Bloating

[Gluten Ogre]

Howdy,

My Mom is bloated up big time, is there anything to help relieve the bloat?

Thanks

[Gfresh404]

Is it only when she eats that she gets bloated? How long has she been gluten-free? Is she consuming dairy? Is she taking any supplements?

Ideally, it would be best if we could locate the cause of the bloating. It could be due to lactose intolerance, fiber (a sudden change in the amount), hidden gluten, poor digestion of fats, or an enzyme deficiency.

Digestive enzymes are probably the best thing you could take to get rid of the bloating. Next would be probiotics. I have also found soluble fiber (the kind found in berries, bananas, peas, etc.) to be somewhat helpful in reducing bloating. Certain spices such as black pepper and cloves increase stomach acidity, which in turn improves digestion and relieves any bloating.

[Gluten Ogre]

Gfresh404, thanks for the reply. She has only been gluten free for about two weeks and I am not sure if it was truly 100% gluten free or not. I am having a lot of trouble finding food that she can eat, her teeth are sensitive and she can't chew anything tough or chewy. I have been making split green pea soup and things like that but, split green pea soup gets old eating it all the time. She likes campbell's chicken and rice soup but, I don't know if it is gluten free or not?

As for milk and such, she is still consuming dairy but, she takes lactaid every time. I thought that the lactaid would solve that problem, maybe she needs something stronger, any ideas?

Supplement wise she takes 600 mg of calcium, 250 mg of magnesium, 1000 mcg of B-12 and 400 mg of D. She takes a multi vitamin every other day most of the time.

I need meal ideas desperately, with the bloat she is hardly eating anything and that is really scaring me.

Thanks in advance for any help

[Gfresh404]

Gfresh404, thanks for the reply. She has only been gluten free for about two weeks and I am not sure if it was truly 100% gluten free or not. I am having a lot of trouble finding food that she can eat, her teeth are sensitive and she can't chew anything tough or chewy. I have been making split green pea soup and things like that but, split green pea soup gets old eating it all the time. She likes campbell's chicken and rice soup but, I don't know if it is gluten free or not?

As for milk and such, she is still consuming dairy but, she takes lactaid every time. I thought that the lactaid would solve that problem, maybe she needs something stronger, any ideas?

Supplement wise she takes 600 mg of calcium, 250 mg of magnesium, 1000 mcg of B-12 and 400 mg of D. She takes a multi vitamin every other day most of the time.

I need meal ideas desperately, with the bloat she is hardly eating anything and that is really scaring me.

Thanks in advance for any help

It can be overwhelming trying to find food when first going gluten-free. It's best to focus not on what she can't eat but what she can eat. Try to keep meals simple: have a lean protein (fish, chicken, turkey, etc.), a starch (white/brown rice or gluten-free pasta), and a vegetable. Snacks do not have to be complex either, try to give her a lot of fruit and if tolerated well, nuts and legumes. If there is a Whole Foods type store near you try to get some gluten-free bread for sandwiches and/or toast. The best one I have found is Kinnikinnick's White Bread, you can also order it online if you can't find it anywhere nearby you.

Potatoes without the skin are very easy to digest, full of vitamins and minerals, and are a good source of energy. Bananas are also very easy to digest and provide a good source of B vitamins. Slow cooked rice and carrots are very healing and easy to digest as well. If she can tolerate them, feed her eggs, the protein in them is very well absorbed and they're also a good source of B12 and Selenium.

I'm pretty sure that the majority of campbell's soups are NOT gluten-free. Follow the old saying "When in doubt, leave it out."

As for the diary, I'd strongly recommend cutting it out. It might not be the lactose that is bothering her, many times celiacs have casein intolerance, a protein found in milk, along with lactose intolerance. I think that along with not being entirely gluten free has been the cause of the bloating. If you can, try to prepare as many of the meals yourself, that way you know exactly what's going into to her body. Try to keep it simple, for spices you can use McCormick brand, they will clearly list any sources of hidden gluten.

Supplements seem good. Personally, ones I have had great results with are digestive enzymes and glutamine. Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the body and is essentially food for the villi in the small intestine. It has greatly helped speed up my recovery time. Others that can help are flax or fish oil, the omega 3's are have anti-inflammatory effects.

It may seem overwhelming at first, but once you get the hang of it, it's easy. Good luck and don't give up!