.

Reducing Gas and Bloat

You can reduce common gas and bloat through some simple lifestyle changes, says Darcie Ellyne, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator with the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, San Carlos Center. Here’s how:

• Eat slowly and chew foods well.
• Walk for five to 10 minutes following a meal. Avoid lying down immediately after a meal.
• Include smaller, more frequent meals.
• Eliminate gas-promoting foods and see if you get some improvement.  These include cruciferous vegetables such as brussels sprouts, broccoli, and cabbage.  Other produce contain indigestible sugar and fiber that ferment and cause distress such as onions,  garlic, artichokes,  legumes,  apples,  stone fruit and wheat.
• Try using digestive enzymes, such as lactase supplements, and/or Beano, which actually help digest carbohydrates and may allow people to eat foods that normally cause gas.
• Reduce the habits that cause more swallowing of gas: smoking, chewing gum, drinking through straws and eating hard candy.
• Some herbs help ease and relieve gas pain. These include: ginger, mint, caraway seeds, dill seeds, fennel seeds, anise seeds, coriander seeds and cumin seeds. Try using these in your cooking or as a tea. (Put a large spoonful in a cup, cover with boiling water for around five minutes, strain and add sugar to sweeten. Don’t use honey or agave, they can cause bloating.)
• Try a probiotic supplement. Some brands that have been shown to help with digestive problems include: Culturelle, Garden of Life Primal Defence, Jarro-Dophilus EPS Flora Q and primadophilus reuteri from Nature’s Way. If you do not have lactose intolerance, you might try a yogurt with live cultures.
• Some yoga postures may also alleviate digestive discomfort.