Do you frequently suffer from bloating or feel full all the time? If you have tried everything without relief, it’s time to start looking towards more natural options. There are plenty of home remedies for bloating that provide fast relief, support your body, and help you heal.
While bloating is super common, it can be quite unbecoming and even painful enough to prompt you to stop blaming it on overeating and actually get to the bottom of it.
In this post we are going to take a closer look at bloating: what could be causing you to bloat and how to relieve bloating as fast as possible using gentle remedies.
As someone who personally suffered from bloating for years, I now have a few simple tricks up my sleeve that I use all the time. I hope to share my knowledge and help you on your way to a flatter stomach and easier time digesting!
We earn commissions through our links. Please read the full disclosure for more info.
Bloating Causes
Once you recognize a problem you must first understand the root cause before you can truly come up with an effective way to fix it.
Let’s define bloating so we can debunk misconceptions.
In the simplest terms, bloating isn’t just “gas,” it is a build-up of pressure inside your intestines that causes noticeable discomfort in your abdominal cavity. This may be seen visually by a bigger belly or it may just be a feeling you have.
There isn’t one singular cause of bloating but a myriad of things that could be intensifying this uncomfortable phenomenon. The trick is to figure out what is causing it for you.
Let’s look at a few common causes of bloating:
- Consuming hard-to-digest foods that sit in the intestines for prolonged time
- Constipation, causing a backup of stool in the colon
- Eating high sodium meals which causes water to influx into the intestines through osmosis
- Small intestinal overgrowth of bacterial (SIBO) or yeast that produce excess gas
- Imbalance of your colon’s microbiome
- Gluten intolerance
- Lactose intolerance
- Fructose intolerance
- Swallowing too much air throughout the day by chewing gum
- Being highly sensitive to pressure changes inside your intestines
- Slowing of peristalsis (the natural downward movements of your intestines to move food along)
- Gastroparesis (delayed emptying of the stomach)
- Chronic inflammation such as in irritable bowel syndrome that causes intestinal swelling
- Women typically experience bloating more than men
I shared this information so you can think about the things that could be contributing to your problem.
If you are someone who chews gum all the time, try stopping that first. This used to be a big one for me!
If you eat a ton of hard to digest foods, perhaps a diet change is in order.
After you think about this, the next step is to try different solutions and see what helps you feel better.
So without futher ado, here’s some some remedies for bloating that will help you along your way.
Home Remedies for Bloating
1. Follow a low FODMAP Diet
FODMAP stands for Fermentable Oligo-, Di- and Mono-saccharides and Polyols, which are said to be highly fermentable but poorly absorbed short-chain carbohydrates and polyols. (source)
This diet basically eliminates foods which cause excess gas production and increased water retention in the bowels.
You will want to start out more restrictive and then slowly add things back in to find what perpetuates bloating. You can then avoid those foods in the future. I found this printable chart very helpful to compare low FODMAP foods versus high FODMAP foods.
I am not personally great at restrictive diets and I realize that most people aren’t. I have had a lot of success by simply avoiding gluten and limiting hard-to-digest meats such as beef and pork.
The more severe your bloating then the more seriously you will want to take an elimination diet. Don’t drive yourself crazy here, just try to make smart choices by eating an overall healthy diet.
2. Get tested for microflora dysbiosis
As we talked about before you could have SIBO or candida overgrowth that is contributing to your digestive problems.
It is now possible to test for this at home by taking the Viome at-home microbiome test. Alternatively you can partner with a naturopathic physician.
The Viome test tells you what food causes inflammation in your gut. If you have tried different things for bloating without success, this test may give you a deeper understanding on what is going on inside and better direction for your diet.
Related: How to improve gut health naturally
3. Take a liquid probiotic
Speaking of microflora problem, as you may know, much of our earth’s agriculture has been obnoxiously sprayed with heavy chemicals to kill pests and increase yields. This, along with our repetitive uniform diet, has resulted in the endangerment and extinction of much the planet’s microbiome. (source)
Our food simply does not supply the diversity we need to be healthy anymore. It really isn’t surprising we all have gut problems these days.
