Regardless of what angle you are looking at it from, food motivates us. It energizes us to go grocery shopping. It gives us hope after a long, tough day, and it’s a great way to enjoy something delicious and homemade that helps you understand the value of doing something yourself. But what about the negatives of food such as a bloated stomach? Bloating is normal to some degree, and there are some foods that can cause excessive bloating in and of themselves, but dealing with it on a regular basis can make see food in a negative light. 

The reality is that a bloated stomach can sometimes be a sign of something more serious, rather than the assumption of eating too much or eating too fast. In fact, it could be a sign of a food intolerance or even a food allergy. So, getting to the bottom of your bloat problems is much more important than you think. 

Causes of a Bloated Stomach

Here are some of the most common causes of a bloated stomach for you to learn about, as well as advice on determining one from the other and what to do about it.

  • Food intolerance: If you notice that your stomach bloat is happening within an hour or two after eating a meal, it could be a sign that it is food intolerance-related. This is also the case if you are dealing with digestion and bowel movement symptoms around the same time. If you notice that these mysterious symptoms are also happening when you eat one meal or ingredient in particular, this is another sign. 
  • Food allergy: A bloated stomach related to a food allergy is also possible, as inflammation is a common allergic reaction, and it can often cause stomach bloat as well as general inflammation in the form of a rash or hives. If you notice the bloat and digestive discomfort happening within minutes of eating a certain food or meal, this is another indication that it could be caused by a food allergy.
  • Gut health issues: There is also the possibility that you are dealing with a bloated stomach due to an unhappy gut. This could be a bacterial imbalance, or it could be another imbalance related to poor nutrition, etc. An unhappy stomach is going to create blot as it works to digest and breaks down what you are putting into it. If you notice that all foods seem to be creating the same issue, this is something to think about.

Rule out the obvious

To help you determine the cause of your bloated stomach, consider a food intolerance and a food allergy test to rule them out. Since these are both easy enough to do and get results back in no time, you’ll be able to take what you’ve learned and move closer to solving your bloating problems once and for all.

Put yourself back in charge of your food-related life and get back to enjoying food for all of the positives it brings. Intolerance and allergy testing could just give you the freedom you’re looking for.