Menopause Bloating – how to get real relief
The two different types of bloating in menopause
There are two very different scenarios both referred to as menopause belly or menopause bloating. One is bloating - one is not.
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Type 1: Not bloating
Weight gain in the abdomen due to hormone imbalance
This is true weight gain of fatty tissue that happens around the abdomen.
This is when you develop an "apple" body type. You get fat tissue all around your abdomen - while your hips arms and everywhere else stays thin...
Here's a quote from the Huffington post: "While pre-menopausal women with too much estrogen tend to have the pear-shape body type with more weight at the hips, both men and menopausal women with this excess exhibit an apple shape with more fat accumulation in the abdominal area."
This "apple" body type weight gain can also indicate insulin sensitivity issues.
Both of these can indicate estrogen dominance and or insulin resistance.
So here's the thing - this isn't actually bloating!
Its a certain type of weight gain caused by an underlying imbalance in your estrogen progesterone ratio, which affects your brain chemistry and metabolism. And you can learn more about that in another blog post I have on stubborn belly fat in menopause or in the earlier articles in this series on estrogen dominance.
But now let's talk about actual abdominal bloating!
Type 2: Bloating
Gas, air, or inflammation causing swelling in the intestinal tract
This IS bloating! And it feels different than weight gain. If often feels tight or pressurized. And it's common for it to come and go in hours. It's also so common to start with a flat belly and develop the bloating as the day goes on.
What causes increased bloating during perimenopause and postmenopause?
Bloating often develops from a decrease in digestive enzymes, decreased stomach acid, and a decrease in the diversity of the healthy microorganisms living in the digestive system.
These changes are the results of normal hormonal changes, but they mean you have less digestive power and often result in increased food sensitivites, carbohydrate sensitivity, and bloating. Basically - you're digestive system doesn't have the strength to fully digest what you're putting into it. So partially digested food is hanging around and fermenting!
How to get rid of menopause bloating
There are a number of simple strategies you can use to decrease bloating.
- Increase digestive power
- Support liver health (which adds to digestive power)
- Choose foods that don't take as much power to fully digest and eliminate foods that trigger bloating
- DON'T FORGET: Address the underlying hormonal changes that caused the problem in the first place.
It's good to use a combination of all these strategies. Here's how
Eliminate foods that trigger bloating:
Check for foods that trigger bloating and eliminate them. A good way to do this is with an elimination diet like the Whole 30, which eliminates common triggers like dairy, carbs, sugar, gluten, and artificial sweeteners, then re-introduces them one at a time.
Support digestive power
- Use digestive enzymes
- Use probiotics and fermented foods
- Use apple cider vinegar
- Chew like crazy (Eat slowly and chew your food really, really well.)
Support Liver health for more digestive power
- Drink 8 - 12 oz warm water with the juice of 1/2 lemon in the morning
- Eat plenty of dark green leafy vegetables
- Eat bitter greens & herbs regularly like dandelion, arugula, cilantro, and parsley
- Eat beets and beet greens - juiced or cooked
- Cut down on alcohol
Check for other possible causes of bloating
Be sure to check and rule out other causes of abdominal bloating that might require additional treatment such as SIBO, celiac disease, GERD, or IBS.
Address the underlying hormonal issue
If this all started with the decreasing hormone levels of menopause, supporting those hormone levels and making sure they don't drop too low is imperative. Without this part of your treatment, everything else will be relatively ineffective.
The best way to do this is with either customized herbal remedies or HRT.
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So if you're dealing with bloating, or you want to be sure and prevent it from happening as you progress through perimenopause and menopause, there are two things you want to do
- Balance hormones and support hormone levels with herbal remedies, diet, and stress management
- Support your digestive and liver health directly with foods and supplements.
I can help you get started with both here's how:
And remember, there's a reason why these mood changes happen.
Once you understand whey they're happening you can feel better by controlling your hormones.
You can feel great during & after menopause. You can enjoy menopause.
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Thanks so much for joining me today! Please put your questions & comments in the comments section below, I'd truly love to hear from you!
This information is being provided to you for educational and informational purposes only. It is being provided to you to educate you about Chinese medicine in your diet, lifestyle, and supplements and as a self-help tool for your own use. It is not personalized health advice. This information is to be used at your own risk based on your own judgment. For my full Disclaimer, please go to https://danalavoielac.com/disclaimer-2/