I started taking a liquid probiotic when I noticed that capsular forms provided no improvement from bloating. What I love about this brand is the strains are grown in an organic, non-GMO sugar molasses that is tested to be free and clear of glycophosates.
I noticed a dramatic improvement in my digestion after taking this supplement however I will warn you, you will at first go through some digestive changes while you get recolonized.
The die-off process will likely change your bowel movements for a few weeks until you stabilize.
4. Ingest Bentonite Clay
Bentonite clay has been used for thousands of years as a natural remedy internally and externally for all sorts of ailments because of its broad range of healing capabilities all over the body.
When you mix bentonite clay with water and drink it, it not only helps soothe and overactive gut prone to diarrhea but can bind toxins and other aggrevating materials inside the intestines. (source)
Drinking bentonite clay also helps to rebalance your microbiome.
Whenever you start any new regimen, it’s best to start out small and work your way up. If you have never consumed bentonite clay before, start out by mixing 1/2 teaspoon of clay with full cup of water and follow it by another plain cup of water afterwards. Drink this daily for a week or so.
It helps to put the clay in a glass mason jar with lid so you can shake it vigorously to mix.
5. Chew your food more thoroughly
As a nurse I built a bad habit of eating too quickly. The problem with not chewing your food adequately is you don’t break it down enough before it actually enters your body. This makes more work on your digestive tract and can delay gastric emptying therefore making your feel full longer.
They say to chew your food 30 times before swallowing. I have never been able to make it to this number before the bite completely dissolves.
The best practice is just to slow down, savour every bite, and make sure you chew your food until there is nothing left.
6. Drink Apple Cider Vinegar before meals
If you know you are about to eat a particularly delicious but heavy meal, you can take some ACV beforehand to decrease the pH of your stomach and make it easier to breakdown your food.
For maximum benefits, be sure the AVC you are drinking is unpasteurized.
If you don’t like the taste of ACV, try making this warm detox drink that contains other anti-inflammatory ingredients and hides the taste of the ACV well.
7. Peppermint tea
Drink a hot cup of peppermint tea to soothe your digestive tract and reduce pain. Peppermint tea can also help you when your have overactive digestion and things are moving through too quickly.
I like to use this option if I am at a restaurant or friend’s house and start feeling bad but don’t have anything else at my disposal.
Most people keep peppermint tea stocked.
8. Use Homeopathy
Homeopathy can provide relief for all sorts of digestion issues with no side effects. The trick is to find the right remedy.
I always recommend grabbing the Family Guide to Homeopathy so you can be prepared no matter what health problem you have. There’s powerful answers to many common problems inside the pages of book.
Some common remedies for bloating are:
Nux Vomica 30c– indicated when you have eated too much food. This is also my go-to hangover remedy.
Carbo Vegetabilis 30c– indicated when you feel full of gas and as if your food isn’t moving along well. There will be a slight burning sensation in your stomach and fresh air makes you feel better.
Lycopodium Clavatum 6C– indicated when you feel full and bloated almost immediately after eating. Burping does not relieve your discomfort, you are constipated, and you suspect you may have a peptic ulcer.
These are but a few of the many remedies that can relieve bloating. Please refer to the full materia medica if none of these options match your symptoms so you can find the right remedy.
If you choose to use homeopathy, do not drink peppermint tea which will make the remedy ineffective!
9. Stop chewing gum
Chewing gum could be contributing to your bloating problem for two reasons.
1. Most people don’t realize they are actually swallowing a lot of air while they chew the gum.
2. 99% of gum is made up of toxic chemicals that cause inflammation and disrupt your microbiome.
It’s best to try to kick this habit as quickly as possible.
10. Aloe Vera Juice
Aloe vera provides LOADS of health benefits including relief from constipation, reducing acidity of the blood, and it helps soothe the stomach and aides in digestion.
If you are super bloated, keep a bottle of aloe vera juice in the house so you can take a few swigs when you need it.
Final Thoughts
Bloating can be a sign of something larger and more serious.
I highly recommend seeing a naturopathic physician for testing if you believe your bloating is due to an underlying disease.
For most of us, changes in our diet will make the biggest impact.
And lastly, a warm cup of homemade bone broth goes a long way to soothe a troubled tummy.
