Bloating can be a nasty niggling issue for a lot of women in midlife. It can affect different people in different ways. You might have a sense of overfullness after even quite a small meal. Or find that you can’t do up your trousers by the end of the day.
Some women experience such a distended abdomen that they describe it as looking 6 months pregnant, after starting the day with a flat stomach. Bloating can also manifest as back pain, and a sensation of trapped wind can be very common too. Whatever your experience, bloating is generally unpleasant, often painful and can be annoyingly unpredictable.
I see a lot of women in my nutrition clinic who struggle with bloating, which is why I’ve decided to wrap up Season 3 of The Happy Menopause with a solo episode which focuses on this tricky subject. Tune in to hear 8 tried and trusted methods of tackling bloating that you can try for yourself at home.
The mechanics of your digestion rely on a delicate balance, and what, when and how you eat can all potentially contribute to issues of bloating and trapped wind. I explore the stages of the digestive process and the role of digestive enzymes; common potential trigger foods to consider; the impact of different fluids on bloating; why fruit may not be your best friend if you’re bloated and why finishing first is a loser’s game when you’re eating with friends or family.
If you want to get to beat the bloat, the simple, practical advice in this episode is a great place to start!
If you’ve enjoyed this episode, why not dip back into the archive this summer? The podcast covers a whole range of different symptoms and issues and also includes episodes which feature some incredibly inspiring women, who are fantastic role models for midlife. Season 4 will kick off on 1st September, so keep a look out for that, as it launches with 3 brilliant episodes!
Jackie Lynch is an award-winning nutritionist and founder of the WellWellWell nutrition clinic where she specialises in women’s health and the menopause. Keen to break the taboo about discussing the menopause, she launched the popular diet & lifestyle podcast The Happy Menopause and her new book, The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish is out now.
She is also the author of Va Va Voom: The 10-Day Energy Dietand The Right Bite: Smart Food Choices for Eating on the Go. Jackie’s advice features in a range of national media and she regularly appears as a guest expert on radio and TV, including Channel 4’s Superfoods.
Follow her on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook via @WellWellWellUK.
Check out the full Show Notes for this episode on my website www.well-well-well.co.uk/podcast, where you'll find all the relevant links and references for my guest.
Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my latest book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish.