Why Your Bloated Belly Often Isn’t Gas – How to Really Debloat

00:00:00: And it definitely doesn't mean that just because you poop every day, You're necessarily free of constipation.

00:00:05: Protein gets made out to be way worse than it actually is and sometimes the problem or a lot more often The problems are elsewhere.

00:00:12: We can't say I'll eat nothing but meat Or animal products all-day Then at night down thirty grams of fiber.

00:00:22: That's really not great!

00:00:24: That's a gut disaster waiting To happen basically Beyond lifespan.

00:00:28: Two doctors Nearly one in five adults reports bloating at least once a week.

00:00:36: Women are affected almost twice as often, As men.

00:00:39: And here's the surprising part For many people with visible bloating CT scans show hardly any extra gas.

00:00:46: Instead muscle coordination changes.

00:00:49: So what really helps?

00:00:50: Different foods Less stress Exercise and What does your period have to do With it?

00:00:55: Today we're looking into The causes & studies From constipation To gut brain signalling.

00:01:00: We'll also cover what two Kiwis a day can do and when supplements actually make sense.

00:01:05: And at the end, as always we've got our biohack one that costs you zero dollars max bloating The classic bloating You hear about on social media.

00:01:14: That's not quite the same As Classic abdominal distention.

00:01:19: What's the difference there?

00:01:20: Well I mean maybe partially right but i think thats...I Think the problem is usually too simplistic because There are so insanely many reasons why you could have a bloated belly.

00:01:33: And I think people will tend to blame certain foods way too quickly, even though that's really not always the case right?

00:01:41: So there are truly a lot of reasons and we mentioned it in the intro already... It can actually be down-to muscle coordination as well especially the diaphragm and how it presses down on good organs or abdominal organs.

00:01:56: That means there really are many, many reasons which we're going to unpack right now.

00:02:00: And it's just not as simple as okay.

00:02:03: yeah I'll drink this tea only eat foods that don't cause bloating and so on... It is a bit more complex unfortunately.

00:02:13: What i was actually getting at is that bloating describes the feeling of feeling puffed up And that doesn't necessarily mean I have a protruding stomach or bigger waistline like.

00:02:26: there's actually more gas inside and needs space.

00:02:29: Whereas this distention is that, right?

00:02:31: It kind of assumes the abdominal circumference is somewhat increased.

00:02:38: Yeah!

00:02:38: The technical term would be DISTENTION.

00:02:41: You don't need to memorize it.

00:02:42: Feel free to forget about it Right away.

00:02:44: Like i said all what matters for us Is difference between I feel bloated.

00:02:50: I am actually distended because i have more gas in my digestive tract.

00:02:54: Those are two different things.

00:02:55: we'll explain that a bit more later on.

00:02:59: now.

00:02:59: there are various reasons right?

00:03:01: That can be behind a bloated belly.

00:03:03: and the first one is totally obvious, let's call it excess gas production meaning whenever you uh...have too much of something.

00:03:11: One reason could be to much being produced.

00:03:15: That mostly happens in the colon where a lot of fermentation occurs with there are bacteria that metabolize and process everything, hasn't been absorbed or broken down up to that point.

00:03:27: That then generates usually from carbs gas accordingly.

00:03:32: second mechanism is that the gas isn't being produced an excess at all but rather than the gas already they're just can be cleared properly.

00:03:42: And that's the case with constipation, for instance where the gas can't move out easily.

00:03:47: Then there is a third mechanism and it's the hypersensitive gut.

00:03:52: That what I meant earlier.

00:03:54: There isn't always correlation in terms of having too much gas on your gut.

00:03:59: Sometimes people react very sensitively to this stretch.

00:04:05: Everyone has different perception.

00:04:08: the bow gets stretched whether by gas or stool and so on, people perceive that quite differently in terms of severity.

00:04:17: For some it's super painful even if there is just a little bit of gas especially with really hypersensitive gut.

00:04:24: for others might be no issue at all when they objectively have massive distended belly but honestly I don't have any stomach pain from right?

00:04:34: That would also be a scenario and here, you can test for this too.

00:04:38: There's this distention test where you could test the gut with that exact sensitivity which is definitely done by people who have complained of bloating over very long periods so theoretically rule it out.

00:04:53: And then there's another thing in the intro Which involves diaphragm.

00:05:04: Tough word, a shot right here.

00:05:06: Ah okay.

00:05:07: Abdomenophrenic dyssinergia

00:05:10: Yes wonderful that went off without a hitch.

00:05:12: what is it?

00:05:12: Yeah so um It's actually something That was completely off my radar before we sat down to prep this episode... ...it Was also a topic that I think We wouldn't necessarily have come up with ourselves if there hadn't been So much buzz floating around out There.

00:05:25: The thing Is it can Actually turn Out that belly bloat or A distended stomach even a Visibly bloated stomach doesn't necessarily have anything to do with more content in the abdomen or more gas.

00:05:37: Instead, it can actually be linked to the diaphragm being kind of miscoordinated.

00:05:43: and basically what normally happens when you eat is that the diaphragme reacts by pulling upward or rather relaxing which effectively moves at upward.

00:05:53: put simply When The Diaphragm Is Relaxed It Moves Up Right?

00:05:56: That's the only thing you need to remember when it contracts.

00:05:58: It basically pulls downward, pulls the lungs down and presses against the abdomen accordingly right

00:06:05: which makes total sense because the diaphragm is built like a dome-it's a muscle shaped like a Dome.

00:06:10: And obviously When it contracts... ...It pulls downward of course Because The Muscle Fibers Exactly!

00:06:15: It has to shorten meaning that distance from side to Side Has To Get Shorter.

00:06:19: exactly Like You Said coordination gets thrown off in some people.

