Can bloating be caused by gut bacteria?

Bloating is probably one of the most common issues that my clients talk to me about! There are lots of different reasons that we may get bloated after eating.

We often find improvements restricting foods and changing our diet.

However, this might be address your symptoms but ignore the cause which can be our gut flora!

Gut feelings

We are learning everyday about how the different species of microorganisms that live in our gut can impact our health.

We also see that the choices we make can change the gut flora we have. In fact the types of flora inhabiting our gut have been changing as a reaction to the consumption of processed foods, medications, chlorinated water, stress etc..

One of these changes is the rise of firmicutes living in our guts.  Firmicutes are a category (or phylum) of microbes that can create issues with digestion if we have too many of them.

In fact unhealthy, overweight people actually tend to have a dominance of firmicutes. However,  the healthier people tend to have more a different type of microbe called bacteroidetes hanging out in their gut.

What do firmicutes do?

Firmicutes LOVE sugar and need it to survive and thrive. In the process of living their best lives, firmicutes actually create a lot of inflammation and fermentation. The fermentation process is what causes fullness and bloating from the gassy by-products of the fermentation process.

But we want more bacteroidetes – these are the bacteria that fight inflammation and even fat! We often see benefits and relief from bloating when we start restricting the diet from the foods that firmicutes enjoy such as simple sugars found in sweets and refined carbohydrates (white bread, pasta etc..)

But what can happen is that the firmicutes will realise they are being starved out and go into hibernation mode so as soon as you add these foods back in they will be back doing their thing with a vengeance!

How to fix those firmicutes!

What you really need to do is combine a restrictive diet with herbs! Plants are rich in polyphenols that are found in the peels and skins that resemble sugar. This therefore appeals to firmicutes who have not been fed for a while and are craving sugar!

So they start consuming the plant polyphenols but the trick is that the polyphenols actually help displace and eradicate them! Polyphenols are effectively poisoning them! But in a nice gentle way so that the amounts become manageable rather than antibiotics which eradicate all forms of life!

By combining herbs with diet then this means you don’t need to be stuck on a restrictive diet for life and the results are a lot quicker! There are lots of herbs that can be added in but also everyday spices such as:

  • Nutmeg
  • Cinnamon
  • Ginger
  • Cacao
  • Cardamon

Also don’t forget the the culinary herbs such as:

  • Rosemary
  • Thyme
  • Oregano and
  • Mint

You can even get benefit from drinking a cup of green tea or hibiscus tea. Finally, even the skins of nuts are rich in polyphenols!

So can bloating be caused by gut bacteria?

Yes which means perhaps you don’t need to be on an unsustainable, restrictive diet for the rest of your life to ease digestive distress. Instead focus on getting in as many herbs and spices possible with every meal to help keep your gut flora in check!

Another option is of course try some Agni Tea specifically designed to relieve digestive distress!