is daily bloating normal??

[hslsascsas]

Okay so I'm average height and slim. When I wake up my stomach is flat, but when I eat it sticks out. Like after anything, food or water, it sticks out. It expands bit by bit throughout the day. I'm really healthy, get enough exercise so they have nothing to do with it. I do NOT have an allergy, an intolerance, IBS or anything. I've tried eating smaller meals more frequently, upping my water and doing exercises, but they don't work. Does anyone have any tips???

Hae you been tested for food intolerances.

Yep and I have none whatsoever.

Have you read Wheat Belly?

If you eat wheat it can bloat up, a lot.

I don't really eat wheat but even if I did it wouldn't make any difference, as it bloats after everything.

Things that bloat me: wheat, soya, chocolate (but fortunately only in excess!), milk. Technically the only intolerance I have is to lactose, as I'm lactase deficient, but if I eat any of these things in large amounts, or frequently, then I bloat up. Also if I just have too many carbs over the course of the day.

Charcoal tablets seem to prevent or reduce the severity of the bloating. Without them, careless eating over several days can eventually cause me to bloat 2-3" in one day.

Wheat, soya and dairy are apparently the worst culprits for bloating. I would suggest that you try going low-carb, WF, SF & DF for a month and see whether that makes any difference. Then start adding them back in, one at a time. A hassle, possibly, but could be worthwhile.

Rast tests are useful pointers but they are not the gold standard in diagnosing food reactions - carefully done exclusion and reintroduction diet is.

It is NOT normal to bloat daily. If you are certain it's not wheat or other grains, or an other easily identifiable food maybe you need to look at something like SCD or FODMAP diet (google, read Marksdailyapple blog for an explanation), as it may be he amount and type of carbohydrate you are eating causing an issue.

You say no allergies, intolerances, ibs (bloating is a huge sign of ibs tho!). Ibs can cause both constipation and the opposite. Do you have any gut symptoms at all apart from bloat?

How's your skin, your hair and nails, and your head (headache??)... All those can be caused by gut problems.

Bloating could be caused by fluid retention- for example due to thyroid issues. Is your face/eye area puffy in the mornings? Do you have fluid retention in your fingers, lower legs? If you have you might notice rings much tighter or deep marks where your sock elastic is, even if your hands/legs don't look particularly swollen.

I think it would be worth speaking to your GP, discuss how long this has been going on, as s(he) may want to check a few things out.

Well apart from bloating, I would say I'm not very regular ( if you get what I mean ) I don't drink that much to be honest, but if I do then that bloats me anyway!!

No, no puffiness anywhere at all in the morning. Stomach flat, everywhere normal. I already have been and my thyroid is fine. I never have headaches or anything like that at all.

Here is a list of what I have eaten the past three days, just in case you notice anything which seems strange or common;

Wednesday;
One piece of wholegrain bread toasted and buttered. A banana, kiwi and orange. Two chicken dippers and some peas. A large slice of birthday cake and a chocolate from a box I got as a present. Also on this day, I burned 212 calories walking around 6 miles. I also consumed 440ml of water. No toilet apart from peeing. Calorie total 1142, but 212 were burned, leaving 930.

Thursday;
Rice krispies and semi skimmed milk. A chicken sandwich. Jacket potato and beans. A chocolate from the box. 300 calories burned. No toilet apart from peeing. Calorie total 980, but 300 were burned, leaving 680.

Friday;
Rice krispies with semi skimmed milk. Chicken sandwich and some Cadburys chocolate buttons. Pasta in a tomato sauce. A chocolate from the box. 300 calories burned. Toilet today. 830 calories in total, but 300 were burned leaving 530.

I know it may not sound like a lot of food, but I do get full quite easily, and this puts me on enough. Also, I noticed on Friday - today - I'm not bloated as much as the previous days but I'm not sure why... Anyone know?

Think as you went to the toilet to evacuate your bowels, that is why your not bloated. However carbs can cause bloating throughout the day.

I think I'll cut carbs ( apart from wholegrains or the occasional carb ) and up my fiber..... If that doesn't work then I don't know what will

What fibre? Wheat fibre can cause bloating as it's irritating. And why increase fibre, anyway? You don't have to move your bowels every day, as long as when you do, it's soft and easy. Especially as you're not eating huge amounts. You're really not drinking enough, and need to drink much more.

Chia seeds and milled flax seeds are a good source of non-irritant fibre, as are oats (but oats, of course, are high in carbs, whereas chia and flax are not.)

Too much fibre definitely causes tummy problems with me and flax seeds unfortunately are too harsh for me as well. I find oats and oatcakes much gentler on my system.