
Bloating
A functional medicine approach to bloating.
Seeking a natural treatment for bloating? This page covers:
Understanding your condition
What is bloating?
It’s normal to experience occasional, mild bloating from time to time. However, for some people, chronic, uncomfortable bloating can be a distressing and even embarrassing condition. This type of persistent bloating can cause a sensation of abdominal fullness, either accompanied by or separate from physical abdominal distension.
Regular, everyday bloating, known as functional bloating, is a common reaction to consuming food and drink. Other forms of chronic bloating may be related to more volatile reactions, such as irritation, inflammation, or the retention of gas or fluid in the digestive system.
Bloating
A natural treatment for bloating.
Our functional medicine practitioner can help you find relief from bloating through personalized, natural treatment strategies once they identify the root cause of your symptoms and rule out any more serious conditions.

Common bloating symptoms.
It’s estimated that up to 30% of people struggle with chronic abdominal bloating. Surprisingly, most of them don’t know why they’re bloated or what to do about it.
While minor gastrointestinal issues are the most common cause, ongoing bloating can also signal more serious conditions like bowel or ovarian cancer. That’s why it’s important to have any persistent bloating checked out by a doctor.
There are 4 key signs of problematic bloating:
- A sensation of swelling or fullness in the abdomen, which may worsen throughout the day without an actual increase in size
- Visible distension or expansion of the abdomen (though 24% of cases don’t experience this)
- Increased volume of abdominal contents due to fluid retention, constipation, or gas
- Greater awareness of abdominal muscle activity and cramping
When bloating becomes a regular or long-term issue, it could indicate a more complex underlying health problem. If you’re dealing with persistent bloating, it’s best to see your doctor to identify the cause and get the right treatment.
What causes bloating?
Bloating can have some clear triggers, like lactose intolerance or food sensitivities. But other times, that uncomfortable puffiness can pop up without any obvious reason. To help you get to the bottom of what’s causing your bloat, let’s explore some of the most common culprits.
Slow motility of waste.
The slow movement of food and waste through your digestive system can cause uncomfortable bloating if your bowels aren’t working properly. When things get “backed up,” the buildup of food and waste in your gut can leave you feeling full and uncomfortable. This is often linked to constipation, which can be worsened by dehydration, lack of exercise, low digestive enzymes, or medications like opioids. Difficulty passing stool may also signal an underlying issue like an obstruction, mass in the bowels, or a condition like diverticulitis – so it’s always important to get that checked out.
Gas retention.
Gas buildup is a common cause of bloating, which can lead to flatulence or burping. This type of bloating expands the volume inside your digestive organs, putting pressure on the intestinal walls and causing that uncomfortable, bloated feeling.
Gas can build up as your body reacts to food and drink, especially if you have an imbalance in your gut bacteria (dysbiosis), a food intolerance, not enough digestive enzymes to properly break down your food, or if you simply overeat.
Fluid retention.
Similar to gas and solid foods, fluid buildup in the gut can lead to bloating, especially for those with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). But fluid malabsorption can also trigger diarrhea, pain, and worsen other digestive issues. Fluid retention may stem from hormonal imbalances, poor gut health, food intolerances, or certain medications.
Trapped air.
Bloating can often be caused by something as simple as trapped air in your digestive system. This can happen if you drink carbonated beverages, use a straw, or eat your food too quickly.
Medical conditions.
Bloating that is excessive, painful, ongoing, or unrelated to food may signal an underlying medical issue. Bloating can commonly occur due to a variety of health conditions, including:
- Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Diverticulitis
- Celiac disease
- Food intolerance
- Parasites
- Inflammation
- Endometriosis
How to reduce bloating – the conventional approach.
The conventional medical approach to abdominal bloating is quite limited. Many people turn to over-the-counter remedies like Immodium or Gas-X to target gas and wind. Laxatives are another common option for addressing sluggish digestion. However, these medications are only meant for temporary relief and can have harmful side effects.
Anti-gas medication.
