Reasons Why You’re Still Bloated & What Your GI Doc Forgot
So you finally go to your GI doctor because you are over the months of bloat.
They run all the typical tests, everything comes back “normal,” and you get told it is probably “just stress.” Then they hand you a prescription for a low FODMAP diet and send you on your way. 🤦♀️
UMMM no…
I am here to tell you your bloat is not just stress. Bloating is your body’s way of trying to talk to you. Not in a scary way, but in a “hey, something is off and I need some attention” kind of way. It is literally your gut’s voice. Lucky for you, I have helped hundreds of women find the real root behind their bloat so they can finally kick it for good. And spoiler alert: it is not all stress :).
Here are the top 10 reasons your belly is still bloated:
1. You are not digesting or absorbing well
If you’re not digesting or absorbing well, bloating is almost guaranteed. Poor digestion from not chewing enough, low stomach acid, poor bile flow or weak enzyme release can cause food to sit and ferment, creating gas and discomfort (think: the trash left out too long). On top of that, if your small intestine isn’t absorbing nutrients properly, extra water and undigested carbs can build up, leading to more fermentation, gas, and distension. This combo is especially common with autoimmune conditions, recurrent SIBO, diabetes, or after gallbladder removal.
What you need: mealtime hygiene, supporting stomach acid & bile flow, eating bitters, and gut lining supplements.
2. You did not realize these were gut disruptors
Emulsifiers like mono and diglycerides, gums like carageenan, seed oils, and sugar alcohols like erythritol now have research showing how disruptive they can be for your gut. They inflame the gut lining, contribute to leaky gut, and drive symptoms like bloat and tummy tenderness. The sneaky part is they hide in foods that look “healthy” or diet-y ie think protein bars/powders, gluten free crackers, and dairy free milks/icecreams.
What you need: added sugar audit, label reading, my sneaky gut disruptors list, better dairy free/GF swaps
3. You are ignoring hidden internal stressors
Your gut and nervous system are intimately intertwined. If you are holding on to old emotions, talking harshly to yourself, or living in go-go-go mode; your body stays stuck in fight, flight, freeze, or fawn. In these high stress states, our physiology is not designed to support digestion and absorption. Instead, blood flow to your digestive organs drops, stomach acid and enzymes slow down, and food just sits there. Cue the bloat!
What you need: Supporting your nervous system with breath work, mindset shifts, EFT tapping, self talk audit, sleep and blue light hygiene, doing things that help you feel safe & cozy
4. The stimulants are adding up
Coffee, HIIT workouts and alcohol all keep your body in high stress mode. Add that to a busy lifestyle, lack of sleep and skipping meals and we have a perfect bloat storm! Living in high stress mode long term slows digestion, reduces nutrient absorption; and in my opinion, it’s a one way ticket to chronic bloat (see physiology explained in #3).
What you need: Slowing down! Less caffeine, alcohol elimination or pause, adrenal support, adaptogens, stress-supportive vitamins and minerals
5. Histamine issues
More and more I see what I call my “sensy clients.” These clients often feel puffy, react to foods they used to tolerate, bloat regularly after meals, and may even have terrible seasonal allergies or skin reactions like hives. Histamine problems often tie into a nervous system on overdrive and a gut that cannot break down histamine well. In cases of MCAS (mast cell activation syndrome) the immune system is on overdrive and overproducing histamines - often related to significant stressors like infections or toxins like mold. This is one of the most overlooked reasons behind “mystery bloat.”
What you need: deeper testing for root causes behind immune over-activation, gentle liver and bile support, minerals, histamine calming herbs, nervous system regulation
6. Mineral imbalances
Without enough magnesium, sodium, zinc, or potassium - your digestive juice production (like stomach acid, bile and digestive enzymes) will be greatly impacted - see #1 for why that causes bloat. In addition, key minerals like magnesium, sodium and potassium are vital for managing stress and helping you sleep. Your total body block directly impacts your gut circadian clock and therefore, sleep issues can lead to bloat. Minerals also support your thyroid; specifically they’re needed for producing TSH, binding thyroid hormone and conversion from T4 to T3 - all of which impact gut motility (or the coordinated muscle contractions that move things along). PSA: potassium is ESSENTIAL for normal gut motility.
What you need: HTMA testing for cellular mineral levels, adrenal cocktails, quality salt, potassium-rich foods, and balanced blood sugar strategies
7. Gut infections & LPS
SIBO, H. pylori, parasites, and candida are common culprits behind stubborn bloating. They inflame and irritate the gut namely by releasing LPS (lipopolysaccharides), endotoxins that trigger strong immune reactions, especially if the gut lining is already “leaky.” PS: LPS buildup is often a big root cause I see behind low belly bloat/inflammation. Clearing out the infection is only half the battle. To keep bloating from coming back, you also need to ask why the overgrowth happened—was it poor motility, low stomach acid or bile, mineral depletion, stress, or vagus nerve dysfunction? The solution is twofold: address the infection to lower LPS and fix the root causes that allowed overgrowth in the first place.
What you need: stool testing, sibo testing and organic acids testing, LPS binders, herbal antimicrobials, gut motility, digestive & bile support
8. Inflammatory and autoimmune-spectrum conditions
Your GI doc might check for celiac or Crohn’s or colitis, but there is a whole spectrum in between here! Leaky gut (a common root cause behind autoimmunity), chronic inflammation of the gut lining, and post-food-poisoning immune reactions can all create ongoing bloat. One of the biggest hidden triggers I see is food poisoning that damaged the migrating motor complex (your gut’s cleaning wave) and causes severe bloating and IBS symptoms 12-24 months later - this is known as post-infectious IBS. When the gut cleaning wave isn’t working properly, undigested food and waste doesn’t appropriately more along and leads to bloat. Although not officially autoimmune, undiagnosed endometriosis is often a hidden culprit behind bloat.
What you need: looking at family medical history, immune support, gut lining repair, anti-inflammatory foods & herbs, nervous system calming support
9. A disrupted gut cleaning wave
Your gut has an internal housekeeper called the migrating motor complex (MMC). Every 90 to 120 minutes between meals it sweeps leftover food and bacteria down the line. If this wave gets disrupted, food sits, ferments and leads to bloat. Your MMC can become disrupted by stress, food poisoning (see #8), certain meds like PPIs or opioids, adhesions from abdominal surgeries, traumatic brain injuries, diabetes or Ehlers Danlos. In addition, grazing all day long is a one way ticket to a disrupted MMC ;).
What you need: meal spacing, mealtime hygiene, stomach acid and bile support, prokinetics, vagus nerve activation, addressing underlying infections
10. Constipation
If your bowels are not moving daily, waste products build up. Even if you technically go every day, incomplete emptying is still considered constipation and can affect waste removal. In my opinion, constipation is the number one root cause behind chronic bloating. It also drives hormonal problems like PMS and estrogen dominance by recycling old hormones back into your system. I go deeper into this in my blog all about constipation here.
What you need: eating enough - especially carbs, minerals, nervous system, circadian rhythm support, testing for gut infections and mold, my constipation private podcast
