{"id":42528,"date":"2018-01-16T11:15:31","date_gmt":"2018-01-16T16:15:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=42528"},"modified":"2018-01-17T10:47:44","modified_gmt":"2018-01-17T15:47:44","slug":"bloated-gas-stomach-habits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/bloated-gas-stomach-habits\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Everyday Habits That Are Making You Bloated"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Bloating, which is nothing more than just excess air and gas trapped in your digestive tract, comes down to more than just the foods you eat. Some everyday habits could be the culprit for your tighter jeans and tummy woes.\u00a0Feeling bloated is one of the most common\u00a0stomach complaints<\/a> around, says David T. Rubin, M.D., fellow of the American College of Gastroenterology and chief of gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition at The University of Chicago Medicine<\/a>. Many of his patients even snap \u201cbloating selfies\u201d to show how much their waistlines fluctuate throughout the day. (We won\u2019t blame you if you keep those off Facebook.)<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> How Fast Can You Banish Bloat?<\/a><\/p>\n

But before you swear off baked beans for good, check out these six small things that might be having a surprisingly big impact on how bloated you feel.<\/p>\n

6 Things Secretly Making You Bloated<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

1. You Love Chewing Gum<\/h3>\n

Bad news for Orbitz addicts: If your tummy is feeling the effects, it might be time to limit those minty-fresh sticks. \u201cA lot of people chew gum to keep them from eating between meals, but when you chew gum, you unwittingly swallow some air,\u201d says registered dietitian nutritionist Bonnie Taub-Dix<\/a>, R.D.N. That excess air intake can make your intestines feel like a balloon animal. Plus, most gums contain sugar alcohols<\/a>, which can cause gas and bloating as well, she says. Even sugar-free<\/a> sticks generally contain sorbitol, which can cause a ton of stomach issues, bloating included, according to Rubin.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> The Bitter Truth About Sugar and Its Effects on Our Health<\/a><\/p>\n

2. You\u2019re Scarfing Your Food<\/h3>\n

Here\u2019s yet another legit reason to start eating more mindfully<\/a> (aka: slowly). \u201cDigestion starts in the mouth, not in the stomach,\u201d says nutritionist Rania Batayneh<\/a>, M.P.H., author of The One One One Diet: The Simple 1:1:1 Formula for Fast and Sustained Weight Loss<\/em><\/a>.<\/em> With every chew, you not only crush each bite into more easily digestible bits, but that food mingles with saliva and specialized enzymes that break down your food upon impact. When you inhale your food<\/a>, you largely miss out on that process, meaning your stomach has to work overtime to digest your food, leading to gas. Plus, you literally inhale air, she says. Slow down and don\u2019t forget to chew.<\/p>\n

“Many packaged foods are fortified with a form of fiber that\u2019s especially hard on the stomach.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

RELATED:\u00a0<\/strong>9 Simple Tricks to Eat More Mindfully \u2014 Starting Now\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

3. You Love Drinking Through a Straw<\/h3>\n

A colorful straw might make your morning smoothie<\/a> even more Instagram-worthy, but it isn\u2019t doing your body any favors. \u201cEvery time you sip through a straw, air comes up before the liquid,\u201d says Taub-Dix, owner of Better Than Dieting<\/a>\u00a0and author of Read It Before You Eat It<\/em><\/a>. Even reusable water bottles<\/a> with built-in straws can cause problems. Sip straight from the lid during your next workout to save your stomach any unnecessary discomfort.<\/p>\n

4. You\u2019re Snoring Up a Storm<\/h3>\n

Do you feel bloated first thing in the morning? \u201cThen you are probably snoring or at least mouth-breathing in your sleep,\u201d says Rubin, who notes that most people who suffer from sleep apnea<\/a> also struggle with a.m. bloating. Tomorrow morning, look at your stomach. If it seems bigger than when you went to bed, consider scheduling an appointment with a sleep doc to figure out a way to curb snoring for good.<\/p>\n

RELATED:\u00a0<\/strong>8 Soothing Smoothie Recipes for Better Sleep<\/a><\/p>\n

5. You\u2019re Feasting on Fiber
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Yes, fiber<\/a> can help you feel full and lose weight<\/a>, in addition to promoting heart health. But before you down a bowl of fortified cereal, some chia seed pudding<\/a> and a mega-serving of Brussels sprouts, take pause. Ramping up your fiber intake all at once can cause a lot<\/em> of bloating, Taub-Dix says. Instead, focus on increasing it gradually, over a number of weeks. This will give your belly more time to adjust and produce the enzymes necessary to pass fiber through your system without trouble. You\u2019ll also want to make sure you\u2019re getting your fiber from whole, unprocessed foods<\/a> like veggies, fruits and whole grains. Many packaged foods<\/a> are fortified with inulin (aka chicory root), a form of fiber that\u2019s especially hard on the stomach, according to research<\/a> published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.<\/em><\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> Want\u00a0to Start Clean Eating? Avoid These Common 6 Mistakes<\/a><\/p>\n

6. You\u2019re Stressed 24\/7<\/h3>\n

What evil<\/a> does stress not <\/em>cause? While the hormones can aggravate your digestive system and cause gas and bloating, stress can also prompt people to rush through meals<\/a> at their desks, skip much-needed bathroom breaks and suck in air during anxiety attacks, Batayneh says. One way to cope: Try to manage your stressors using cognitive behavior therapy<\/a> or relaxation therapy. Both can help prevent and relieve bloating, according to research<\/a> published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology.<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Originally published August 2015. Updated January 2018.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Read More
\n<\/strong>The Low-FODMAP Diet: Your Solution to a Healthier Gut?<\/a>
\n9 All-Natural Sources of Healthy Probiotics<\/a>
\nIs It All in Your Gut? The Sleep-Gut Connection<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Tried every cure on the Internet and still can\u2019t keep your belly from ballooning? One of these sneaky triggers might be to blame for that bloated feeling. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":57,"featured_media":42530,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,7,11],"tags":[41,51,332,229,71,341,380,285],"class_list":["post-42528","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-diet-nutrition","category-health","category-health-hacks","tag-diets","tag-food-choices","tag-habits","tag-mindfulness","tag-nutrition","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2diet-advice","tag-weight-loss"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42528","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/57"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42528"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42528\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/42530"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42528"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42528"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42528"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}