Battling the Bloat: my Gut Health journey so far
13 things I have tried during my almost decade-long struggle with chronic bloating. What hasn't worked, what helped a little, and the only thing that actually gave me results.
You’re definitely oversharing.
This is what was going through my mind a few weeks ago, as I put out a story on my Instagram on the ever-so-glamorous topic of Colon Irrigation. Imagine my surprise, when the views on that story skyrocketed, my DMs flooded with people sharing their own Gut Health journeys.
To give you a little background, I had impulse-booked a Colon Irrigation treatment, after being persuaded by my Urban masseuse – a lovely Polish lady I see sometimes when my bad shoulder is acting up. We were chatting about my chronic bloating issues, and she swore that having your colon washed up is just the thing. Everyone in Poland does it, she said.
So naturally, I gave in to the temptation. After all, after almost a decade of severe bloating and having tried pretty much everything under the sun, sticking a tube of lukewarm water in your bum can’t be that bad of an idea. Right?
Wrong.
Trust my sceptical-minded husband to unearth a plethora of scientific advice against this practice (citing anything from gut imbalance to potential colon tears) and put a damper on the whole adventure. But the thing was, you see, I had already booked my appointment, and being a spur-of-the-moment, last-minute thing, it was for the following day, well into their 48-hour cancellation policy. So, ignore the (very scary) scientific warnings and give it a go or cancel and lose my £90? I put it to the people of Instagram and the mission was aborted.
What emerged, other than mixed reviews on Colon Irrigation from those who tried it and some ulterior warnings from the medical community, was an overwhelming impression that Gut Health is an issue that touches way more people than I realised. Outside of Instagram, I have also been talking about it with friends who are experiencing similar issues with severe bloating (although I would have never guessed looking at them, which only went to show me how my own body perception could be wildly distorted) and who feel as helpless and defeated as I do.
This is because we have tried so many approaches to understand what’s going on (speaking from experience, I tried everything from traditional to alternative medicine), and nothing seems to give a definitive answer. Sure, I managed to gather some intel along the journey, but it feels like I am slowly, ever so slowly putting together the pieces of a puzzle without ever getting the full picture.
A note before we move on…
What I am about to share feels very intimate to me, and the oversharing question is floating again in my mind. I am a private person, vulnerability is scary, and I have considered putting this article behind a paywall as a way to limit access and protect myself. Judging by the reaction I got on Instagram and the level of interest in the topic, it would also probably help me to increase my paying subscribers (which, if I am being totally honest, has been progressing at the same rate as my gut health).
Ultimately, I’ve decided to keep this article free for everyone, in the hope that a) it might be helpful for other people in my situation and b) might encourage a discussion in my comments, as I’d love for all of you to be able to share what has worked for you and what hasn’t. Hopefully, we can all learn from each other.
Needless to say, if you do find this article useful or have in general been enjoying my free work, I would so appreciate you upgrading your membership to a paid one. This will give you full access to exclusive articles including recipes and travel guides (Japan to come soon!), but most importantly, it would help me keep devoting all this time to writing.
How it started
I have been struggling with chronic bloating for so long that I almost can’t remember when it started. It has crept up on me sometime in 2017. I had joined a new, big design agency, and one of the perks for us employees was a shared canteen. Despite being grateful for the service and yummy food, that was a huge shift in my diet, being exposed to spicier and much heavier food than I was used to cooking for myself. Even though I was still in my twenties and the most active I have ever been (averaging at least 12k steps a day and regularly going to swim and pilates), I started slowly and steadily gaining weight, and the bloating appeared.
It was around that time that people started asking me if I was pregnant. Complete strangers on the street, no less. A cashier at an H&M. An old lady in downtown Bari. A homeless man outside Paddington Station. Even though probably well-meaning (although why would anyone ask a woman such an intimate question in this day and age, beats me), every incident felt like being slapped in the face. I would blush, panic, and mumble a confused denial. I started feeling very self-conscious, my body confidence eroded, and shopping for clothes became a nightmare.
In truth, I can see why people thought I was pregnant. I most definitely look pregnant. And if you think I am exaggerating, I have (photographic) receipts.
Ok, this right here feels super uncomfortable… deep breaths Martina!
Thus my investigative journey began. As I said earlier, I have tried almost everything. Some of these things were fads; some were at least partially informative. Only one therapist so far has been able to help, and I was able to see some actual progress last summer. But consistency is key, and although I have improved, I feel like there is still a long way to go.
Just to give you a little more context, I wake up bloated, regardless of what I have eaten the night before (although I have noticed certain things like soy sauce would make it much worse). So it’s not necessarily a response to a meal. In fact, it seems to be at its worst in the morning before breakfast (although I can’t be certain, because the rest of the day I tend to wear baggy clothes for comfort and to conceal the bloat). I should also add that I think I lead a pretty healthy lifestyle: I don’t drink or smoke, don’t like coffee, I cook all my meals from scratch (with the exception of the weekly takeaway or restaurant meal). I’m not a sweet tooth. I should exercise more, sure, but I try to get my 10k steps a day and I occasionally do Pilates.
