Gassy-burpy-bloat-arrhea! Part 1

It’s a thing and we’ve all been there.  That night of debaucherous fun out with friends that redefined the meaning of gluttony.  Too much heavy, fatty, rich food mixed with alcohol and then dessert to top it off.  At some point, you sheep’ishly excuse yourself to the bathroom as your gut threatens to release a barrage of unpleasantness.  You pray that you make it and are thankful when there is no line.   Only the knowing face of the attendant as you rush hurriedly passed and shut the door.  Relief!

Whether this is an extreme depiction of what you may sometimes experience or a regular occurrence, our reaction is often the same: To decide that this is normal, not change a thing and then next weekend, repeat.  You will also ignore the connection to other ailments like cramping, sleeplessness, irritability, fatigue and joint pain.  Too often, it isn’t until something serious happens that you stop and evaluate your diet. 

So what is happening and why are these things related?  In general, gassy-burpy-bloat is connected to the type of food you are eating or problems with your digestive system which may be preventing the food from breaking down quickly or enough to be absorbed.  These undigested food particles may feed that unhealthy gut bacteria and unabsorbed nutrients together contribute to the unpleasant aftermath. 

Finally, the –arreah part is essentially your body trying to quickly eliminate the offensive foods/toxins from your system.  IBS and other gastrointestinal disorders are on the rise and while the cause is not entirely known, research has seen connections to the foods we are eating and not eating (i.e. fibre).

So the next time you have that night out, perhaps you can give your gut a little self-love by practicing some moderation and leave the gassy-burpy-bloat-arrhea to your less wise cohorts who choose to ignore the signs.

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Gassy-burpy-bloat-arrhea! Part 2 The most common causes