Medications like simethicone, the active ingredient in Gas-X, use silicone compounds that work by lowering the surface tension of gas bubbles in your digestive tract. This causes the gas bubbles to disperse and accumulate, making it easier for them to be expelled as burps or farts. However, despite the name, these medications don’t actually reduce the amount of gas your body produces.
Antacids.
Some people try using antacids to help reduce the bloating and discomfort caused by heartburn and GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). These antacids belong to a class of drugs called proton pump inhibitors. However, recent studies have linked proton pump inhibitors to potentially serious side effects, including cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, osteoporosis, and upper gastrointestinal cancers.
Laxatives.
Constipation can lead people to commonly use laxatives. While laxatives may provide short-term relief by speeding up the transit of material through the gut, this can actually impair nutrient absorption from food. And long-term laxative use can have serious side effects that worsen bowel dysfunction, including dehydration, intestinal paralysis, lazy gut, irritable bowel syndrome, and pancreatitis. So while laxatives may seem like a quick fix for constipation, they can end up causing more problems down the line.
Antibiotics.
If abdominal bloating is caused by bacterial overgrowth or a parasitic infection, your doctor may recommend antibiotics. However, this approach has some drawbacks. Antibiotics are non-selective, meaning they kill both beneficial and harmful bacterial species. This can disrupt the delicate balance of your gut microbiome, which may actually trigger or worsen your bloating issues. So while antibiotics may seem like a quick fix, they may not provide the desired relief and could potentially make your bloating problem worse in the long run.
Natural treatment for bloating – the functional medicine approach.
At BionwoRx, our functional medicine bloating specialist will start by asking questions to uncover any patterns that point to potential triggers for your bloating. We’ll use a range of functional testing and diagnostics to get to the root cause of your condition.
Once we identify the underlying issue, we can help you avoid and remove those triggers, preventing future bouts of bloating rather than just masking the symptoms. The first priority of functional medicine is to get to the heart of the problem, not just treat the surface-level effects.
The BionwoRx functional medicine approach.
Natural treatment for bloating.
At BionwoRx, our bloating specialist will start by asking questions to uncover any patterns that point to potential triggers for your bloating. We’ll use a range of functional testing and diagnostics to get to the root cause of your condition.
Once we identify the underlying issue, we can help you avoid and remove those triggers, preventing future bouts of bloating rather than just masking the symptoms. The first priority of functional medicine is to get to the heart of the problem, not just treat the surface-level effects.
Dietary change.
Our functional medicine practitioner may ask you to keep a food diary and note any bloating events. This can help identify potential dietary triggers, such as dairy, gluten, grains, legumes, nightshades, processed foods, soft drinks, alcohol, insufficient fiber, or poor hydration.
She’ll also consider other factors like nutritional imbalances and deficiencies. A well-rounded diet focused on highly digestible, unprocessed whole foods can improve digestion and reduce inflammation and bloating.
Food intolerance testing and elimination diet.
Food intolerances are a common culprit behind ongoing or chronic bloating. This includes conditions like celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder, as well as milder sensitivities to things like lactose, gluten, and FODMAPs. To help prevent bloating and support overall gut health, your practitioner may suggest trying a short-term elimination diet.
Gut health compounds.
Intestinal flora imbalance is a common cause of bloating, but the good news is that prebiotics and probiotics can help restore balance and provide relief. However, when first introducing these supplements, you may experience increased gas and bloating, especially if you choose the wrong type. To avoid this, it’s best to work with a functional medicine practitioner who can guide you through the process.
Some great prebiotic and probiotic options to try include berries, fermented veggies, bone broth, and herbal extracts like curcumin, ginger, cinnamon, peppermint, and ginseng. With a little trial and error under the guidance of an expert, you should be able to find the right balance to soothe your digestive woes.
FAQs.
How to reduce bloating?
