It’s interesting, isn’t it? The modern definition of what makes women attractive from the outside. While opinions may differ between men and women about this, it’s fair to reflect on some shared ideals about the fairer sex. Amongst the holy grail of gorgeousness we all value are physical traits such as smooth skin, luscious hair, defining brows, no eye bags, toned limbs, healthy glow – and definitely a flat belly.
For different reasons, none of us would want a bloated tummy. It signals unwanted fat in an area of the body that is linked with health concerns, reminds us that we have over-eaten (again!), and the clothes just don’t fit well. We also risk being mistaken as pregnant when we are not…awkward! Quite apart from the aesthetics, a distended belly usually comes with pangs of discomfort or pain from too much gas, insides that are either churning too much or not moving enough.
Gut health is so critical to our overall wellbeing, so when our digestive system malfunctions, it’s almost certain we’ll not be in a great mood, feel tired and find it hard to get about our day and conquer the world.
Even for the body-aware amongst us, what causes our abdomen to decide to puff up can be confusing. And the triggers may be different each time, which makes it all the more frustrating. If you are constantly suffering from stomach pains, unusual or irregular bowel movements, indigestion or if you can’t keep food down, please do consult a medical practitioner to rule out anything major first (like severe allergies, infections, inflammation, Crohn’s disease, kidney or gall stones, endometriosis, appendicitis, GERD, etc.)
Here are some of the usual suspects that cause occasional bouts of belly bloat and discomfort are these – perhaps you can see which are the ones which may be your triggers and I will share at the end, one of the health tools which may be useful to you, which takes some of the guesswork out.
This is one most of us at some point will have experienced (my worst case was oysters…the experience was horrific!). The reaction time may vary but our bodies typically react within hours of ingesting something we shouldn’t have. For milder cases, we may just feel prolonged abdominal discomfort, gas, runny tummies and nausea.
No medical drugs are without side effects and certain classes of drugs are known to cause abdominal cramps and gas. Before you take any medication, it is always wise to check with your doctor what the side effects are so you are aware and have a chance to manage them.
This may seem too innocuous to even deserve a mention here but are frequent, everyday habits we don’t think about. If you are someone who snacks, chews gum or candy frequently, you may like to observe just how much air you may be swallowing at the same time! Ditto the way you may be taking in your water. You’ve heard the loud gulps before when someone next to you is drinking, so are you doing the same without realising it?
Scary thought, I know. If you’ve been in contact with contaminated or under-cooked food, especially meat, you may have ingested some unknowingly and wonder why you are suffering. Another possible way parasites may enter our system is through water – e.g. swimming in a dirty pools or lakes. If your symptoms persist, you’ll need medical attention.
Almost all of us suffer from food sensitivities, whether we are aware of them or not. (I am not referring to severe food allergies here as these have different symptoms.) Negative reactions to certain food substances or additives come about when our bodies are not able to tolerate or break down certain foods and absorb the nutrients, which cause us short- and long-term discomfort and bloatedness. Gluten and dairy intolerances are common ones and the sensitivity scale runs from mild to the very debilitating. Gluten is found in most foods made with wheat, rye and barley (though oats are generally thought to be contaminated as well through commercial farming so is also one to avoid for those needing to go gluten free.). Dairy is easier to isolate as it refers to anything that comes from the milk of mammals (milk, cheese and any other byproducts of these). Knowing the specific foods you are sensitive to is really important, not just because you want to rid of your belly bloat, but for long term health (mostly through minimising silent inflammation over time). There are a number of ways to get tested for this.
Your biological profile (biotype) is truly unique – and who you are right now is the result of your genetic blueprint, lifestyle choices and other external environmental factors. As such, the dietary interventions you take in the hopes of getting a flat belly may not work as well for you as for someone else! This is the modern conundrum we face in the age of the smart health revolution. You may be aware of the growing trend of ‘personalised health’ where we now have at our disposal a myriad of tests and assessment tools to help figure out who we are from a cellular perspective. These tests offer different results, are used for different purposes and can cost from hundreds to the tens of thousands. The more costly and invasive ones are DNA profiling tests while there are also the non-invasive personalized health assessments that reveal specific foods to eat or avoid, based on your genetic heritage and lifestyle choices, like PH360*. With this targeted information at your fingertips, you have a much better chance of reducing the pains from eating foods that really don’t agree with you.
GET HEALTHY WITH A LOVED ONE
Get your health analysed health with Catalyst Health Asia’s online health assessment tool, PH360. Each assessment takes about 20 to 30 mins to complete and you’ll receive the report within 5 minutes. Then, contact Catalyst Health Asia for a consultation where a certified coach will show both of you how to maximise your health – including foods likely to boost your metabolism, the most effective exercises for your body type and even the careers most conducive to your well-being.
Catalyst Health Asia is offering special 2-for-1 packages to the first 20 customers. The package includes two PH360 annual subscription at S$285 and a complimentary PH360 coaching session (total package value: S$820). Offer ends June 3, 2016. Sign up now by clicking here.
Text: Sally May Tan, Wellness Whisperer, Founder of Catalyst Health Asia and Amazon Bestselling Author of Wellness The New Luxury. Her book at S$49.00 is available at Times, Kinokuniya, MPH, Amazon and Kindle.