It can be embarrassing to talk about gastrointestinal symptoms. And as a result, many women suffer in silence. Vincent Pedre, MD, author of Happy Gut, reveals, “You would be shocked at how many patients I see who have experienced bloating or constipation for decades and just tolerated it or accepted it as their ‘normal.’” So we polled women about their top gut-health concerns and turned to the experts for advice. Here, help for your most common gut woes.
Why gut health matters for overall wellness
You know the old saying, “all roads lead to Rome?” Well, mounting medical research, including a study from the University of Oxford, finds that all health is rooted in the gut. This area of the body helps make countless hormones, contributes to our overall energy and nutrient intake, plus plays a role in inflammation and disease prevention.
Gut health is also closely linked with our metabolism. Dr. Pedre explains, “I’ve learned over the years, if you’ve been trying to lose weight and you hit a weight plateau, it’s probably a gut issue.”
“Many patients experience bloating or constipation for decades and accepted it as their ‘normal.’”—Vincent Pedre, MD
Your biggest gut health concerns—solved
We asked First for Women readers what gut health conditions bother them most, and many of you chimed in with the same types of issues. Here, how to improve your gut health with doctor-backed advice.
Constipation? Up your water intake
“My constipation is unbearable,” one woman vented. “I feel so anxious when it takes over a week to be able to go.” It’s a common complaint. A whopping 43 percent of First for Women readers said their top gut concern was digestive irregularity in the form of diarrhea or constipation.
When it comes to constipation, dehydration is the most likely culprit. Dr. Pedre explains, “Fiber can constipate if you increase your fiber intake without increasing your hydration.” So be sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day to maintain a healthy gut. (Discover how much water you need to drink to lose weight here.)
Weight-loss expert Fred Pescatore, MD, author of The Hamptons Diet, adds that certain foods are known to trigger constipation. “Cheese, rice and bananas can easily cause constipation.” His advice, “eliminate the foods and try supplementing with magnesium oxide” to help prevent constipation.
Bloating? Avoid irritants
In a recent survey, 36 percent of First for Women readers complained about painful, troublesome belly bloating. This could be triggered by dietary troubles, including lactose intolerance or a gluten sensitivity.
Sure enough, First for Women reader and Weight-Loss Warrior Charlene Bazarian, who has lost and kept off nearly 100 pounds, shares, “When I started to eliminate what I call the ‘white stuff,’—bread and pastas—I started to notice a huge difference in how I was feeling. A lot less bloating, a lot less puffy.”
Elimination diets are a smart approach to rooting out bloat. Dr. Pedre often puts patients on his GutSMART Protocol, where he recommends taking a break from common gut irritants for two weeks, including wheat, dairy, artificial sugars, alcohol and caffeine. “For many, eating dairy causes bloating, indigestion, nausea, gas and other gut-centric symptoms,” he explains.
Another tip that can help with bloating: Ginger. “I recommend steeping a piece of fresh ginger in boiling water for 10 minutes to make ginger tea to sip on,” Dr. Pedre says.
If those remedies don’t do the trick, consider supplementing with digestive enzymes. Health podcaster Talia Pollock, author of Party in Your Plants, describes them this way: “Digestive enzymes are like Spanx.” How do they work? The enzymes liberate trapped micronutrients from food so they can be properly used to improve digestion, end bloat and encourage weight loss.
Diarrhea? Swap your coffee
One woman shared, “I have chronic diarrhea and no quality of life… all this started after a post-abdominal surgery UTI, which I took three antibiotics.”
Aside from food poisoning or traveler’s diarrhea—which are more sudden and acute—people can live with chronic, subtle diarrhea for years. Dr. Pedre says, “Gut imbalances have become a huge problem for the majority of people on this planet.”
A main culprit can be our daily cup of joe: “Coffee irritates the gut lining, which can lead to diarrhea or loose stools,” Dr. Pedre explains. Consider cutting back or try a low-acid coffee brand that is gentler on the stomach. Dr. Pedre actually developed Happy Gut Coffee for this reason.
But coffee isn’t the only irritant. Another reader asked, “I always wonder which artificial sweeteners (if any) are gut-friendly.” Research shows that allulose is the sugar substitute associated with the fewest GI-related side effects. It is also deemed safe and can help with weight loss.
Gas? Eat cooked veggies
One woman revealed, “Trapped gas is ruining my life… I feel like this is how I will feel the rest of my life, and I don’t know what to do.”
We often hear that eating more fiber-rich foods is a good step toward repairing our gut health. Dr. Pedre says, “Fiber happens to be one of the nutrients that is most deficient in the American diet.”
But there’s a catch: Eating raw produce can trigger gas, so cook your veggies first. Dr. Pedre explains, “The more severe your gut dysfunction is, the more cooked your vegetables should be in order to avoid uncomfortable bloating, gas and abdominal pain.”
Chronic gut pain? Try intermittent fasting
A First for Women reader shared, “I always feel sick after eating dinner and need to lay down. It’s such a drag.” And she’s far from the only one dealing with recurrent gut pain. Dutch research shows that when the wrong populations of gut bacteria overload our system, they can attack and damage our delicate gut lining.
For these people, eating more fiber isn’t always the answer. Instead, practicing gentle intermittent fasting may help. Michael Ruscio, DC, founder of the Ruscio Institute of Functional Health for gut health and author of Healthy Gut, Healthy You, says, “People will say all the time in the clinic, ‘When I don’t eat, I feel better.’ And that’s because the gut, for a fair number of people, needs a rest. The beehive needs to not be poked for a little while, so the immune system inflammation can calm down.” Consider fasting from 6 pm until 10 am the next morning.
Stress may also be a factor in chronic gut pain. Dr. Pescatore recommends trying meditation to calm the hormonal signals that can trigger pain sensors in the body. (Check out our guide to heart-brain mindfulness meditation here.)
Leaky gut syndrome? Take a probiotic
Weight-loss Warrior Rebecca Wojno, before turning things around and losing 70 pounds, admits her health was a mess. “My hormones were imbalanced, I had leaky gut and systemic yeast in my blood. I went to all these doctors, never really getting answers.”
About 12 percent of First for Women readers were also concerned with leaky gut syndrome. That’s when the gut microbiome is really off balance, resulting in tiny holes in the gut lining that allow toxins and undigested food particles to spill into the bloodstream. The result? Everything from weight gain to fatigue to brain fog.
Dr. Pescatore says “taking too many antibiotics” is a major factor in this type of gut damage. He suggests a good probiotic supplement can help, but you’ll want to consult a doctor for the best targeted treatment.