00:06:25: So after eating, instead of having a diaphragm that's relaxed and doming upward it's pulling downward right?

00:06:33: And naturally That pushes against the abdominal organs which means It also pushes against The intestines Which might already be fairly full at that moment Right!

00:06:43: And that gives you A bloated belly that doesn't actually have anything to do with Having more gas inside but You feel this fullness And really it's just because your body, the muscles are slightly out of sync and pressing on the abdominal cavity leaving less room.

00:07:00: So that volume has

00:07:01: to push

00:07:02: outward somehow and the belly just

00:07:05: expands.".

00:07:06: That was definitely something I'd never heard before right?

00:07:09: Yeah same here...and that reflex you described actually has a second component to it.

00:07:13: normally what happens is that the diaphragm relaxes while the upper abdominal wall tenses up slightly And when that reflex misfires the exact opposite happens, right?

00:07:25: The diaphragm pushes down.

00:07:26: The abdominal wall relaxes instead and That's why it looks so visually dramatic like this crazy Severe bloat.

00:07:35: So in a diaphragm there was this study.

00:07:37: I don't know off top of my head how many Participants were in but just to give you an idea of scale When the diaphragm drops by just one centimeter downward Abdominal circumference immediately increases by three centimeters.

00:07:50: That's pretty striking, I thought.

00:07:52: But it makes sense because the diaphragm arches over the entire top of the abdominal cavity and if that drops even by a single centimeter everything just gets compressed a bit more or pushed out against the abdominal

00:08:04: wall.".

00:08:05: The abdominal wall also relaxes which makes complete sense.

00:08:09: that does that because that is exactly what the body is meant to do when you breathe right?

00:08:13: It doesn't want you fighting against a tense abdominal wall every time we take a breath.

00:08:16: ideally it adapts your breathing And at rest you really ought to be doing much more belly breathing, breathing down into your stomach which can also act as kind of a say massage for the abdominal organs or for the gut.

00:08:29: Which in turn is important for keeping constipation at bay and things like that right?

00:08:33: Meaning it's all connected and naturally makes sense... It's pretty obvious that for people who sit a lot and are pretty sedentary day-to-day Can develop right because that breathing mechanism gets a bit dysregulated and as a result how the body handles food intake gets dysregulate it too.

00:08:55: Right um, And I can lead to this exact effect.

00:08:58: The good news is that you can actually unlearn or correct?

00:09:02: This misfiring reflex You can do.

00:09:04: certain biofeedback exercises will get into that later.

00:09:07: You can see a physical therapist who specializes in it so you can definitely get things back on track.

00:09:11: but it can certainly be A cause.

00:09:15: It's not all that rare, right?

00:09:17: it's worth keeping in mind That it might not be due to the amount of gas at all or eating The wrong thing.

00:09:23: Or having some food intolerance but just kind Of yeah a misfiring reflex across muscular signal.

00:09:30: that can play A role too.

00:09:32: and As for other things I mentioned constipation earlier.

00:09:36: Right when you're constipated gas Can't move through the intestines as smoothly which means it ends up accumulating its stays trapped and it builds up.

00:09:46: In that case, its not necessarily about having an intolerance.

00:09:50: you just need to clear out the constipation.

00:09:52: That's super important anyway right?

00:09:54: Moving around in all of this good stuff It is a big factor But we will talk more later when we get into different treatment options.

00:10:03: Now day-to-day what are most common causes for actually having more gas?

00:10:12: I mean, there's a whole bunch right including things pretty much everyone does.

00:10:19: Yeah so honestly what one reason can actually be kind of funny?

00:10:22: Can literally just be swallowing air meaning you drink carbonated beverage.

00:10:27: that's de facto swallOWing air to write.

00:10:29: So you swallow gas which just ends up in your gut and then you get those burps sometimes.

00:10:33: We've already talked about how on the podcast we don't really drink sparkling water anymore at all.

00:10:37: Right because we just find it uncomfortable especially when you're talking.

00:10:43: Of course, if that gas doesn't escape at the top of you maybe hold it in or just happens naturally.

00:10:48: It can obviously make its way down into the intestines right.

00:10:51: so that can definitely be a contributing factor and i can happen when talking it happened one swallowing like if your swallowy reflex isn't working quite right might swallow air with it.

00:11:01: all those things can definitely play role.

00:11:04: then we have constipation which we discovered uh... we obviously having tolerances which confactoring to someone is lactose intolerant.

00:11:11: sure more lactose gets metabolized by bacteria in the gut especially in a large intestine, which leads to more gas being produced.

00:11:20: Total classic case fructose is also pretty common and what people don't tolerate so well are sugar alcohols meaning xylitol multi-toll.

00:11:31: they're in a lot of chewing gums but these days protein bars can lead This imbalance, basically this gas in the gut because bacteria can partly metabolize them and partly can't.

00:11:46: That causes bloating right?

00:11:48: Another issue which unfortunately is getting more common these days are irritable bowel diseases meaning everything from mild IBS to really severe conditions like Crohn's disease.

00:12:03: That's definitely something that drags on for years of course and usually leads to a very chronically bloated belly.

00:12:10: Because the whole system is already irritated, right?

00:12:14: And because they're not the way bacteria metabolize things in their gut anymore either.

00:12:19: The intestinal lining generally can't absorb nutrients as well any more.

00:12:26: In other direction it loses nutrients too.

00:12:28: so its just general complete imbalance and because of that you're also much more prone to bloating.

00:12:35: another really fascinating factor is the menstrual cycle.

00:12:39: i think well i know this really well for my girlfriend, but i think a lot of women out there are aware of this too.

00:12:46: during certain phases of the cycle your stomach is just kind of more bloated.

00:12:51: don't really why it happens every month right once during period itself.

00:12:56: And then also often generally in the second half of the cycle.

