520: Must-have tips to reduce bloat & heal your gut | Functional medicine doctor Mary Pardee, N.D.

Bloating Basics

Understanding the triggers and symptoms of bloating is crucial for differentiating between normal and excessive bloating. Mary Pardee explains that some fullness after meals is normal, but persistent discomfort that affects quality of life is considered bloating 1. She highlights that bloating can occur even with regular bowel movements due to increased gas production or visceral hypersensitivity, where the gut-brain communication is disrupted 2.

It's a miscommunication between the sensors in your gut and the sensors in your brain that tell you that there's something wrong.

--- Mary Pardee

Addressing these issues involves targeting the gut-brain connection and managing gas production through dietary adjustments.

   

Dietary Adjustments

Dietary adjustments can significantly reduce bloating, with the low FODMAP diet being particularly effective. Mary Pardee describes this diet as low in fermentable carbohydrates, which helps decrease gas production in the intestines 3. She advises against long-term adherence to this diet, suggesting reintroduction of foods to identify specific triggers 3.

Doing a low FODMAP diet for a short period of time can really significantly lower symptoms.

--- Mary Pardee

Additionally, she recommends structured meal times over grazing to activate the migrating motor complex, a mechanism that helps clear the intestines and reduce bloating 4.