The Role of Gut Dysbiosis in Bloating: How to restore balance naturally
- Lauren Welch
- Jul 2, 2024
- 3 min read
The research is clear - our gut microbiome (which consists of trillions of microorganisms including bacteria, fungi and archaea) plays a pivotal role in our health journeys, especially in our gut health. Ongoing issues with daily bloating is a sign that something has gone wrong in this delicate ecosystem inside of our gut! But don’t panic if you do struggle with bloating because today we’re going to dive into how gut dysbiosis could be the root cause and how we can effectively treat it for long lasting results.
What is Gut Dysbiosis?
Gut dysbiosis occurs when there is an imbalance between the beneficial and harmful bacteria in our gut. Normally, when in balance, the gut microbiome plays a crucial role in healthy digestion, immune function, and even mood regulation. However, factors such as diet, stress, medications (like antibiotics), and environmental exposures can disrupt this balance, leading to digestive issues like bloating, irregular bowel motions and gassiness.
How Gut Dysbiosis Leads to Bloating
Gut dysbiosis leads to bloating via the following effects:
Increased Gas Production: Certain types of bacteria, like Methanogens, produce more gas during digestion, leading to bloating and discomfort.
Altered gut transit time: Changes in the gut microbiome can affect how quickly food moves through the gut. For example, deficiencies in certain beneficial bacteria like Bifidobacteria can slow down gut transit time, leading to constipation and increased gas production, both of which can cause bloating.
Impaired Digestive Function: Dysbiosis can affect the breakdown of food and the absorption of nutrients, leading to malabsorption and poorly digested food. This food then gets fermented and broken down by bacteria, instead of being absorbed, leading to more gas production and increased bloating.
Inflammation: Imbalances in the gut microbiome can contribute to low-grade inflammation in the gut, which can cause intestinal permeability, further aggravating bloating.
Restoring Balance Naturally
Restoring balance to the microbiome involves a multifaceted approach that includes:
Dietary Modifications: Adopting a diet rich in fibre and prebiotics can promote a healthy microbiome (However, it’s important to note that in some gut conditions, adopting a high fibre diet initially may actually make symptoms worse – this is why it’s so crucial to work with a gut health expert that can provide you with an individualised dietary plan that suits your lifestyle and goals!).
Supplementation: Targeted supplements, such as anti-microbials, probiotics and herbal medicine are an important part of treatment, to ensure we are eradicating any overgrowths of pathogenetic or opportunistic bacteria and replenishing beneficial bacteria. In addition, nutraceuticals such as Zinc, L-glutamine and Turmeric can be used if there is inflammation or intestinal permeability present. Again, every case is different, as our microbiomes are all so unique, so it’s important to test so we know exactly which imbalance we are treating!
Stress Management: Chronic stress and HPA axis dysregulation can severely reduce digestive function, leading to changes in our microbiome via the gut-brain axis. Incorporating stress-reducing practices like meditation, regular exercise and fun hobby’s are a few of the ways we can do this! We also have a beautiful range of anxiolytic and adaptogenic herbs, such as Passionflower and Withania, to utilise. Herbal medicine works via a number of different mechanisms – for example, Passionflower reduces anxiety by increasing levels of GABA, your calming neurotransmitter.
Avoiding Triggers: In the initial phases of treatment we want to reduce symptoms and inflammation as much as possible, so identifying and reducing your intake of trigger foods in the short term is often necessary. However, elimination diets are not the solution here, as they can cause high levels of stress and anxiety, which worsens gut health. Therefore, slow and steady wins the race here!
Feeling ready to restore balance to your microbiome? Contact us today and take the first step towards a healthier, happier you – Lauren x
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