What’s your belly trying to tell you?

Nutritionist DR JOANNA MCMILLAN reveals why you have that bloated feeling

It happens when I eat…

Does simply eating make your belly bloat like a balloon? There could be an easy solution to your problem – chewing! “Inadequate chewing wing can certainly contribute to indigestion. And, d, if you also eat too quickly, more air is swallowed wed and this could contribute to bloating and excessive belching,” says Dr Mcmillan.

Every time I drink milk…

Lactose intolerance could be blamed for post-dairy bloating. “Lactose intolerance means you don’t break down lactose in the small intestine, so it enters the colon, where it’s rapidly fermented by gut bugs,” Dr Mcmillan explains. “This leads to gas and potentially draws fluid into the colon.” Pay your doctor a visit if you suspect you’re lactose intolerant.

Whenever I’m stressed... ..

“The brain and the gut are connected nnected and speak to each other,” Dr Mcmillan illan explains. “Stress affects the functioning g of the gut – usually to make it contract.” This can land you with excessive gas – the sure-fire precursor to bloating.