Have you considered seeing a functional medicine bloating specialist? Functional medicine-trained practitoners use evidence-based natural treatments to relieve bloating and restore digestive function. If you’re experiencing ongoing bloating symptoms, it’s important to first rule out any underlying conditions, such as:
- SIBO
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Diverticulitis
- Celiac disease
- Food intolerance
- Parasites
- Inflammation
- Endometriosis
While the treatment for each condition will be different, some people find short-term relief from herbal teas like ginger, peppermint or chamomile, or ginseng to help with bloating. Increasing fiber intake with whole, unprocessed fruits, veggies and grains, along with good hydration, can also help relieve symptoms.
Gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) is the result of long-term acid reflux, also known as heartburn. Chronic reflux episodes happen when the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), located just above the stomach, becomes too relaxed or doesn’t close properly. This allows the stomach’s contents to rise back up into the esophagus. There are several reasons why the LES may not function as it should, such as obesity, certain foods, medications, stress, pregnancy, inherited LES weakness, or digestive issues like SIBO or dysbiosis.
If left untreated, GERD can become serious. It can cause inflammation and damage to the esophagus, and may even lead to Barrett’s esophagus – a condition strongly linked to a higher risk of esophageal cancer.
For safe, effective natural treatments for acid reflux, consider consulting a functional medicine practitioner who specializes in naturopathic acid reflux therapies. See the details above for more information.
How can you tell the difference between bloating and fat?
Sometimes, it can be hard to tell just by looking in the mirror if you’re dealing with bloating or actual weight gain.
Do your clothes fit around the waistband one day, then not the next, then back again? That may indicate temporary bloating. If your size is steadily and consistently increasing over time, then perhaps it’s a sign of longer-term fat gain.
Are you eating more, or just differently? Bloating can occur for a number of reasons, including food intolerances/sensitivities, stress, constipation, gas retention, fluid retention, trapped air, medical conditions, or medications. So if you’ve been experiencing bloating symptoms regularly or they’re persisting long-term, it’s important to have it checked out.
A functional medicine trained bloating specialist can help get to the root cause and design a tailored, natural treatment plan to help you feel well again. They can run tests, identify any underlying issues, and provide personalized guidance to reduce your bloating for good.
What foods cause bloating?
Everyone’s body responds differently to certain foods, and food intolerances or sensitivities can lead to uncomfortable bloating. The main culprits tend to be dairy, grains, legumes, and nightshade vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, and eggplant.
For those with celiac disease, a gluten-free diet is often the best solution for reducing bloating, along with proper treatment for the condition. But even people without celiac may find they are sensitive to gluten, wheat, or other specific grains that trigger bloating.
Functional testing can help identify the root cause of your bloating. Our functional medicine bloating specialist can then develop a personalized treatment plan to get your digestive issues under control and relieve that uncomfortable, bloated feeling.
How to get rid of a bloated stomach naturally?
There are several potential reasons for bloating, and fortunately, there are also various treatments to address it. The first step is to understand the underlying cause, as bloating can sometimes be a symptom of other medical conditions.
Increasing your daily water intake to 2 liters and boosting your fiber from whole, unprocessed fruits and veggies may help. It’s also a good idea to limit foods that commonly trigger bloating, such as fast food, sugary items, dairy, or other known sensitivities.
Testing for food allergies or intolerances can help pinpoint the specific culprit causing your bloating. Certain herbs like chamomile, ginger, peppermint, and ginseng are also known to provide relief. While peppermint tea can sometimes help, it may also exacerbate acid reflux in some people.
The key is to be proactive in identifying and addressing the root cause of your bloating through dietary and lifestyle adjustments. With a little trial and error, you should be able to find an effective solution.
What supplements should I be taking for gut health and bloating?
There are many over-the-counter supplements available in the US to help with bloating. However, there can be a variety of reasons causing gut health and bloating issues. It’s important to identify the underlying cause so you can treat it properly and avoid further discomfort or more serious health conditions.
For natural bloating relief, taking the right supplements at the proper time and dosage will ensure the bloating gets resolved without causing additional discomfort. Plus, you’ll avoid wasting money on ineffective products.
Speaking to a bloating specialist, like the digestive health practitioner at BionwoRx, can help isolate the root cause of your bloating. She can then provide a holistic, personalized treatment plan with the appropriate supplements for your needs.