5 Tips to Help Reduce Bloating

By Sam Botica, Naturopath

Bloating is incredibly common especially if you’re dealing with IBS, food sensitivities, stress, or inconsistent eating habits. While occasional bloating can be normal, persistent bloating is often a sign your digestive system needs support.

Common Causes of Bloating

Bloating can be caused by a number of underlying factors, including:

• Poor digestion (low stomach acid, sluggish liver, or poor enzyme activity)

• Food sensitivities (such as dairy, wheat, or FODMAP foods)

• Dysbiosis (imbalances in gut bacteria due to sugar, stress, or infection)

• Swallowing air from fast eating, talking while eating, or stress

• Constipation or slow motility

• Pathogens or parasites disrupting normal gut function

Understanding why bloating is happening is the first step toward restoring healthy digestion and here’s a few steps you can take to reduce bloating.

1. Start Your Day With Lemon Water or Apple Cider Vinegar

Beginning the morning with warm water and either fresh lemon juice or 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar helps stimulate stomach acid, support healthy liver function, and wake up your digestive system. This can help reduce bloating throughout the day.

2. Move Your Body

Movement keeps your digestive system moving too. Whether it’s an early gym session, a morning ocean swim, or a brisk walk around your neighbourhood before breakfast, physical activity helps relieve gas, reduce constipation, and support overall gut motility.

3. Reduce Your Sugar Intake

Sugar feeds the wrong types of gut bacteria and can disrupt your microbiome. Cutting back on sugar, especially soft drinks and highly processed foods, gives your gut bacteria a chance to rebalance. A healthier microbiome means less bloating, less gas, and better digestion.

4. Test for Allergies and Pathogens

Food allergies, intolerances and gut pathogens are common triggers for bloating. At PNMC, we can run a Quantum Allergy Analysis in your naturopathic consult to quickly identify potential problem foods or microbial imbalances.

You can also try removing wheat and/or dairy for at least two weeks to see if symptoms improve. Keeping a diary of what you eat and when you feel bloated can reveal useful patterns.

5. Practise Mindfulness Around Eating

Rushed, distracted or mindless eating can significantly impair digestion. Slowing down, chewing thoroughly, eliminating distractions, and noticing how different foods make you feel helps your digestive system work more efficiently.

Mindful eating also makes it easier to identify foods that don’t agree with you and reduces the likelihood of overeating — both common causes of bloating.

When to Seek Support

If you experience ongoing bloating, IBS symptoms, or digestive issues such as Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn’s disease, it’s worth seeking a professional assessment. A naturopathic approach looks deeper than your symptoms. By identifying the underlying causes and providing an effective treatment plan, we support long-term gut health.

Book a consultation today and start feeling like yourself again.