Bloating & Digestion

There are many reasons why you might still be bloated on raw or vegan diet. Here are thirteen possibilities that to think about as you troubleshoot your issues.

Why am I Bloated?

1. Insufficient rest -

• Not waiting long enough in between meals. Frequent snacking doesn't allow the digestive system space to do it’s job.

• Not getting adequate down time post meal.

• Not sleeping well (deep rest is vital to digestion). This may for you, also tie into a habit of eating too late at night.

• A stressed mental state while eating (and in all other parts of the day) will result in a tension that can impede digestive function.

• Rushing to get down a meal will be physiologically stressful, impairing digestion and will also increasing your chance of gulping down air.

2. Improper food combining - Especially if you are still eating cooked food, it’s important to be mindful of your timing. For example, sometimes a raw breakfast will interfere with a cooked dinner from the night before. There are simple food combining charts you can Google for to find out which foods play best with each other. One of the biggest offenders is the coupling of fat and sugar (ie. nuts and fruit). This is surely a recipe for gas. Different foods digest at their own rate. For instance, fruit breaks down quickly, while nuts take a long time. If the nuts block the fruit from getting fully digested, the fruit ferments, creating bloating and gas.

3. Micronutrient deficiencies - These can manifest in all ways, including bloating as they are involved in the processes of digestion, absorption and assimilation. From muscles to hormones to the breakdown and distribution of our fuel, nutrients play a key role in the optimal functioning of our gut. (A cliche fruitarian one is “melon-belly” occurring in those who are low in chromium. Other examples of common nutrients related to poor digestion are calcium and magnesium. Best to just do routine blood tests to know if something is off for you.)

4. Eating too quickly - You may be gulping down air with your bites and/or missing out on fully chewing your food. DIGESTION STARTS IN THE MOUTH. Take smaller bites, slow down - maybe try counting to at least ten with each mouthful. Have a dinner partner to help bring attention to your speed. You can also opt for blending or using the food processor to help break down your food. Some find that using a straw while drinking a smoothie helps avoid taking in any unnecessary air.

5. Toxins - Are you still partaking in other less than healthy choices? Do you drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes, or consume coffee for instance? These all have the capacity to negatively affect digestion.

6. Which version of the raw and or vegan diet are you eating? - Fibre and water are the two of the MOST ESSENTIAL factors when it comes to digestion, so if you are eating the gourmet raw diet (high in oils, salt and refined foods like agave) you wont be doing well with either. If you are still including some cooked vegan food, take an honest look at what your diet entails - are you filling up on vegan cupcakes, fake cheeses, processed mock meats etc.? These can be full of refined sugars, salt, gluten, preservatives etc., all ingredients that get in the way of proper digestion. As best you can, move toward more whole, fresh food. For me, the 80/10/10 approach has worked best for my digestion.

7. Irritants - Ingredients like garlic, spices, peppers, ginger, and onions can be aggravating for some. I know several individuals for whom this information has been life changing when it comes to digestion. Simply give it a go with and without and see if anything improves for you.

8. Eating unripe fruit will surely do it - Get educated on what RIPE fruit is. You may have to wait longer than you think. On the flip-side, is your fruit overripe? Have you let that smoothie oxidize to a state of fermentation? Consider both.

9. Eating hard to digest raw foods - I often caution others about brassicas like kale, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage etc. Also, high pectin fruits like apples or even stone fruit can be triggering. Other offenders in this category are nuts and seeds (more-so nuts). I would keep them to a minimum and if you are going to eat them, try presoaking them in water.

10 . Backed up/ dirty colon - Years of a SAD diet often results in colons that are backed up. In an emergency, colonics work for some, but really a high water & fibre, low fat, plant-based diet will do the trick in the long run. I can’t imagine not seeing results on the 80/10/10 raw vegan diet.

11. Being dehydrated before you start eating - Make sure to drink enough between meals, especially if you are eating denser or dried foods. Ideally, water is consumed in isolation. Drinking it with food often welcomes air gulps and for some sensitive individuals, can interfere with the way their food is absorbed. I also find it can hamper ones ability to recognize true satiation. (A little, blended in a smoothie seems to generally be okay.) Dehydration at any stage is a major contributor to constipation.

12. Digestive fire is weak - Perhaps you spend a little too much time at your desk, sitting on the couch or hunched on your device. Try and exercise even a little before you eat. I know it doesn’t always sound realistic, but even if you work in an office you can walk up a flight of stairs or two. Stretching (at any time) will also aid the digestive process. Twists are especially helpful with massaging the colon!

13. You may not be bloated, rather just experiencing true fullness for the first time - Vegan, vegetarian and raw diets can be quite fibre and water-rich. Coming from a SAD diet (inherently low in fibre and water) will be a transition when it comes to sensing food volume in the stomach. This is one of the major subjects discussed among new raw foodies. I understand that it can be both physically and psychologically uncomfortable for some. Our stomach may not be used to holding so much at one time, and so this foreign sensation may be incorrectly described as bloating. Mentally, it is a challenge for certain individuals to accept this kind of change in their physique if their ideal is to have ripped abs 24 hours of the day. The stomach will stretch to accommodate the substantial raw portion. However, most report that it dissipates within a few hours. After dinner I’ve often heard, “ Go to bed like Buddha, wake up like Gandhi.” There is so much water that gets absorbed, sweat away and peed out overnight that the body is transformed in a matter of hours!