00:12:59: that's partly just connected to the hormonal interplay.

00:13:03: During the period we looked this up earlier, it is actually due to prostaglandins which was super interesting too.

00:13:10: and for me another really fascinating topic is stress because that leads a certain imbalance on your breathing.

00:13:19: you will breathe less into your belly more under stress And digestion often just suffers because of it since digestion is something that happens in a relaxed state in a parasympathetic state.

00:13:32: And thats obviously where you want to be when u eat.

00:13:35: but alot people just aren't and that leads to incomplete digestion and with it loading.

00:13:40: so yeah now we've hit all the main ones,

00:13:44: A whole bunch of everyday causes.

00:13:45: I also thought it was pretty funny how straws contribute so much to swallowing air, It totally makes sense because every time you sip through a straw You get air first right.

00:13:54: the liquid drops back down.

00:13:56: So straws can be a factor and classic talking while eating.

00:14:01: True.

00:14:02: not only is it rude?

00:14:03: If its rude it looks bad And at the end of day it makes you more prone To getting a bloated belly.

00:14:10: just keep that in mind.

00:14:12: If we move on and look at what the typical culprits are, it's these FOD maps.

00:14:27: oligosaccharides, those are so-called complex sugars.

00:14:42: True

00:14:42: which well fructans and galactans fall into.

00:14:45: that occurs in grains like wheat like rye like barley for example right?

00:14:50: Onions garlic legumes Those are all oligosakcharides And people with a father of epic tolerance typically don't tolerate them.

00:14:59: Well I mean they can eat them but then it leads to severe and just a really awful feeling throughout their entire digestive tract.

00:15:08: Then disaccharides, which people might be a bit more familiar with.

00:15:12: Lactose is a disaccaride so it's just double sugar in cow's milk, yogurt cream cheese obviously tons of it in milk A little less in yoghurt And in stuff like kefir even less because its already kind pre-fermented.

00:15:30: Anywhere microorganisms are present That lactose can already be broken down by them.

00:15:36: Then monosaccharides are also part of it, especially fructose.

00:15:39: there in one of our recent episodes I think the last Q&A episode or community hotline XXL whatever we called it We talked about that DIY sports drink with a perfect mix of uh well uh Fructose and maltodextrin In a zero point eight to one ratio If you have a thought map intolerance, definitely shouldn't be doing that right.

00:16:04: so maltodextrin is relatively well tolerated but fructose isn't.

00:16:10: So just keep in mind especially if you haven't tolerance and work out a lot because it's also the vast majority of gels an especially in various sports nutrition products meant for fueling during races or training.

00:16:24: And then polyols are included, too.

00:16:26: Those are sugar alcohols which you already mentioned that's sorbitol, xylitol, multi-toll... Some people know Xylitol from dentistry right?

00:16:35: There are people who put a spoonful of Xylolitol in their mouth and swish it around the bit because Xylitol is supposed to fight cavities as opposed to regular sugar.

00:16:45: Regular sugar is bad and Xylotol isn't Because it can't be metabolized in that harmful way.

00:16:52: It's also in a lot of baked goods that cut out sugar.

00:16:56: So, in a load of sugar-free recipes, sugar is just replaced with xylitol.

00:17:01: be careful there too because even for people who don't have a FODMAP intolerance to much Xylitol can also have a laxative effect.

00:17:09: it almost definitely does.

00:17:11: so.

00:17:11: yeah you've got to watch out especially what those huge amounts.

00:17:13: because think about if the recipe calls And now you replace that hundred grams of sugar with a hundred grams Zylitol, let's just say.

00:17:23: A gut disaster is pretty much guaranteed.

00:17:27: so be careful there too.

00:17:29: but people get better idea on what actually counts as FODMAPS.

00:17:34: they're basically different carbohydrates that can be fermented in the large intestine meaning broken down by bacteria.

00:17:41: for lot of peoples it isn't an issue at all But for some people it definitely is right?

00:17:46: It's a super common cause of bloating.

00:17:50: And while we're talking about sports nutrition, A lot of like protein bars contain multi-tall or xylitol For example as sweeteners and then inulin on top Of that.

00:18:01: both of those produce gas.

00:18:03: Inulin causes gas and those sugar alcohols cause gas too.

00:18:09: If you have.

00:18:11: I mean, it's not just people with a FODMAP intolerance.

00:18:13: Even people with completely normal gut can still get bloated from that you know?

00:18:17: Just check the packaging and see what is in there.

00:18:20: if there are mix of multiple FODmaps or FODmap plus Inulin for example then be careful right!

00:18:28: And maybe wash down with something fizzy, carbonated and boom its absolute worst case scenario The

00:18:36: absolute worst-case scenario.

00:18:37: Maybe one more thing about FOD maps.

00:18:39: I used to find it a bit confusing when people talked about FODMAP intolerance because.

00:18:47: It doesn't necessarily mean you react badly, too all of them or that your intolerant every single one right?

00:18:54: So that's maybe worth pointing out in general meaning might just be couple of them.

00:19:00: and FODmap always kind of sounded like okay if have it can tolerate any which doesn't really make sense and that's not how it works.

00:19:07: It is a whole mixed bag of different things people react to, right?

00:19:12: And I also think the fructans thing you mentioned found in wheat, rye onions garlic... A lot of people react with onion and garlic but also wheat!

00:19:25: Usually first step for people take is to look at gluten because weets are involved.

00:19:34: it isn't the gluten at all.

00:19:35: It's actually the fructans, which means the moment onions are in the mix there is a good chance people might have trouble tolerating them.

00:19:45: so definitely helps to cook them right?

00:19:46: sautee them.

00:19:47: that already makes them quite easier to digest anyway.

