Bloating? On a plant-based diet??

Yes, even the most clean eating diet can make you have some bloating issues.

If this is your first time on my page, welcome. My name is Sophia and I’m 20 years old. I started this blog mainly because I’m in school to open my own plant-based café that will be 100% gluten and dairy free, due to finding out I have these allergies when I was thirteen. I was determined to start my own brunch café because I wanted to be able to go to a restaurant like everyone else and order my favorites – Pancakes, waffles, bagels, biscuits and gravy, you get the gist. To learn more about my mission and goals to share with others who have similar restrictions and those who just want to eat healthier and cleaner, read “Welcome to Plant Based Belly” and “My Mission” to learn more 🙂

I will be the first to admit that bloating is not my favorite thing to talk about, but I know by sharing my story and being vulnerable about my struggles I can help someone who is also struggling.

Bloating happens for almost everyone. You eat too much food, you bloat, you eat too much Mexican, aka rice and beans, chips (you know what I mean), you bloat. Even though bloating is a constant it can be managed. Because I eat a plant-based diet and I live with food allergies, I’ve learned what foods make me bloat and feel like crap, and how to manage it!

1. Plant-Based foods are full of nutrition and are some of the healthiest foods on the planet, yet can be difficult to digest for those of us with IBS. I have learned that for me, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, beans, onions, and many more otherwise nutritious foods (but that will have to be another blog post) make my stomach bloat and be in really extricating pain. Crazy right? Vegetables that are supposed to make us nourished and strong, but can actually be harmful for those of us with IBS and other GI issues. My biggest tip that I learned is to cook all veggies and not eat them raw. When cooked or steamed, the vegetables are easier to digest and break down in the stomach and not cause bloating. And I actually prefer all veggies steamed or cooked because I think it tastes better!
2. CHEW YOUR FOOD!!! I know what you’re thinking. Chew my food? I do chew my food. But the next time you eat I want you to really think about how fast you chew your food. Do you actually chew or just shove in your mouth, take a couple chomps, and swallow. Digestion starts with your mouth and by chewing your food slowly can actually play a big part into not bloating. Really, I know this might sound silly. But when I started chewing my foods slower and taking like 2-3 min breaks between eating I found that I didn’t bloat as much and I felt so much better. And, I started to really savor the tastes and smells of the foods I ate.
3. Take probiotics! Every doctor I’ve seen in the last 5 years have always asked the same question. Do you take a probiotic? Taking a probiotic supplement can help tremendously with bloating, gas pains, and yes, make you do the #2 dance regularly. Here’s why its so important: According to Harvard Health Publishing, Should you take probiotics? They state that probiotics can help digest food, fight harmful bacteria, and keep your immune system healthy. “When the gut becomes unbalanced with unhealthy levels of certain bacteria, probiotics can help restore the balance. They’ve been shown to secrete protective substances, which may turn on the immune system and prevent pathogens from taking hold and creating major disease. Probiotics are commonly used to reduce gastrointestinal symptoms that are not due to acute illness, such as gas, bloating, and constipation.”
4. Before taking medicine to help with bloating, try taking some natural home remedies. Although I’m not the biggest tea person, it does really help with fighting off bad bacteria. I personally love the Smooth Move Peppermint Tea. Any really works but the best is the occasional constipation without any medication.
5. Lastly, and the most beneficial in my case, is MOVING. Yes, I mean getting up after eating and going on a walk. This is seriously the only thing that really works for me. Although I fought this one with my mom for a lonnnnnngggg time, It’s truly what helps reduce and stops my bloating from happening. When we move after we eat, we get everything moving in our stomach which helps break down our foods. Think about it – If we sit or even lay down (big no no) our food will just sit in our stomach and take way longer to process and digest than if we move. Believe me when I say I know how hard it is to do this. If “food coma” is popping in your brain than you feel it too. I know so many people that lay down after eating and I don’t know how they do it. But if you’re a bloater like me, then moving is the cure you’ve been waiting for. Just to clarify, I do not mean a super long walk. No need to stress. I usually do a 20-30 min walk around the neighborhood which does add up to 2 miles. But with the nice weather Indiana has been having, I’m not complaining! But if that’s not where you’re at then that’s fine! Even taking a quick walk around the block that lasts 10 mins can be super beneficial.

I’m no doctor or professional by ANY means. But, I have been on my own experimental journey navigating how to manage my GI and IBS issues while eating plant-based for over four years now and have gotten the hang of dealing with bloating and knowing what foods I can/can’t eat and what lifestyle habits make a big difference!

I’ve learned to accept that this is a part of my journey and to embrace it. TRUST ME. It took a long time for me to do this. Really just this past year I have been better about embracing my bloated stomach. Bloating does NOT define me nor will it ever.

I hope by sharing these tips I have brought new light to ways to reduce your bloating. Maybe you’ll try them maybe you won’t. But I have a feeling that if you’re reading this sentence now then that’s telling me that bloating and abdominal pain has taken over and you’re wanting control. So I do hope you try my tips and see change.

Hopefully my tips will be the gamechanger you’ve been looking for. Even make you feel lighter, happier, and healthier.

Isn’t that the goal in life?