Belch & Bloat: Decreasing Digestive Pain, Naturally
Digestive health is one of main pillars of health. Eating is a daily habit which incorporates what kinds of foods we eat, how we eat it (our state of mind, environment, and how we chew), to how we absorb our nutrition. Bloating known as abdominal distension is a common digestive complaint causing either painful gas, tightness, belching, farting, or discomfort. Today, we will talk about the basics of digestive health, how bloating happens, and what can help decrease bloating.
When it comes to digestion, Chinese Medicine focuses on the Stomach, Spleen (Pancreas), and Liver as the center of health. Our Spleen and Stomach work together to create post-natal qi known as the vital nutrients taken from our food and used to feed our cells via the blood. The stomach’s job is to rotten and ripening the food eaten, while the Spleen is in charge of transformation and transportation. After chewing our food, our Stomach helps breakdown the food into smaller pieces with its acidic nature and digestive enzymes. This action helps get the Spleen (pancreas) and Liver ready for absorbing the nutrients needed and get the bile ready to clear out waste.
The Liver plays an important role within the body because it is in charge of regulating the qi, stores the blood, nourishes the sinews, and much more. The Liver filters all the blood within the body. The excess hormones such as estrogen and cortisol are broken down, recycled, or pooped out. If the Liver is stressed, or sluggish, then, it had a harder time clearing out the excess hormones. This may lead to these hormones recirculating in the blood stressing our moods and organs.
The Liver qi can have an influence on how well we digested and absorb our food within the Spleen (pancreas) and Stomach. If we are stressed; then, we have increase cortisol and adrenaline levels in our systems. Our minds cannot shutdown to relax and eat because when stressed our bodies will supply most of our blood towards the limbs. This protection allows us to be ready to run if needed because the stress is convincing our body we are under threat. In order for us to digest our food well, we need to be in a more relaxed and parasympathetic state. Here, most of our blood will be focused on our core and digestive organs. This way after the stomach breaks down and digest the food; the spleen (pancreas) and small intestine can absorb the nutrients. These nutrients are passed to the blood system to be delivered to our cells.
Bloating happens with an increase gas build up because something is off with our digestion. Somethings causing bloating include:
High Fiber: beans and cruciferous vegetables have an increase fiber. This movement from the fiber may increase gas passing through the intestines. Make sure the beans are soaked overnight and sprouted for easier digestion. Cook, or lightly steam, cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, brussel sprouts, and cauliflower.
Stress: How stress are you? Stress can cause the Liver qi to interfere with the digestion function of the Spleen and Stomach causing food to not digested properly, or increase inflammation.
Inflammation: the lining of the stomach and intestines are sensitive. Any inflammation can cause a fullness feeling, burning sensation, bloating, pain, and more. Decrease inflammation foods, figure out if you have any food allergies/intolerances causing the inflammation, and increase healthy fats such as avocados, olive oil, coconut oil, wild caught fish, and flax-seed.
Undigested food: if food is not broken down properly; then, the food can sit within our stomachs longer than it should. This stagnation creates more gas.
Gut bacteria imbalance: we have a symbiotic relationship with bacteria in our gut. When this is imbalanced; then, health can be effected. Stress, long term use of antibiotics, eating crappy, sugary food are a few ways our gut bacteria can be off. When the gut bacteria are imbalanced, gas pains and bloating are common.
Some ways to decrease bloating and gas include:
Western Herbs:
Slippery Elm helps heal the lining of the digestive tract from the stomach to the anus. Our digestive tract holds most of our immune system and is covered by a mucus layer. Slippery Elm helps lubricate the intestines to sooth our gas. Helps restore this mucus lining for better digestion and healing.
Dandelion Leaf/Root: Dandelion is the common weed with a powerful punch. It is a very healing for the digestive tract by helping the Liver out. The Dandelion leaf helps detox the liver gently while the dandelion root helps restore the minerals that were detoxed out. This helps calm the liver, filter the blood, and restore the liver qi so it does not stress out the stomach and spleen. Make sure dandelion tea has both the leave and root.
Burdock Root is a liver cleansing herb that helps with cleansing the blood, improve liver function, and help with digestion.
Enlightenment Tea: Xiao Yao San: This Chinese herbal blend helps calm the Liver, calm the mind by destressing, improves digestion, and balance hormones.
Acupuncture helps with decreasing bloating, pain, and helps heal digestive health.
Food Basics:
Eat 1 Prebiotic & 1 Probiotic type of food per day.
Prebiotic foods include: root vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, potatoes, yams, rutabaga, parsnips, beets, turnips. These help feed the beneficial bacteria.
Probitoic foods include fermented food: sauerkraut, pickles, vinegar vegetables, Kefir, plain yogurt, kombucha, tempeh. These help restore beneficial bacteria daily.
If you are experiencing bloating and gas; try 1 suggestion at a time to see what gives you digestive benefit. Work on creating new habits on decreasing stress and improving nutrition.