00:19:50: thats on that

00:19:52: yeah and you're totally right because its always framed as one big group.

00:19:57: most of us end up thinking oh ok the F or M or A giving me trouble now meaning doesn't speak for the whole group.

00:20:07: For your own sake, and to still enjoy eating it's worth not cutting out everything radically.

00:20:13: instead you can just drop one thing and test it out.

00:20:16: is maybe this one thing?

00:20:18: don't cutout entire clusters.

00:20:20: besides there are different options.

00:20:22: if you cant tolerate lactose hard cheese barely has any lactose left.

00:20:27: otherwise theres always lactose free milk.

00:20:29: so If I can't handle certain portions of fruit, then kiwi and orange like you mentioned in the intro are great options because they're not that high.

00:20:39: And fructose right?

00:20:41: They do have.

00:20:42: uh...they have sugar- they're definitely sweet but they don't have that classic massive amount of fructos that triggers all those intolerances.

00:20:51: or even legumes.

00:20:53: sometimes we don't to cut them out completely You just make portion a little smaller.

00:20:57: Sometimes it's simply dose dependent.

00:21:01: That's totally fine because legumes are really valuable healthy part of your diet, right?

00:21:07: So just play around with it a bit and you don't need to go on an extreme elimination diet overnight.

00:21:15: Another important tip maybe if you're using canned beans for instance is to rinse those beans thoroughly.

00:21:23: I hope everyone does that.

00:21:25: That's kind of.

00:21:27: you're

00:21:27: just watching people at home like, ah okay.

00:21:29: You're making when

00:21:30: people cook?

00:21:30: When you watch them.

00:21:31: that's what I meant.

00:21:32: Of course.

00:21:33: maybe i do know People

00:21:35: Just quietly observing Good good thing.

00:21:38: you rinse those good

00:21:39: things.

00:21:39: you rinse the beans by The way supposed to Do that with rice too right super important.

00:21:43: rinse your Rice beforehand as well.

00:21:44: pretty much yeah

00:21:45: Right but With Beans in that In that liquid.

00:21:48: basically Some of the FOD maps that are in the beans Leach out into the Liquid And that's why rinsing that liquid off.

00:21:56: That's what I'm talking about, you're doing yourself a favor and... ...that sludge in the can usually looks pretty gnarly anyway so i don't think it is hard to just dump it.

00:22:07: Exactly!

00:22:08: You already covered the gluten thing.

00:22:10: Gluten gets way worse wrapped than it actually deserves.

00:22:14: Sometimes the problem or more often something else

00:22:20: It's like water soluble.

00:22:21: Now when we eat healthy uh bloating or digestion you eventually end up at the topic of fiber.

00:22:30: What do you need to look out for there?

00:22:33: Yeah, so first off.

00:22:35: um it's not quite as simple as its often made out to be right.

00:22:40: Um.

00:22:42: So ultimately

00:22:44: You

00:22:45: want Like we basically always say you ultimately wanna get your fiber from your normal diet.

00:22:49: so having a normal food matrix that has A good mix of soluble and insoluble fiber, meaning you don't just take something unnatural where you've like added pure inulin.

00:23:00: And then chug that in massive amounts but actually want a good mix?

00:23:04: That's always the beauty.

00:23:05: or something like psyllium husk it.

00:23:07: they're really nice I'd say a really nice mix of solubile fiber at least which atleast mimics a relatively good natural food matrix to some degree, right?

00:23:18: That's why psyllium husk is just really exciting supplement if you want to supplement your fiber intake somehow.

00:23:26: But like I said the foundation should come from your regular diet.

00:23:28: You should only maybe add little bit on top Right.

00:23:32: so psyllum husk Is definitely a top pick.

00:23:35: Of course there are also other Like i'd say fiber blends where they made sure To include different types of fiber that serve slightly different.

00:23:44: Yeah, serve different purposes or check different boxes right.

00:23:48: meaning on one hand you want something that maybe has a bit more starch in it.

00:23:53: You want soluble fiber.

00:23:55: may be some insoluble to which often isn't the case and supplements though most of the time is just solubiline there right?

00:24:00: We kind of need regular food for the insoluable stuff.

00:24:03: so you wanna hit that good balance Unfortunately, unfortunately not quite how it works.

00:24:16: Right?

00:24:17: I mean you can do it but It's probably not going to be the ideal way.

00:24:21: So yeah focus on regular food first and then like i said psyllium husk or a blend Like that.

00:24:27: just Be mindful there.

00:24:28: don't Just take isolated fibers like inulin.

00:24:32: That only really makes sense In a blend

00:24:34: Exactly!

00:24:35: And they've looked at that in A couple studies too right.

00:24:37: so psyllum husk alone scored pretty well Too and offered good relief.

00:24:41: Then they tested psyllium husk combined with inulin.

00:24:45: that performed even better than just inulin on its own, for example.

00:24:48: Right?

00:24:49: So like you said it definitely makes sense to use a blend.

00:24:51: obviously getting it through your diet is best but otherwise I mean psyllum husk.

00:24:56: if you take it straight i tried it in water once right... Just pure psyllom husk!

00:25:01: I think it's something super wild because Clumps up like that and then you get these chunks in there.

00:25:08: And it's really unpleasant.

00:25:09: I mean, i still do it but maybe my water has a different composition so It goes bad and so on?

00:25:14: That's why Honestly capsules are totally fine to me.

00:25:18: You can also mix it into yogurt or oatmeal.

00:25:20: So that's all great.

00:25:22: There are lots of different options at work.

00:25:24: an otherwise A flavored blend that you can take on the go Can obviously be a good option too.

00:25:29: so They're they're our.

00:25:31: yeah so many different options and fiber can definitely Help there.

00:25:35: something else that helps quite a bit.

00:25:37: Maybe one more point on fiber.