It goes without saying, that what follows is my own, very personal experience. What hasn’t worked for me might work for you, and vice versa. Each case is different and needs to be assessed individually, and I urge you to explore whatever avenue makes the most sense to you. Hopefully, this list will give you some ideas.
I should also say that the list below doesn’t follow a chronological order, mainly because it’s been so long that I forgot what happened when.
Things I tried that haven’t helped
(at least in my case)
1. Seeing a gastroenterologist
To prove to you that I am a sensible person and not just any gullible muggle, I’ll start off with the hard-core scientific approaches I have tried before we venture into murkier waters. I went to see a Gastroenterologist in Italy a few years ago. I held off for a long time, probably longer than I should have, because I was terrified of being told I needed a gastroscopy. I waited to go to Italy because, well, the general level of care you get there is miles above what I can access through the NHS in London (sorry, but sadly it’s true). She ran blood and stool tests, including a celiac test, which all came back with pretty much nothing abnormal. She concluded it was likely IBS caused by stress, which tantamount meant it was all in my head. Except I know it’s not. She gave me some IBS pills and sent me on my merry way. The pills didn’t work.
2. Seeing a gynaecologist
On the same trip, I went to see a Gyno because I had the suspicion that my bloating could be caused by endometriosis. Some of my symptoms (mainly heavy, painful periods) were potentially supporting that theory, and I wanted to rule it out. Although theoretically impossible to diagnose unless you operate, I have been examined by two different Gynos (one in Italy, one in London), and none of them saw any sign of me having endometriosis. So out went that theory.
3. Seeing an osteopath / holistic guru
A lovely Instagram acquaintance warmly recommended I see her Ostheopath in London. She had had similar struggles and swore the guy completely restored her health. I went several times, and the sessions were part osteopathy, and part pseudo-psychological therapy. What I was most interested in was this mysterious machine, the workings of which I wouldn’t be able to tell you. It basically took a reading of all your meridians and told you which ones were out of balance. I was then given a course of homoeopathic remedies. After sticking to it for a few months, I saw no significant improvement, so I decided my hard-earned money was probably better spent elsewhere.
4. Hypnotherapy
The Nerva App promises to help fix the gut-health axis and cure IBS with a six-week program consisting of daily 10-15 minute hypnotherapy sessions, educational readings, and breathing exercises. I have been there, got the T-shirt, and it hasn’t worked. Possibly because what I have is not IBS, which I have come to realise is a pretty broad term used when people don’t know what else is wrong with you (see point no.1)
5. Taking pre and pro-biotics
If I listed all the brands of probiotics I tried, we’ll be here till the cows come home. One of the most notable among these would be Symprove, a lacto-free solution you drink every day and keep stored in the fridge. This came recommended by a dear friend of mine who used to be a nurse working with a gastroenterologist, so I had high hopes. It didn’t work for me, but probably because my gut was not ready to receive that kind of help (stay tuned till the end to understand why). So it’s not something that I would discount outright.
Another brand I have tried is Artha, sold by their beautiful branding. Although their gut probiotics didn’t work for me (same reason as above), there is one product of theirs I would recommend (see the “has partially worked section below”).
6. Eating fermented food
I was convinced that drinking Kombucha and eating Sourdough and sauerkraut would at least help, if not cure me. It might have actually made things worse (again, I’ll explain why in the last, “what has worked section” below).
7. Activated Carbon
When the symptoms first started, I tried taking carbon pills after my meals. Not only it didn’t really help, but I have since learned it can actually be counter-productive if not used sparingly, as it absorbs vitamins and minerals alongside the toxins.
8. Zoe
There was a time (not long ago) when the Zoe app was the talk of the town, promising mind-blowing insight into your gut microbiome, blood sugar, and blood fat responses. After an initial 2-week phase with a blood sugar sensor attached to your arm, you are meant to log every single meal into the app and you receive a personalised score based on how well your body can process that food. I am massively simplifying the process, but you get the gist. Now, although it was interesting to learn more about blood sugar spikes and the effects they have on your body, I quickly got bored of logging every single meal, only to be told what I already knew – which is that, all in all, I already eat pretty healthy. I rarely have sugary treats, cook all of my food from scratch (save the occasional weekly Deliveroo or restaurant meal), eat my rainbow, etc etc. It didn’t make a difference to my bloating, and given the steep price I was paying for the app, I didn’t think it was worth it.
