Womanhood comes with no shortage of pleasant experiences, and one is bloating. It can happen after a big meal, during your period, or at seemingly random times with no clear reason. (So pleasant.) Social media is full of supposed remedies like anti-bloating teas and supplements — but what actually prevents bloating? We asked Tamara Freuman, RD, a GI dietician with New York Gastroenterology Associates.
How do I stop bloating?
Unfortunately, “there is no one-size-fits-all solution,” says Freuman. One person’s solution might be managing constipation, while another’s is eating smaller meals or taking meds like Gas-X or antacids.
“Bloating is not a symptom with one single common cause, so there is never one simple common prevention strategy,” she explains. “You need to understand why you are bloated if you want to prevent it.” She says a gastroenterologist can help you determine the problem and the right fix.
It’s especially worth a trip to the GI doc if your bloating is “chronic and severe enough to occupy your mind daily” — to a point where you’re changing your life to manage it or you think about it often. Or, if your bloating comes with certain symptoms like…
Blood in stool
Unintentional weight loss
Change in appetite
Significant pain
A change in bowel movements
Anemia or low iron levels
In those instances, you should get checked out to rule out a larger problem like colorectal cancer.