Why Your Gut Feels Bloated

Dr. Christina Carew, ND, Dr. Dominique Vanier, ND and Dr. Whitney Baxter, ND discuss how common bloating is and how it can stem from many conditions, including non-digestive causes. They emphasize clarifying what patients mean by “bloating,” differentiating subjective bloating from visible abdominal distension, and gathering detailed descriptions (location, hardness, pain, gas, and impact on daily life). Key assessment questions include timing (morning vs after meals vs later day), duration and onset, recent triggers (illness, travel, pregnancy, antibiotics, crash diets, medications), eating behaviors (speed, talking, gum, carbonated drinks), bowel habits and incomplete evacuation, and gas odor. They review non-gut contributors such as menstrual cycle issues, endometriosis, PCOS, thyroid dysfunction, pelvic cysts/fibroids, vascular congestion, motility disorders (including GLP-1 medications, diabetes/gastroparesis), gallbladder/liver issues and ascites, and even diaphragm dysfunction. They caution against unguided elimination diets and note red flags warranting evaluation, including bleeding and possible GI, ovarian, or colorectal cancers, previewing future episodes on investigation and what’s normal.   Chapters 00:00:00 Why Bloating Is Common 00:22:00 Defining Bloating vs Distension 00:03:57  Patient Questions Checklist 00:06:58 Constipation and Gas Clues 00:07:46 Hormones and Pelvic Causes 00:09:57 Other Organs and Medications 00:12:32 Food Triggers and Elimination Diets 00:16:11 Fiber Nuance and Travel Changes 00:18:04 Red Flags and When to Investigate 00:19:32 Series Preview and Wrap Up