00:25:39: don't forget to drink enough water.

00:25:41: Yeah, you gotta stir it a lot Mario Don't forget the drink enough.

00:25:44: and well we actually already did an episode on that right.

00:25:46: so if You really want to do a deep dive?

00:25:48: We didn't episode on That probably a few months ago maybe even a year ago But either way we already did in episode on it And we really went deep

00:25:54: Right.

00:25:54: The episode is called fiber maxing.

00:25:57: So don't uh...don't be thrown off that.

00:25:58: It doesn't say fiber in German fiber Maxing.

00:26:01: that's like the whole new trend.

00:26:02: That's what people call it nowadays when you eat a ton of fiber, just like protein maxing and whatever else.

00:26:08: You can max out but exactly definitely check that out.

00:26:12: aside from fiber another thing that helps is simply eating slowly Just Like that.

00:26:17: the slower you eat The more you chew the less air you swallow.

00:26:21: And Of course It also helps because your gut doesn't have to work as hard When it comes To digestion.

00:26:26: breaking down huge chunks Is way Way More demanding and strenuous on the body than swallowing food that's been chewed really well.

00:26:35: Skip straws, maybe cut back on carbonated water.

00:26:38: just drink flatwater instead?

00:26:39: That is also always a good option sometimes a bit underrated.

00:26:44: personally for instance I absolutely love sparkling water and could drink sparkling water all day but like we mentioned in one of the recent episodes or even earlier this one here Because otherwise, it's just unpleasant when bubbles back up while you're talking.

00:27:01: And exactly chewing gum can also play a bit of role not because the xylitol that is in a lot of gum but also because you swallow air and chew gum right?

00:27:13: Keep this in mind too!

00:27:15: Small amelior portions are obviously important.

00:27:20: Exercise helps to get back later.

00:27:22: so regular exercise makes sure transit through gut runs way, way better so you don't get that gas build up.

00:27:30: You don't constipated and so on... There's also a couple of neat studies showing when people got moving or rode a bike after eating there was more than fifty percent less gas in the gut overall even though they ate the exact same thing.

00:27:48: found it really fascinating too.

00:27:52: Constipation like we said at Always make sure you deal with the constipation, right?

00:27:57: Don't just jump to the conclusion that you have an intolerance to something.

00:28:01: Constipation is rarely an intolerant issue.

00:28:03: it's mostly a combination of too little movement and The wrong diet Right.

00:28:09: so definitely keep that in mind.

00:28:11: And then for that diaphragm issue You mentioned I unfortunately can't remember the name Something was abdominal and diaphragmatic.

00:28:20: Is that well that diaphragmatic reflex?

00:28:22: you could actually Uh, train it with biofeedback training.

00:28:26: Exactly exactly.

00:28:27: yeah well maybe to add um I have a few points of my own here Of course.

00:28:30: Um so first uh Maybe that whole constipation thing again It's i think underrated.

00:28:37: people underestimate how many People actually Have mild Constipation simply because Because people move So insanely little throughout the day.

00:28:45: right we sit too much and That's Actually A very unnatural posture for the way our body is built, you know?

00:28:51: Like sitting upright in a chair makes no sense at all.

00:28:55: I mean if you look at how let's say poorer people in very, very densely populated countries move around day to day they rarely sit in chairs.

00:29:04: They squat down right and their basically on their feet All Day or lie down On The Floor And Whatever Else There Always On A Hard Surface Right And Their Body Handles It Just Fine.

00:29:14: That Naturally Stretches Out Certain Muscle Groups Again Too.

00:29:17: And in the end, that's just something that very often leads to constipation for us.

00:29:24: Having a bowel movement every single day by no means guarantees you aren't constipated right?

00:29:29: It just means you have a bowel moment everyday de facto and You might still have an extreme amount left in your gut.

00:29:37: let's say That's why movement is such an exciting topic, right?

00:29:41: Because obviously you want to get enough movement.

00:29:44: And that's why fiber is also such an interesting topic because obviously that also let say stimulate gut motility again and can sort of offset all that sitting around all day.

00:29:55: At the same time our diet has become lower in fiber too.

00:29:57: so we just have a lot things that are interconnected.

00:30:03: just get it under control.

00:30:12: But yeah, stress is probably the final piece also connected somehow to that diaphragmatic reflex where basically let's say your digestion can't quite keep up right?

00:30:24: Can't really settle down either.

00:30:26: and on the flip side breathing isn't quite happening ideally either.

00:30:31: but anyway... That's my two

00:30:34: cents!

00:30:37: and how thoroughly the quality is tested.

00:30:40: That's why our sponsor Molecular places huge importance on high-quality standards, independent lab analyses.

00:30:46: Their lineup includes basics like Magnesium & Omega III as well more specialized longevity products with detailed background info.

00:30:55: if you'd like to check it out for yourself head over to Molecular.com.

00:30:59: Use code BEYONDTEN to get ten euros off your next order.

00:31:03: Everything You Need is right there in the show notes too

00:31:07: And we already talked about FODMAPs, and we've already covered what actually counts as a FODmap.

00:31:12: So those different groups... ...and how to do something like that in a structured way You can either eliminate things step by step But what's actually way smarter is trying to cut out all FODmaps completely possible Then reintroducing them gradually so you could say okay I'm going to strictly cut out every single FODMAP from my diet for two-to six weeks.

00:31:37: Obviously, you have to do your research first which definitely makes it tedious and then you reintroduce them step by step back into your diet.

00:31:45: Then you can start with the S's Start With The O's, Start With Ds And so on & So forth.

00:31:51: That could also be pretty handy.

00:31:54: But like I said You Can Try Out Different Things Beforehand.

00:31:59: way more sense to first focus on movement, focus on fiber and focus on constipation before you turn to FODMAPs.

