Stomach bloating – four diet swaps to prevent trapped wind pain

Most people have been affected by stomach bloating at some point in their lifetime, according to the NHS.

The condition can make the stomach feel stretched and uncomfortable.

Eating certain foods could increase the risk of feeling bloated.

Stomach bloating is a symptom of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), which may trigger a reaction in the digestive system. But, making these diet swaps could prevent signs of the condition.

Patients that often suffer from feeling bloated should consider swapping their dairy products for alternatives – like almond milk or coconut butter, said nutritional therapist Natalie Lamb.

Similarly, cutting out gluten grains may also provide patients with some relief from painful stomach bloating.

“It is often the food that is eaten most regularly that is the culprit, so almost any food can cause a reaction,” said Lamb.

“The most common intolerances are pasteurised dairy products and gluten grains especially wheat.

“Using coconut butter and homemade almond bread or almond milks could be healthy alternatives.”

Some people have reactions to common preservatives, additives and food colourings in processed foods, she added.

Swapping processed foods for those in their natural whole food forms may help patients to avoid painful bloating.

If cooking vegetables, make sure to cook them all the way through – they’ll be easier to digest, said Lamb.

It may be a good idea to cut back on the amount of fibre in your diet, she said.

“those with an oversensitive gut lining and imbalanced gut microflora will find some grains, vegetables and legumes difficult to digest,” said the nutritional therapist.

“Insoluble bran fibre is often too harsh for sensitive IBS sufferers whereas psyllium husk has been shown to be a much gentler fibre supplement known to absorb much more water than other common fibres, forming a soft gel-like substance, making it suitable for those with loose or hard stools.”

Rebalancing gut bacteria could help to make digestion easier. More than 70 per cent of IBS patients have an imbalanced gut.

Reducing the amount of processed products could help to control pathogen growth in the gut, said Lamb.

Eating more traditionally fermented foods – such as sauerkraut, live yoghurt or kefir – could help to boost the amount of ‘good’ bacteria in the gut and ease digestive discomfort.

Some live bacteria supplements – or probiotics – could improve the overall symptoms of IBS, she said.

“Recently a multi-strain probiotic significantly improved overall symptom severity in IBS patients.

“The same strains are contained within Lepicol, a three-in-one combination of gentle psyllium husk fibre, five probiotic strains and inulin acting as a prebiotic (www.lepicol.com).”