What is bloating? What are the major reasons for bloating in women?

Imagine you’ve eaten a big meal or had a lot of fizzy soda and later your stomach starts to feel bigger and tighter. Your tummy feels puffed up with air or gas and it can make you feel uncomfortable, swollen, and uneasy. This sensation is called bloating. In scientific terms, bloating can be defined as a sense of gassiness or a sense of being distended. Bloating occurs when the gastrointestinal tract accumulates excess gas or air, causing the belly to swell. Let’s delve into some of the major reasons

Why women experience bloating more frequently.

• Hormonal Changes – Women undergo various hormonal fluctuations throughout their lives such as the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause. These hormonal shifts can lead to water retention and bloating.
  

• Eating Habits – Eating habits play a large role in bloating. Eating large meals too quickly without proper chewing, and too much intestinal gas caused due to swallowing air or carbonated beverages are also major causes of bloating.
  

• Specific food intolerances – Many people have difficulty digesting a particular food type. One can be intolerant to a particular food type. A nutritionist or a GI expert can help in isolating dietary sensitivities.
  

• Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) – SIBO is caused due an abnormal increase in the overall small intestine bacterial population. This leads to extensive bloating, chronic diarrhea, weight loss, and malabsorption.
  

• Stress and Anxiety – Stress is one of the major reasons for physical abnormality today. It can slow down digestion causing bloating, pain, constipation, or diarrhea.
  

• Digestive Issues – Conditions like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), constipation, lactose intolerance, etc can lead to increased gas production and hence bloating.

Bloating is caused to everybody however women are more susceptible mainly due to hormonal fluctuations. A bloated stomach is an unpleasant feeling. Having a balanced diet, managing stress effectively, and seeking medical attention whenever necessary can contribute to improved digestive health and overall well-being.