00:32:08: And FODmaps have gotten so popular partly because so many people have IBS... ...and for IBS a low FODmap diet meaning having very few FOD maps in your diet has particularly strong evidence.

00:32:21: Just wanted to point that out again.

00:32:23: So if someone is struggling with IBS It's definitely worth checking whether it works better, whether the symptoms simply improve if you consume fewer FODMAPs.

00:32:35: That is a deal with that!

00:32:36: The only thing to watch out for when you strictly eliminate all FODmaps... ...is that you end up in certain nutritional gaps because tons of foods get cut-out right?

00:32:46: When you cut everything into those groups.

00:32:48: So just keep that in mind.

00:32:50: If you generally consume way fewer or practically no FODMAPs at all, You get certain nutritional gaps That you then have to balance out.

00:32:59: and the evidence is really only solid for IBS patients And not so much For any other cases right?

00:33:05: It's Just an experiment you can try Out if you Have general bloating.

00:33:11: speaking of various.

00:33:13: Earlier we were on products for fiber.

00:33:16: something else getting a lot Of attention is probiotics prebiotics, synbiotics post biotics.

00:33:22: There's a whole bunch of them but the most popular are prebiotic.

00:33:26: Yeah I mean prebiotics...I think you meant probiotics just now Exactly because prebiotex is basically fiber for example right?

00:33:34: So what feeds the microbiome right?

00:33:40: Probiotics yeah.

00:33:41: so first off probiotic that term.

00:33:43: often your actually not even allowed to use it.

00:33:46: That comes down to the fact de facto is no longer a dietary supplement, but a pharmaceutical drug.

00:33:53: Just so you might have heard that before.

00:33:55: quick little regulatory in insight here.

00:33:59: anyway probiotics Is a very complex topic because In general the microbiome is so diverse.

00:34:06: I mean we really have millions of different bacteria in our abdominal cavity.

00:34:09: not are abdominal cavity and our gut right?

00:34:12: And Quick little regulatory inside here any way.

00:34:17: probiotics Is a very, very complex topic because in general the microbiome is so diverse.

00:34:22: I mean we really have millions of different bacteria In our abdominal cavity.

00:34:26: not.

00:34:26: are abdominal cavity and our gut right?

00:34:29: And abdominal

00:34:30: cavity too for sure!

00:34:31: Yeah well on the inside Well outside of the gut ideally not but whatever.

00:34:34: either way Inside The Gut you definitely Have A ton Of Bacteria that varies Very, very widely from person to Person meaning You can't just say Okay this composition is perfect microbiome What you Can Say?

00:34:46: There are various bacteria that are associated with an irritated gut, a stressed gut or maybe bloated gut.

00:34:51: But there isn't necessarily a hard causal link behind it.

00:34:56: meaning just because you have those bacteria in their doesn't by any stretch mean they'll have a bloated belly and get issues somehow which means its very fuzzy topic.

00:35:08: But it doesn't have to, right?

00:35:09: And that's also why for so many people who start popping probiotics they de facto get no real benefit.

00:35:16: What they mostly put into these probiotics are simply strains—bacterial strains —that ideally try to mimic the gut microbiota associated with more positive outcomes like less bloating or stomach pain and less IBS.

00:35:30: It does not mean by any stretch though necessarily means you'll have less of that right.

00:35:35: so it really is purely correlational and i might work but doesn't have to of course definitely a valid option worth looking into if your experiencing issues.

00:35:44: But its definitely not the first lever.

00:35:46: like we said fiber exercise come before that, The

00:35:59: individuality of the gut microbiome is also the reason why these microbiome tests are sometimes so hard to interpret, right?

00:36:07: Because sure you can do a microbiome test and get this breakdown on what's all contained in the microbiome.

00:36:15: But really say that your personal ideal composition should look like nobody actually tell us about it... You could look at certain groups proven to be beneficial somehow but that's pretty much where it ends, right?

00:36:32: Theoretically you can do that without a microbiome test anyway and just try to support and push these bacteria.

00:36:37: But other than that the interpretation is usually pretty limited.

00:36:41: Besides probiotics there are also two enzymes.

00:36:45: one is known especially by people who are lactose intolerant namely lactase .The ability to produce lactase.

00:36:55: But you can just supplement it in these mini tablets or mini pellets, right?

00:37:00: Exactly.

00:37:00: And especially if your lactose intolerant but still want to consume dairy then that works relatively well Should do all the time now doesn't always have be In and of itself though It's not like there are major side effects.

00:37:16: If take this Lactase every day The body already knows it Right!

00:37:20: Just gets mixed into digestive tract.

00:37:23: And then there's alpha galactosidase for legumes.

00:37:27: That, so that's an enzyme that helps with digesting with metabolizing legumes.

00:37:33: and if you'd like to eat legumes as part of a balanced healthy diet but you don't tolerate them so well because they're part significantly improves tolerance, let's say.

00:37:53: It is available I assume just like lactase as a supplement somewhere and you can get it and test it out accordingly.

00:38:00: if you feel that you have an issue especially with beans.

00:38:04: Like i said though that only helps If...I mean Lactase doesn't provide generally better digestion for all kinds of things..it only helps You if Lactose Is the root cause right?

00:38:15: Just like this Alpha Galactosidase Only Helps component in the legumes happens to be a problem.

00:38:22: So that match has to be there, it doesn't provide generally better digestion

00:38:27: somehow.".

00:38:27: That's why most of these digestive blends out there... Oh let's sprinkle in little.

00:38:31: lactase and alfagalactosidase are usually not particularly useful because if you don't have an issue with them then those enzymes won't contribute.

00:38:47: There's something else from now.

00:38:50: You'd almost be inclined to say, the snake oil category because it is peppermint oil but not all that far-fetched?

