Let’s get one thing straight… bloating is not always about the broccoli.
Sure, certain foods can cause gas. Beans, cruciferous vegetables, and sparkling water have all earned their reputations for a reason. But what if I told you that the real bloat culprits might not be in your lunchbox, but in your lifestyle? That the way you eat, not just what you eat, may be holding your digestion hostage?
I’ve coached countless women who come to me completely fed up with the guessing game: Was it the hummus? Was it the sourdough? The oat milk? The cauliflower? Often, they’re hyper-fixated on elimination- cutting things out one by one in pursuit of a flat stomach and a calm gut. But when we zoom out and look beyond the menu, the real problem becomes clear: we’re eating in a way our bodies can’t digest.
Let’s explore the lesser-known reasons you might be bloated and what you can do about it- without demonizing your favorite foods.
The Gut-Brain Bloat Connection
Ever scarf down a meal mid-email only to feel like a balloon an hour later?
That’s not your sandwich’s fault- it’s your nervous system. Digestion is a parasympathetic process, meaning it requires you to be in a "rest and digest" state for everything to function properly. But most of us are eating in “go-go-go” mode- scrolling, working, commuting, fighting traffic, or thinking about 17 other things. When you’re stressed, your body is too busy producing cortisol to produce stomach acid and enzymes. It literally downregulates digestion to focus on surviving whatever threat it thinks you’re facing (even if it’s just a Slack notification).
So yes, you can be bloated even if you ate the "cleanest" meal on the planet- if you were in sympathetic overdrive when you ate it.
How Eating Habits (Not Just Foods) Impact Digestion
Here are some digestion-sabotaging habits I see all the time:
-
Skipping meals then eating large portions quickly → Your gut loves rhythm. When you fast too long and then overeat, it overwhelms your digestive system, leading to fermentation, gas, and sluggish motility.
-
Not chewing enough → Digestion starts in the mouth. If you’re inhaling food in under 5 minutes, your stomach has to work overtime to break things down. That bloated “brick in your stomach” feeling? Often a chewing issue, not a food sensitivity.
-
Snacking all day long → Your migrating motor complex (MMC)—the gut’s natural cleaning wave- activates only when your stomach is empty. Constant grazing means your MMC never gets the chance to sweep out bacteria and waste. Over time, this can lead to microbial imbalances and- you guessed it- bloating.
-
Eating erratically → When you eat at irregular times, your body struggles to anticipate and prepare for digestion. Consistency helps train your digestive system to secrete the right enzymes and acids at the right times.
So, the next time you reach for a food journal to figure out what caused your bloat, you might also want to look at how fast you ate, what time of day, and whether you were present (or panicking over an inbox).
The Role of Enzymes and Stomach Acid
Let’s talk gut chemistry.
You could be eating all the “right” things, but if your stomach acid and enzyme levels are low, those foods won’t be broken down properly. Cue gas, bloating, belching, and that too-full feeling that sticks around for hours.
Low stomach acid (hypochlorhydria) is more common than you think- especially if you’re frequently stressed, over 30, taking antacids, or have a history of H. pylori. Without enough acid, food sits in your stomach too long, ferments, and creates gas pressure.
Then there are digestive enzymes: small but mighty proteins that break down macronutrients. We naturally produce enzymes in our saliva, pancreas, and small intestine. But like stomach acid, enzyme production drops when we’re stressed or overburdened with inflammatory foods.
Signs you might benefit from enzyme support or low-acid interventions:
-
You feel full for hours after eating
-
You burp frequently
-
Protein and fat-heavy meals sit uncomfortably
-
You see undigested food in your stool
-
You feel bloated even with “safe” meals
When to Supplement and When to Slow Down
Before you reach for a supplement, I always recommend starting with the basics:
-
Chew more (aim for 20–30 times per bite- yes, really)
-
Breathe before meals (even 4 slow breaths activates the parasympathetic system)
-
Space out your meals (3-4 hours apart to allow MMC activation)
-
Eat sitting down, not multitasking
But let’s be honest- sometimes, life happens. You’re traveling, running late, emotionally activated, or eating something heavier than usual. In those moments, a quality digestive enzyme or herbal blend can feel like an exhale for your belly.
That’s where Hilma’s Digestive Enzymes come in. They’re a go-to for my clients when they know they’ll be eating a larger meal or something harder to break down (think: steak, cheese, holiday meals). It’s especially helpful during times of high stress when our own enzyme production takes a hit.
Hilma Tools to Help Ease the Pressure
Hilma's Gas + Bloat Relief is another favorite– especially after a big meal, during travel, or that time of the month when digestion tends to slow down due to hormonal shifts. It’s packed with carminative herbs– plants traditionally used to soothe the digestive tract and reduce gas buildup.
Let’s break down the key ingredients:
-
Fennel: Known for relaxing the muscles in the gastrointestinal tract, which helps relieve bloating and cramping. It also stimulates bile flow, which aids fat digestion.
-
Peppermint: Helps ease spasms in the gut and reduce gas. It’s cooling, soothing, and particularly effective if bloating is accompanied by discomfort or tightness.
-
Lemon balm: A gentle nervine and antispasmodic herb that not only supports digestion but also calms the nervous system- perfect for stress-related bloat.
-
Caraway: Helps prevent gas formation and supports gut motility. Often combined with peppermint in clinical studies for bloating relief.
Together, these herbs work synergistically to decompress your digestion, without harsh laxatives or synthetic ingredients. Think of it as a plant-based pressure release valve for your gut.
Travel, Stress, and "Phantom Bloat"
One more thing to consider- sometimes bloating isn’t even about digestion at all.
When we’re stressed, anxious, or dysregulated, we often hold tension in our abdomens. The diaphragm tightens, the breath becomes shallow, and the gut literally tenses. This can lead to a sensation of bloating or distension that isn’t necessarily from gas- it’s from nervous system activation.
This is what I call phantom bloat- it feels like fullness, heaviness, or pressure, but it’s coming from the inside out, not the other way around.
Hilma’s Gas + Bloat Relief is helpful here too- not just for the herbs themselves, but for the ritual of slowing down. Taking a capsule, sipping a hot tea, breathing deeply- all of that tells your body it’s safe to digest, safe to relax, safe to let go.
When It’s Deeper Than Habits: The Pathogen Piece
Of course, we can’t talk about bloating without acknowledging one of the most overlooked root causes: underlying pathogens. Chronic bloating that persists despite dietary changes, nervous system work, and lifestyle tweaks might point to microbial imbalances like bacterial overgrowth (like SIBO), dysbiosis, candida, parasites, or even low-grade infections that inflame the gut lining and impair digestion.
These aren't things you can always guess or Google your way through. That’s where functional testing like the GI-MAP comes in- it’s a comprehensive stool test I use often in my program at Birchwell, where we regularly run these tests to detect overgrowths, inflammation, enzyme output, and even how well your gut immune system is functioning. Because when we know exactly what we’re dealing with, we can tailor the solution—and that clarity alone is often the first step to true relief.
Bloating is not your fault. And it’s not your identity.
It’s a symptom- your body waving a flag that says, “Hey, something’s off.” That something might be physiological (like low stomach acid or motility), behavioral (like how fast you’re eating), or emotional (like stress, perfectionism, or control).
If you’ve been blaming broccoli for months, it might be time to zoom out.
Start with presence. Then rhythm. Then chewing. Then breathing. And if you need support, tools like Hilma’s supplements can be the bridge that helps your body catch up to your healing intentions.
Because it’s not always about what you eat. It’s about how you receive it.
