A few months ago, my colleague Dr. Laura’s 8-year-old son poked her belly and said, “You look like you’re going to have a baby.”
We were talking about belly bloat, but… oof. That one stings.
We laughed, but it reminded me of all the times I’ve looked and felt 6 months pregnant (minus the baby).
Digestive issues are my #2 most common complaint, right behind fatigue and yes, they’re connected.
Both can hijack your confidence, your clothes, and your day.
As a kid, I thought my mom and grandma wore elastic waistbands because they had no style.
Now I get it bloating makes you rethink every outfit.
Thankfully, yoga pants were invented and Athleta started the gym to work style revolution!
Here’s the deal: bloating isn’t normal, it’s a signal.
Your body’s saying something’s off:
- You’re eating too fast or multitasking while eating
- You’re low on digestive enzymes or stomach acid
- You’ve got a microbial overgrowth
- Or your lymphatic flow is sluggish
And when your gut is off, your energy tanks right along with it.
Here’s how to start sleuthing:
- Keep a simple journal for a few weeks: what you eat, when you bloat, how bad it feels, and how much you’re moving vs sitting.
- Before eating, pause and breathe for 60 seconds to tell your body it’s safe to “rest and digest.”
- Try this Qi Gong move: rub your belly from right hip → ribs → across → down left side 10–12 times before eating. It boosts blood flow and enzyme release.
That alone helps a surprising number of my clients beat the bloat.
If you need more help, here’s a quick cheat sheet:
- Bloat right after eating (upper belly): low stomach acid → try Healthy Gut’s HCL Guard, Apex’s Enzymix Pro, or Orthomolecular’s Ortho Digestzymes.
- Bloat builds through the day (around belly button): low enzymes or overgrowth → Healthy Gut’s Holozymes or BiOptimzers Masszymes.
- Left-side bloat: colon inflammation → Healthy Gut’s Holozymes + Tributyrin-X.
- Bloat + constipation: try Healthy Gut’s Magnesium HP or Cell Core’s Bowel Mover; check bile flow if you have right rib pain.
- Bloat + diarrhea: Holozymes + Tributyrin-X, then add Seed or Megaspore probiotics.
If you’ve tried all that and still feel puffy, deeper testing like the GI Map or SIBO breath test can uncover hidden causes.
I also recommend abdominal or transvaginal ultrasounds to rule out gallbladder or uterine causes, no radiation and low cost.
Bottom line: Bloating isn’t “just getting older.”
It’s your body waving a red flag to fix the root cause to restore your vitality.
Tomorrow, my podcast with Steven Wright from Healthy Gutdrops.
We’re diving into how histamines, hormones, sleep, and digestion all connect. It’s a good one!
Here’s to less bloat and more energy,
Dr. J
