Natura
You eat consciously, with vegetables, whole grains, perhaps a lot of raw food, and still you bloat, have cramps or a feeling of pressure in your abdomen? That is more common than many think, and no sign that you are doing something wrong. “Healthy” and “well tolerated by me” are two different questions.
Possible causes
- Fiber and FODMAPs: onions, garlic, legumes, apples, cabbage and some sweeteners contain carbohydrates that are hard to digest. Gut bacteria ferment them, producing gas.
- Intolerances: for example to lactose, fructose or sorbitol. On histamine and other triggers, see also our article on histamine intolerance.
- Digestive juices: Digestion begins with chewing. Stomach acid, bile flow and pancreatic enzymes help determine how well food is broken down.
- Gut flora and small intestine colonization: A changed composition of gut bacteria or an overgrowth in the small intestine (SIBO) can promote bloating. More on gut flora and digestive complaints.
- Gut motility: Slow transit, for example with constipation or an underactive thyroid, can increase fermentation.
- Stress: Gut and brain are closely connected. Tension changes bowel movement and the perception of pain in the abdomen.
- Diseases: for example celiac disease or chronic inflammatory bowel disease. They must be ruled out medically.
Investigating step by step
- Rule out warning signs medically (see below). This is always the first step.
- Keep a diary for two to four weeks: what, when, how much did you eat, which complaints, how was the stress, how was digestion?
- Check patterns: Do complaints occur after certain food groups, after hurried meals or mainly during stressful phases?
- Targeted diagnostics if the diary gives clues: for example a stool examination, breath tests or intolerance tests.
- Adjust your diet in stages, not “leave everything out” permanently. A diet that is too strict long-term can further unsettle the gut and leads to nutrient gaps.
What tests can tell you
Not every procedure is equally well supported. Breath tests and stool examinations provide clues, but their results must always be read together with complaints and history. For some intolerance tests the scientific evidence is inconsistent. We therefore discuss beforehand what a test can say and what it cannot, and which consequence a result would actually have.
When medical evaluation is urgent
- blood in the stool or black stool
- unintended weight loss
- persistent fever or night sweats
- pain that wakes you at night, or very severe, persistent pain
- repeated vomiting or difficulty swallowing
- new digestive complaints after age 50 or colon cancer in the family
Support at Natura Heilpraxis
In the Gut & Digestion support program we look at diet, digestion, stress and daily life together and interpret lab values where they make sense. Nutrition counseling can complement this. It does not replace a medical examination.
Frequently asked questions
Why do I not tolerate raw vegetables and whole grains?
Fiber and certain carbohydrates (FODMAPs) are fermented by gut bacteria, producing gas. With a sensitive gut or an altered microbiome this can lead to bloating, fullness and pain, even with an otherwise healthy diet.
What does a food diary give me?
It makes patterns visible: which meal, which amount, which time, which complaints, and how much stress or sleep came before? After two to four weeks, connections often emerge that stay hidden in memory.
When should I see a doctor?
With blood in the stool, unintended weight loss, persistent fever, pain at night, repeated vomiting, black stool or new complaints after age 50. Also with severe, persistent pain.
What is SIBO?
SIBO stands for an overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine. It is often examined with a hydrogen and methane breath test, whose reliability depends on preparation and gut transit.
All questions & answers in the guide →
Professionally responsible: Yesha Karmeli, naturopathic practitioner (Heilpraktiker), Natura Heilpraxis Berlin. This text provides general information and does not replace individual advice.
