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Distension of the stomach and intestines is a very common problem. It often results in discomfort , especially if the swollen abdomen makes clothes too tight. Bloating has a variety of possible causes, including fluid retention and excess wind , most of which can successfully be treated with a range of natural remedies and lifestyle and changes.

Dandelion’s traditional name, ‘piss-a bed’, reflects centuries of its use as a diuretic to counteract fluid retention. Although some diuretics encourage potassium to leave the body in the urine, the high potassium content of dandelion replaces any that is lost.

The most likely cause of abdominal distention is an overall stomach and intestines. Overeating- especially of foods high in refined carbohydrates and fats, such as biscuits, cakes and pies-may result in excess wind production, leading to bloating. Other causes include fluid retentions , gastroenteritis, food sensitivity, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, celiac disease (intolerance to gluten, a cereal protein), lactose intolerance (inability to digest lactose, the sugar in milk), inflammation or ulceration of the stomach or intestinal lining, and candida infection.

Bloating may also result from a distruption in the population of bacteria in the intestines, leading to an insufficient number of ‘friendly’ bacteria, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus. 

Many women experience a bloating just before their period, when hormonal changes lead to fluid retention. Occasionally, heart, kidney or liver disease, an ovarian cyst , or another condition or complication causes distension .

Bloating from fluid retention : Fluid retention can be associated with a salty diet. Many commercially processed foods contain hih levels of salt and other sources of sodium (including bicarbonate of soda and monosodium glutamate or MSG), so always read labels. Minimise your sodium intake in the following ways.

Choose your foods carefully , and take your time during meals to relax and chew well.

• Avoid processed meats (such as bacon, ham, sausage and corned beef), stock cubes, yeast extract and salted snacks.
• Buy low-salt foods. Look for low-salt bread, cereal, canned and frozen vegetables, butter and spreads, sauces , pickles and soup.
• Do not cook vegetables in salted water.
• Do not add salt or sodium products to home-cooked recipes or so the food on your plate.

• Eat small , frequent meals
• Chew each mouthful well and avoid talking while eating. Powerful enzymes in the mouth aid digestion.
• Avoid carbonates beverages
• Don’t drink during meals . fluid dilutes stomach acid and digestive enzymes, which may slow the passage of food through your stomach. In particular , any fruit eaten is then more ferment  and produce wind.
• Avoid eating starchy foods , such as pasta and potatoes, in the same meal as protein or fruit.  
• Avoid excessive quantities of legumes, fatty foods, and raw fruits and vegetables, as these can increase wind in the intestines.
• Curtail a high fibre intake, especially of insoluble fibre such as wheat bran.
• Take some papain, an enzyme preparation made from paw paw, with each meal.
• If you suspect a food sensivity , follow an exclusion diet to identify the cause (see food sensitivity )
• Try for one day eating only finely grated or pureed apples and drinking only mineral water or peppermint tea. On the next day , add some vegetable soup or steamed vegetables to the midday and evening meals, and then expand your diet over the next two days to include savoury rice and yogurt with live cultures. After that, resume a normal healthy diet.

• Eat foods, such as yogurt, containing Lactobacillus acidophilus. If you’re milk-sensitive, take an aciddophillus supplement, available from health-food stores and pharmacies.

Try the following for the three days before bloating usually begins:

• Eat more foods rich in vitamins B6 and E, magnesium and essential fatty acids .(see articles: Key nutrients and foods)
• Cut out caffeine and added sugar and salt.
• Mix three drops of Juniper berry oil and two drops each of rosemary and lavender oils with five teaspoons of grapeseed or wheat germ oil. Omit Juniper berry and rosemary oils if you are trying to conceive or are in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy. Ask a friend to use this mixture to massage the backs of your leg (with upward strokes), lower back and abdomen (with clockwise circular movements).
• Starting one week before your period , take evening primrose oil capsules according to the manufacturer’s instruction.

TREATMENTHerbal remedies:

• For bloating that occurs with indigestion or wind, pour half a litre of boiling water over 25grams of cut angelica roots, cover , and steep for 10 minutes. Take two tablespoons of this angelica tea three times a day before meals. Alternatively , simply chew some raw angelica leaves or root.
• Have tea made from peppermint, ginger, cinnamon, fennel, lemon balm, or chamomile after a meal to prevent wind-related bloating.
• Prevent wind adding warming spices-such as cayenne, ginger, and cardamom and caraway seeds-to your meals.
• For bloating resulting from premenstrual fluid retention, drink a cup of celery –seed tea twice daily.
• Also helpful for premenstrual fluid retention is horsetail tincture, available on prescription from a qualified herbalist.

Caution: for safety concern (see:Using herbs safely)

To prevent premenstrual bloating, use a compress. Place a towel in a bowl of warm water to which you’ve added three drops each of juniper berry and rosemary oils and two drops each of lavender and cypress oils. Wring out and apply to the abdomen and chest for as long as is comfortable. Do not use this treatment if you are trying to conceive. 

For bloating with indigestion ,wind or fluid retention , try the following treatments with essential oils (but not if you or might be pregnant):

• Add three drops of black pepper oil to three tablespoons of sunflower oil. Following a meal, smooth the mixture gently onto your abdomen, using clockwise movements.
• Add four drops of peppermint oil and two drops each of juniper berry and black pepper oils to half a teaspoon of unscented skin lotion . Apply to your abdomen with slow, clockwise movements.
• Soak in a bath of warm water to which you have added three drops of black pepper oil and three drops of fennel oil.
• Massage your abdomen with two teaspoons of grapeseed or wheat germ oil to which you have added two or three drops of cinnamon, ginger , clove or peppermint oil.

• You have persistent or worsening pain.
• You have vomited or you have fever.
• Your ankles are swollen.
• You have a chronic condition, especially if it suddenly worsens.

See also: Candida Infections, Constipation, Diarrhoea, Flatulence, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Premenstrual Syndrome.

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