Things I tried that have helped a bit
9. Fodmap/elimination diets
Arguably I am partially to blame for the inconclusive results of my elimination diet attempts. Consistency is not my forte, I find elimination diets too restrictive, and I have too much of a zest for food to fully embrace them. I am also not patient enough, and doing a full Fodmap kind of diet properly takes time. Too much time for my taste. I did however cut a few things from my diet and saw results (more on that later).
10. Seeing a nutritionist
I saw an Italian nutritionist for a while who came highly recommended by a friend who swore she helped with all her issues. This was a while ago, so my memories of it are quite blurry. I remember she asked me to run some blood tests, including some hormonal ones to check for imbalances. She then came up with a pretty strict diet consisting of maybe 10-15 meals to eat on rotation. Each meal of the day was designed to go with the other two of the day (no flexibility there), and snacks were discouraged.
Now, I am not saying this approach was without its merits (she did seem very knowledgable, and as I said she came highly recommended), but it was a huge flop with me. The main reason was that I found it really restrictive to eat like this for prolonged periods of time. I think I managed to keep it up for a month, but it wasn’t sustainable for me in the long term. A few of the ingredients she suggested I use were also easy to find in Italy, but nearly impossible to source in London, so that also didn’t help.
There were however a few things I found interesting about her method that seem to be shared by other experts in the field, and that stuck with me:
The importance of eating bitter things, like radicchio, endive, artichokes, olives, grapefruit etc. These help stimulate the production of digestive enzymes, bile, and stomach acid, which help break down food more efficiently.
Eating proteins at lunch and carbs in the evening apparently can support hormonal balance, sleep quality, and metabolism
Eating vegetables before eating carbs slows down the glucose spikes
Eating raw vegetables at lunch and cooked vegetables at dinner
Allowing one deep-fried meal once a week. This was a total curveball, and one I wasn’t mad about! Don’t quote me on this, but the way she explained this, was to give my metabolism a “kick” every now and then, a challenge if you will. If your body gets used to only eating a super healthy and restrictive diet, it might induce your metabolism to slow down and become “lazy”. Don’t shoot the messenger, I am merely reporting what I have been told!
11. Food intolerance blood tests
Around the same time my bloating started, I would also get occasional stomach cramps and pains. One episode was particularly significant – I got the worst cramps ever after eating only a spoonful of a Spanish tortilla. A complete food intolerance blood test revealed I was 98% intolerant to egg whites. Well, what the heck. I completely cut out eggs for years, and gradually introduced them back only when subsequent tests showed that the percentage had gone down to a normal level. I have now re-introduced them and can eat them without major issues. The bloating is still there, but at least the cramps have gone.
12. Healthpath
Healthpath is an online service that allows you to take a variety of gut health-related tests at home. Once you send them to the lab, you get a report explaining the findings and a list of recommended medicines or supplements to take. It’s all very science-driven, and I did find some of the results interesting.
I took a Sibo test, which came out negative, and their Ultimate Gut Health Test, which was interesting. The former is a breath test and the latter a stool one.
The Gut health test indicated that I had some unfriendly bacteria in my gut, and also that my body can’t process fat, sugars and proteins very efficiently. This last finding would explain my steady weight gain despite a healthy diet, and my inability to get rid of the extra weight.
13. Digestive teas and tinctures
Something that has helped me calm down from particularly extreme bloating episodes in reaction to meals has been digestive teas, with Fennel seeds being one of the key ingredients. I particularly love the Afterlunch Tea from Avantcha.
Another product that helps when a digestive tea is not available and I want a quick help is Artah’s Digest and Debloat natural tincture.
The only method that actually worked.
For a while at least.
Last year, I went to see a naturopath in Italy. Her method is based on kinesiology, which, if you are not familiar with it, tests your muscle resistance to identify weaknesses in your system, from a structural, nutritional and even emotional point of view. I know, it sounds pretty woo-woo, and it is considered a pseudoscience with not much scientific backing. All I can tell you is that it’s the only method that so far has actually worked on me.
So here’s what happened. After a long chat where I was asked a number of very in-depth questions about my health (including things seemingly not related to gut health), Alessia made me lie down, and she started pulling out of her cabinet a number of vials containing different substances (including all the main allergens such as soy, nuts, sugar etc). She intentionally did not tell me what she was testing, to avoid me being influenced in my response. She would place a vial on my tummy, and ask me to try to resist the pressure she applied on my arm or leg. It was astounding to see how certain vials made my muscles extremely weak, whilst I had no problem resisting the pressure when others were applied.
The second step was to test remedies using the same procedure.
Interestingly, many of her findings reflected what I had learned through my Healthpath test. She also explained why all those pre and probiotics not only didn’t help, but possibly made things worse. “Imagine your gut is a city in the middle of a civil war”, she said. “The citizens are angry AF and constantly fighting each other. If you dump on the city a new population of 1000 honest, well-meaning citizens, you are just adding more pressure to an already under-resourced system. You need to end the war first before you can introduce the new friendly bacteria”.
