How To Stop Nausea After Eating

How To Stop Nausea After Eating

Many of us will have experienced the feeling of nausea after eating more than we should. This is totally understandable, however if you experience nausea each time you eat food then there may be something else that is responsible.

Eating should be pleasurable and bloating infrequently is perfectly normal if you over-indulge from time to time. But feeling nauseous, gassy, and bloated all the time after eating could mean you need to adjust your habits or perhaps there may be an underlying condition. I have outlined some potential reasons for the causes of nausea after eating.

Chewing insufficiently

One of the most common problems with the feelings of nausea after eating is that most of us do not chew sufficiently. We swallow our food quickly, usually after two or three bites, but we are often distracted during this process by mobile phone activity.

Not chewing enough can slow the whole digestive process. Digestion begins in the mouth as the salivary enzymes break down food and chewing insufficiently will often mean that your body does not receive all the nutrients within the food you are eating.

Aim to chew each bite of food at least ten to twelve times as this will often help prevent indigestion after meals and may possibly lessen bloating.

The good bacteria in your gut are out of balance

Your gut is home to trillions of bacteria and other microorganisms that influence our health. When the ratio of good bacteria to bad bacteria, and other pathogens, goes out of balance, problems arise with digestion and with infections. For example, bacteria residing in the small intestine cause the symptoms of SIBO which include gas, bloating and nausea after eating.

Bacterial imbalance may also cause a leaky gut where the gut lining becomes damaged resulting in compounds passing into the bloodstream causing skin reactions. Bacterial imbalances may also result in problematic post-meal symptoms including constipation, sometimes a little diarrhoea, nausea after eating, gas, abdominal distension and burping.

The most important thing you can do for your gut is to take a quality probiotic supplement such as Mega Probio. Taking a probiotic supplement should help to keep your gut in balance and hopefully prevent digestive problems.

Stress and digestion

Nausea after eating may be associated with stress. Our digestive system is directly in communication with our brain and so any stress results in the shutdown of the digestive system as our body enters fight or flight mode. Of course, for many of us stresses may be ongoing, not just physically or emotive, but also hormonal which is why many of us feel sick after each meal.

It is also theorised that chronic exposure to stress may be linked to the development of numerous GI disorders. Try deep breathing exercise especially just before a meal, take Magnesium salt baths and if the stress is chronic then consider supplements such as Magnolia Rhodiola Complex which is one of the quickest acting supplements to help reduce stress hormones.

You may have acid reflux symptoms

A painful burning sensation in the middle of the chest after each meal, along with nausea, burping and a sour taste in your mouth, could mean you are suffering from acid reflux or heartburn.

Acid reflux occurs when the contents of your stomach have not been broken down sufficiently due to a lack of stomach acid rather than too much acid. When this occurs repeatedly, the oesophagus and the valve between the stomach and the oesophagus may also get damaged and the condition is known as GERD.

To find out if this is the case, try some Organic Apple Cider Vinegar With The Mother by Willy's, dilute with some water and drink before your meals. Apple cider vinegar increases low stomach acid levels and may reduce symptoms.

You may not be eating enough fibre

Many of us do not eat sufficient fibre for a day or two and this does not cause a problem. However, avoiding fibre rich foods daily can result in a variety of digestive problems from sluggish digestion to the flourishing of bad bacteria in the gut.

Fibre is the key to healthy digestion and regular bowel movement. Fibre absorbs water, increases the bulk of your stool, and ensures healthy movement of food in the gut. A lack of fibre may lead to constipation which allows toxins to be re-absorbed into the bloodstream resulting in inflammation, fatigue, nausea, and cramping.

Additionally, fibre is a food source for the good bacteria in the gut. Once these bacteria digest fibre, they produce short chain fatty acids which help maintain regularity, calm down inflammation in the gut and display antimicrobial properties. But that’s not all; different types of fibre feed different strains of bacteria so it is always a good idea to eat a variety of foods rich in fibre.

Getting enough fibre in one’s diet is still a challenge for vast numbers of the population in the UK. Latest figures suggest that in the UK, the average daily fibre intake is 18 grams which is 60% of what It should be. (1)

You can of course eat a healthy and balanced diet as well as taking a fibre supplement to ensure that you always have enough fibre in your diet such as taking two teaspoons daily of a fibre supplement such as Complete Fibre Cleanse which provides both soluble and insoluble fibres for their multiple benefits.

Your meals are too big

It seems obvious that big meals may be responsible for nausea after eating anything especially when eating them close to bedtime since this does not give your body time to digest the food. A large meal causes pressure on the valve that separates the stomach from the intestines allowing stomach acid and food to pass back up into the oesophagus resulting in symptoms of acid reflux and nausea.

Eat slowly to allow your body to register how full you really are. Try to leave some space in the stomach and of course do not eat close to bedtime.

It might be your gallbladder

If you feel nauseous after eating fried foods or food rich in fats including good fats like omega 3, it might be your gallbladder that is the issue. People with gallbladder issues often experience pain and nausea when eating fried or fatty foods.

The gallbladder, located under the liver, stores bile which is used to break down fats when you eat a meal. If you have gallstones or gallbladder inflammation, this function may be impaired resulting in pain and nausea after eating.

Avoid foods with excessive fats and try HealthAid's Milk Thistle Complex which may help with bile flow. If the symptoms are severe, please consult your GP.

You may have a sluggish thyroid

Most people never associate digestive concerns with the thyroid gland. The thyroid fuels every single cell in the body including those lining the intestines. Low thyroid function, hypothyroidism, can lead to poor digestion, slower movement of food and constipation.

However, these symptoms on their own do not mean you have hypothyroidism. It is often other conditions such as hair loss, low energy, and dry skin that when accompanied with constipation probably indicate that a thyroid function test should be carried out.

Time of your meals

We know that what you eat matters, but it is also important to time your meals correctly. Having your meals too close together or too far apart can make you nauseous after eating. Constant snacking interferes with a cyclic movement that occurs every 90-180 minutes in the gut which aids the movement of food. On the other hand, waiting to eat food longer than four hours can cause a dip in sugar levels and hence metabolism.

Paying specific attention to when your symptoms show up should be of value in understanding the triggers that make you nauseous after eating.

 

(1) Fibre - British Dietatic Association (BDA) – UK.Com

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