00:39:00: No I think I also recall from gastroenterology which actually used there sometimes Not that rarely.

00:39:07: In the end peppermints just has a soothing effect on intestinal lining and in cases like this That obviously isn't bad at all.

00:39:15: And that's why you can take peppermint oil in a bunch of different ways like as capsules, right?

00:39:21: It is often done.

00:39:22: In that form or off course You can just drink peppermin tea.

00:39:26: A lot people already do that pretty instinctively maybe picked it up at home That whenever they have an upset stomach They make themselves some peppermint tea.

00:39:35: So not uncommon.

00:39:37: and definitely there are evidence Not a ton but its definitely worth the shot because it can't really hurt, right?

00:39:44: It's not expensive and definitely a valid option.

00:39:47: But like we said, it's not one of the big levers that can relieve symptoms, Right?

00:39:54: Maybe on the topic of peppermint tea... Peppermint oil and peppermin tea are obviously very different in terms of potency.

00:40:02: Pepperman oil is way more potent And you shouldn't expect that.

00:40:08: drinking peppermind tea Let's say solve your bloating issues, right?

00:40:12: Because there is naturally so little peppermint in it.

00:40:15: It smells great of course and tastes great And can just be a nice habit if you generally enjoy drinking tea anyway.

00:40:21: But...it doesn't replace standard therapy the way its done with these peppermints oil capsules.

00:40:27: Really important.

00:40:27: they have to be enteric coated capsules because it shouldn't release into stomach but only In small intestine So that it unfolds its effect.

00:40:37: We've also rounded up some myths surrounding this whole let's say bloating topic and we've already debunked the first one right.

00:40:44: so bloating doesn't always mean.

00:40:47: Too much gas.

00:40:48: some can also just be hypersensitivity.

00:40:51: sometimes it can be a diaphragm issue like we are already described.

00:40:54: that can be constipation.

00:40:55: that means too much gas isn't always the problem, second is detox teas flush water out of your belly thats i mean if you drink a detox tea not necessarily going to fix your bloating Because like we said, bloating can have different causes and a detox tea isn't going to make your diaphragm function normally again for example.

00:41:18: So I think what's talked about there is stinging nettle right?

00:41:22: Nettle has this mild what medicine calls a diuretic effect meaning it promotes water excretion.

00:41:32: naturally be and we actually found this pretty fascinating beforehand.

00:41:35: to that progesterone can lead two more.

00:41:38: water retention in the g i tract as well right on that can also cause a bloated or swollen feeling.

00:41:44: The stomach.

00:41:44: so that might actually be a valid option.

00:41:47: second half of the cycle for women too kind of reduce uploading.

00:41:52: you do have to say though that nettle tea doesn't have some crazy diuretic effect, right?

00:41:58: It's really minimal.

00:41:59: But it is a little bit and can be interesting accordingly.

00:42:04: so its not totally wrong but in most cases just doesn't apply.

00:42:08: And

00:42:11: then maybe one more point.

00:42:13: there are a lot of these SIBO breath tests that you could buy online ordered to your house.

00:42:20: One thing have know they promise alot.

00:42:23: These tests are very often positive in healthy people too.

00:42:27: That means it might come back positive for you, but you actually don't have an issue with at all right?

00:42:33: And there also like I mean lactose intolerance can be diagnosed via a breath test.

00:42:38: With those tests as well.

00:42:39: when they... When you order them For home use You just get A very high number of false positive diagnoses.

00:42:49: Let's say so diagnosis and quotes because it's still just a test, right?

00:42:53: And you'd still want to get that confirmed.

00:42:55: Just be a bit careful there and don't drive yourself crazy right off the bat.

00:43:00: but rather I'd say maybe take that as reason to look into it closer.

00:43:05: That can for first shot pretty interesting But Don't Take It As Gospel Just Because It Turns Out You Supposedly Have Some Bacterial Overgrowth Or Some Intolerance.

00:43:15: Be A Bit Cautious.

00:43:18: When Should You Pay Attention?

00:43:21: Bloating is harmless in most cases and can really be treated quite well.

00:43:26: In the vast majority of cases, if you pay attention to all the things we already mentioned.

00:43:30: there are however a few red flags where You should definitely go see your doctor.

00:43:36: Yeah Definitely Is maybe sometimes a bit too strong right but But in any case reasons.

00:43:40: Where?

00:43:50: bloated it is, right?

00:43:52: So that means basically doesn't budge.

00:43:55: It doesn't decrease more or less not even really after a bowel movement.

00:44:00: That's definitely something you should get checked out because can have all kinds of also Not so nice causes.

00:44:07: but like I said don't drive yourself crazy over as long As i'd say there just a bloating effect usually pretty harmless.

00:44:20: Then

00:44:22: moving on to the community hotline.

00:44:28: So we got a question from The Community, it's actually from little while ago and It came in for the Fibre episode, the Fiber Maxing Episode.

00:44:39: We saved today For this relatively new category And A woman wrote us saying that In the morning she eats Overnight oats with chia, apple and honey.

00:44:51: Drinks a protein shake at lunch that has a little inulin in it And otherwise eats a totally healthy diet.

00:44:56: even so she gets bloated like She feels visibly bloated Visibly puffed up already around midday?

00:45:03: So she's asking herself this is basically A super-healthy diet.

00:45:07: most people hearing That would probably agree.

00:45:09: what Is she doing wrong?

00:45:11: well I mean first of all she's not Doing anything wrong at All.

00:45:14: i'd say right But it could just be that there are things in it, she doesn't tolerate well.

00:45:21: From my perspective alarm bells would definitely go off regarding fructose right?

00:45:25: There's a lot of fruitose going on from the apple and honey.