Now that made a lot of sense. She also explained that, having been chronically bloated for so long, my tummy tissues got progressively stretched (much like they would have with a pregnancy), and that didn’t help with containing the bloat. She recommended some core strengthening to counteract that.
The protocol she gave me was a combination of avoiding certain foods that tested badly on my body and doing a course of natural remedies. I was to follow it religiously for two months and then go back to review.
I am going to share exactly what my protocol was, but please be mindful that these recommendations were personalised to me, and might work in your case.
Foods I had to avoid:
All refined sugar, fructose and aspartame (but yes to honey and maple syrup)
All dairy (with the exception of sheep and goat milk and cheeses)
Soy and derivates
Pork (sigh!) and cured meats
Chocolate (even dark chocolate – double whammy!)
All yeast (including sourdough), with the exception of instant yeast and baking powder
Avoid fermented foods
Coffee and alcohol (this was easy for me as I already don’t do either)
Natural remedies I was given:
I got all of them in an Italian pharmacy, but you might be able to find equivalents here. Again though, I need to stress that just because these worked on me doesn’t mean it will work on your case, but as they are all natural they can’t do much harm (unless you are pregnant, in which case it is always better to double-check)
Candigenol. These pills were the main star of the show and they REALLY help with my bloat. It’s a natural blend designed to act against harmful bacteria. I’m not sure where you can buy this in the UK but here is a picture of it in case you go to Italy!
Colostrum boosts the immune system and supports gut health. It is also Anti-Inflammatory & Antimicrobial.
Vitamin D drops to boost my immune system (connected to gut health), and because living in the UK I tend to be deficient
I applied this protocol religiously last summer. I started noticing results around the third week – I remember I was on holiday in Crete (an ideal destination for this kind of diet, with their abundance of sheep cheeses and honey), and for the first time in forever feeling actually good, the dreaded bloat gone. I went for a second check-up a few months later, which involved a full re-test of all the substances. To my glee, I was told I could start reintroducing most of the banned items once or twice a week, and to continue on the 3 remedies above.
This feeling lasted until I started to gradually slip back into my old ways, and become less diligent with the foods to avoid. Alessia being in Italy also means it is harder for me to go to regular follow-ups, but I have all the intention of going back to see her on my next trip and continue this journey.
What I really loved about this method was the focus on the things to avoid, rather than a very prescriptive diet, and I found following broad guidelines much easier.
Books & cookbooks I bought on the topic:
Giulia Enders, Gut – The inside story of our body’s most under-rated organ
Really interesting read. Gut health is explained from a scientific point of view but in a funny, approachable way.
Artha, The Metabolic Reset
I tried following this diet but quickly realised, as explained before, that I am not very good at following specific diets. Still found some interesting inspiration in terms of recipes.
Jessica Shand, The Hormonal Balance Cookbook
I have just bought this book which came highly recommended. It is really fascinating from the point of view of understanding your hormones and what nutritional adjustments you can take to support each phase of your cycles. Although it contains recipes, it also gives broad guidelines to follow, so I am excited about this one.
Dr Megan Rossi, Eat Yourself Healthy
I bought this some time ago, but I remember it contained some interesting tips and recipes.
Simona Oberhammer, Guarigione naturale con i 4 biotipi
This book is written by an acclaimed Italian Naturopath. Her all shtick is to divide people into four biotypes (air, water, earth and fire), each one having their own characteristics both from a physical and psychological point of view (I suspect there are several TCM overlaps there). She then offers specific natural advice based on your biotype, including a detox protocol with a soup and tea (and their recipes), supplements and types of exercises that are best suited to your type. I did find it very interesting, and reading about my biotype (I am a Water) really resonated with me. I still use her tea recipe to this date for my biotype debloat tea, and I think there are definitely merits to her method, but it didn’t completely fix me at the time (I have to say this was years ago, and I’d be interested in giving it another go!)
Join the conversation by sharing your own experience! Have you struggled with similar issues? Tried similar remedies? Found somethign that actually works? Let us all know!
My husband has been through a similarly frustrating journey with gut health and inflammation, with similarly disappointing results. I don't have any insight to share since we're still looking for answers, but thank you for sharing your experience! You're definitely not alone in this journey.
I'm so pleased to hear that a visit to a kinesiologist helped! I've been unwell throughout 2024 with different issues to yours but I couldn't find an answer to my symptoms either. I felt like I'd tried everything and was exhausted by it all. Then, a friend recommended a kinesiologist here in the UK and my session followed the exact same format you mentioned. I was a bit sceptical at first but it's now been almost two months since my initial visit and I am finally seeing improvement! Huge kudos to you for enduring all this while continuing to work, it's really challenging and incredibly hard (and often our symptoms are hidden from others so we seem to be functioning normally and yet...). Thank you for sharing and I hope you continue to get better! ❤️