00:45:30: so that is something worth looking into plus... It can obviously go to the direction of FODMAPS especially fructans because they're pretty common in oats as well, then different sweeteners and the protein shake might be playing a role.

00:45:49: Inulin is another classic top-classic issue found on a lot of functional

00:45:54: foods.".

00:45:55: I mean most people tolerate it wonderfully right?

00:45:58: And that's usually actually good thing you know.

00:46:01: but if you don't tolerate it well It causes a lot gas production.

00:46:05: so there could be reason too.

00:46:06: There are lots of possibilities here taking things out step by step, like start with a shake without inulin.

00:46:16: that might be the most likely culprit or cutout.

00:46:20: The two high fructose items especially the apple maybe swap it for blueberries which are much lower and fructos.

00:46:28: we also mentioned kiwi early on.

00:46:30: That can be super interesting And is very well tolerated.

00:46:35: On the other hand third thing would be oats and chia.

00:46:38: looking at those to see okay Maybe we have a fruit and issue there to know playing into it.

00:46:44: So, they are basically three different reasons.

00:46:46: that could be maybe its two out of three.

00:46:48: right hard-to-say.

00:46:50: but doing this let's call elimination test.

00:46:53: an elimination diet as it is known would probably the smartest way go about just testing step by step really pinpoint what causing rather than cutting everything else driving yourself crazy in that way not actually huge massive restriction that the only important thing is to really do it for a few weeks, not just for couple of days and think oh I feel better for a couple of day because they could be due other things.

00:47:17: Pure coincidence you know?

00:47:18: That's why we have to stick with them for bit then got pretty good shot at finding solid solution.

00:47:24: So in all likelihood its simply combination so many things can cause bloating probably if swap out one like said whether swapping apple and honey for berries or other fruits, uh...or leaving out the inulin.

00:47:41: Maybe then everything's fine right?

00:47:43: But a lot of different things come together that can end up causing bloating.

00:47:50: so it's probably not even a FODMAP intolerance.

00:47:52: It is just an individual sensitivity to too large amount Or too wild combination Of different things.

00:48:00: And Then That Should Probably Do The Trick.

00:48:06: And what you can also gladly add to that is, this our biohack.

00:48:14: The Biohack is pretty simple I'd say because it's the classic post-meal walk and since so few people do it we really wanted to bring it up again today.

00:48:25: It's ten or fifteen minutes after eating.

00:48:27: You could do it after breakfast but ideally after the biggest meal of day.

00:48:33: Interestingly for a lot of people thats dinner On average just moving around for ten to fifteen minutes afterward.

00:48:41: fresh air never hurts either right.

00:48:43: Just stepping outside getting a little fresh air and that's positive in so many ways.

00:48:50: first of all it's more effective than a lot of medications you can take for bloating, right?

00:48:56: There are those so-called foamers or... Defoamers.

00:49:00: Defoamers, anti foaming agents that are sold as meds.

00:49:05: it's way more effective than something like that For instance.

00:49:09: It is also good for blood sugar levels So it will keep blood sugar from spiking high and bring down faster Which means better for the pancreas, better regarding potential future diabetes And it also significantly reduced that gas volume, right?

00:49:26: I mean in the end.

00:49:27: It was nearly half the amount compared to people who didn't move around at all and especially at lunch.

00:49:32: That's a big deal.

00:49:33: if you work say You have a desk job Right you sit all morning You go down grab a bite somewhere and then you sit right back Down At your desk and do nothing right.

00:49:43: and that's really about The very bad combination to have.

00:49:46: so definitely try To structure Your day Either have a phone call right after where you can walk around, go for a stroll or otherwise.

00:49:55: just ideally build in that movement and not just randomly during the day but specifically Right After A Meal.

00:50:02: That's really important.

00:50:04: And now if you want to be really extra of course You Can Also Add Breathing Exercises To That Meaning Just While Walking Take Slow Deep Breaths Into Your Belly.

00:50:12: Thats also Something People Often Lose During The Day rushing back and forth stress between meetings, then your body starts working way more through the chest.

00:50:22: And with that you stimulate movement in the gut once more which is also really positive.

00:50:27: Exactly maybe just to wrap things up at the very end I mean we've already established that a bloated belly can have A lot of different causes.

00:50:35: sometimes it's the common thing like simply not enough Movement.

00:50:38: its constipation may be some guts sensitivity.

00:50:41: It's not always genuinely an intolerance even if That's what comes to mind first.

00:50:45: for most people right?

00:50:47: As soon as you have a digestive issue, immediately assuming that you can't tolerate something.

00:50:51: Sometimes it also just goes away on its own right?

00:50:54: If it lasts very long time if those fluctuations stop happening Just go see the doctor.

00:51:00: You get checked out Have an ultrasound done or do some other imaging.

00:51:03: There are lot of different options.

00:51:05: And otherwise incorporate fiber into your diet.

00:51:07: Be careful not to stack too many FODMAPS On top eachother.

00:51:12: For alot people It might not even be an issue at all.

00:51:15: Otherwise, remember to question that and maybe either don't eat them all at once but spread them out a bit.

00:51:21: In many cases the bloating just goes away.

00:51:25: then you're basically de-bloated so to speak.

00:51:30: We'll drop another poll in The Show Notes on Spotify for you guys On the topic of bloating.

00:51:36: we definitely love hear your thoughts.

00:51:37: feel free to check That Out.

00:51:39: Also Feel Free To Send Us A Question For Future Community Hotline moments on the podcast.

00:51:46: We always use your questions for that, we don't make anything up so definitely leave a comment.

00:52:01: Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss any new episodes.

00:52:15: Other than that, thank you for listening!

00:52:18: Thanks for watching and thanks Max!

00:52:20: Until next time – looking forward

00:52:29: it!