Understanding the Causes of Gas and Bloating and Simple Ways to Manage

Summary

Gas and bloating are common digestive complaints, often triggered by carbonated drinks, overeating or high-fiber foods. In many cases, an imbalance between good and bad bacteria in the gut, swallowing excess air or even stress can make the problem worse. While tablets & quick remedies may bring temporary relief, they rarely address the root cause. At Mool Health, the focus is on identifying your unique digestive imbalances and offering a personalised plan that restores balance and delivers long-term results.

​Introduction

Everybody has times when they feel gas and bloating. In fact, passing flatus 14–25 times per day is considered normal. But when discomfort becomes frequent or persistent, it can start to interfere with daily life.

So, what causes gas and bloating in the first place? The reasons vary. It can be as simple as eating too fast and swallowing more air or worse when the gut contains a mix of healthy bacteria. An imbalance in the balance can affect nutrient absorption and cause fermentation to increase, leading to more gas accumulation. The issue is exacerbated by stress, inadequate sleep, and lack of physical activity.

In this article, we’ll explore the common causes of bloating, explore deeper causes such as weak digestion, poor mobility or stress and analyze the limitations of using medication and natural remedies. Read on for more information. Most importantly, you’ll learn how Mool Health takes a root-cause approach with personalised care, blending modern science & Ayurvedic wisdom to restore lasting gut health.

Common Everyday Triggers (That Everyone Knows But Ignores)

Before we explore what causes gas and bloating, let’s first understand the difference between flatulence & bloating.

Flatulence, which is caused by the release of gas through the anus, is a common phenomenon that everyone experiences. During gas accumulation, one feels a heavy or uncomfortable sensation in their stomach. Around 200 ml of gas is typically stored in the digestive system, & the odor often comes from hydrogen sulfide.

Now picture this: have you ever rushed through your lunch & suddenly felt uncomfortably full? The act of swallowing more air while eating fast is responsible for causing bloating after consumption. The air that has been ingested can become trapped in your stomach, causing you to feel heavy within minutes.

So, what are other everyday habits that become common causes of bloating & discomfort?

• Talking while you’re eating (more swallowed air)

• Skipping meals & then overeating later

• Drinking fizzy beverages, chewing gum or using straws regularly

• Having a lot of water during meals

• Eating when you are super stressed or distracted

Each of these may seem harmless, but over time, they add up & become a big reason for gas & bloating that interfere with daily comfort.

Certain foods are also well-known to trigger bloating in your stomach because of how they are digested. Being mindful of these can make a big difference in how you feel after meals.

Some of the causes of excessive gas include:

• Carbonated beverages that release extra air into the stomach

• Spicy, fried or fatty foods that slow down digestion

• Vegetables like broccoli, cabbage & onions that produce more gas during breakdown

• Legumes such as beans & peas, which are harder to digest

• Fruits high in fructose, like apples or packaged energy juices

• Dried fruits, which can ferment in the gut

• Sugar substitutes like sorbitol, mannitol or maltitol, often found in low-carb or sugar-free foods

Paying attention to how your body reacts to these foods can help you make small but effective changes to reduce discomfort.

The Deeper Root Causes of Bloating & Gas

Even with a suitable diet, which includes avoiding beans, carbonated drinks, and adding pineapple, berries or watermelon, the issue persists. Additionally, even when you begin to monitor your daily food consumption, the problem persists. Although you're doing everything correctly, bloating and gas are persistent issues that keep appearing.

When this occurs, the problem is often not limited to food choices.

It could be indicative of more complex gut health issues. Let's examine each of these underlying factors in turn.

1. Weak Digestive Fire (Low Agni)

When your digestion is weak, food cannot be broken down or reabsorbed properly, leading to the creation of ama (undigested, toxic metabolic waste). Once in the small intestine, food that has been partially digested enters the colon, where bacteria break down undigested food and release gases, especially hydrogen sulfide.

This occurrence is frequently observed after consuming cold foods, raw salads, and irregular meals. You may feel swollen after consuming a light meal.

Modern science offers enzyme-based preparations for certain cases, for example, lactase (beta-galactosidase) helps break down lactose in milk if you are lactose intolerant. While this can ease bloating from dairy, it’s only a partial fix. Most undigested food does not involve lactose & supplements like these do not rebuild agni. Unless the root cause, weak digestion, is addressed, the cycle of bloating and gas in the stomach will continue.

2. Disrupted Gut Motility

When the natural movement of your gut slows down, food tends to sit in the digestive tract longer than it should. This stagnation allows bacteria to ferment the food, producing excess gas. The result? That uncomfortable feeling of bloating and gas in the stomach**,** along with fullness.

You may have noticed this slowdown after a late or heavy dinner, waking up the next morning feeling gassy, sluggish & uncomfortably full. Overeating, lack of regular eating and being too inactive are some of the most significant culprits.

Although antispasmodic drugs can provide temporary relief, they do not enhance gut function. It keeps coming back unless the basic rhythm of your digestion is restored.

3. Gut Lining Inflammation

Your gut lining is made up of tight junctions that carefully manage the absorption of nutrients into your body. When these protective connections are damaged, food particles can pass through and a ‘leaky gut’ develops. This causes the immune system to respond, leading to ongoing inflammation.

Issues such as Crohn's, celiac disease, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome are linked to this mechanism. Even in the absence of these conditions, stress, spicy foods, long-term medications, and inadequate sleep can weaken the gut barrier. It's a common issue that causes stomach discomfort after having light meals.

Medications may help suppress issues for a while, but they do not resolve the underlying inflammation. Over time, this persistent irritation becomes one of the reasons for gas and bloating that you may struggle with daily.

4. Bacterial Imbalance (Dysbiosis)

The number of bacteria in our gut amounts to millions. The bacteria play a crucial role in the digestion process, uphold immunity against infections and help maintain optimal conditions.

Antibiotics, sugar, low fibre consumption, and poor gut diversity can alter the bacteria's load. A surplus of bacteria results in increased gas production and fermentation. You might notice bloating after eating sweets and milk or having random meals. Unfortunately, tablets cannot correct the bacterial load.

5. Stress & Gut-Brain Disconnect

Through the gut-brain axis, you can maintain a continuous connection between your gut and brain. Your intestines contain trillions of microbes that play a crucial role in maintaining this connection. They work together to manage your gut movement, acid secretion, and enzyme release.

This system may become unstable under slight stress. Stress impedes the maintenance of gut microbiomes and hinders signalling along both the gut and brain pathways. Either this can cause overt digestion and cramping and urgency or slow digestion to a point where gas builds up and you have bloating.

It’s why you may notice flare-ups of bloating due to stress during exams, travel or high-pressure deadlines. While tablets may temporarily mask your issues, they do not address the root imbalance in the nervous system that drives this problem.

Why Tablets & Home Remedies Do Not Provide Lasting Relief?

Most tablets & quick-fix remedies only mask the issues of gas and bloating after eating; they do not address the underlying causes. Here’s how they work & what they miss:

Ayurvedic View on Gas & Bloating

In Ayurveda, vata represents air & movement in the body, while agni refers to the digestive fire that powers food breakdown & metabolism. From this perspective, gas and bloating in the stomach are seen as the result of a disruption in the body’s natural balance.

• Gas occurs when vata becomes aggravated & irregular.

• Bloating happens when agni is weak, leading to poor movement & incomplete digestion of food.

Agni's vulnerability can be attributed to various factors, including consuming heavy, processed foods, eating irregularly, living a sedentary lifestyle, experiencing stress or adjusting to seasonal changes such as cold weather. As the imbalance worsens, the vata increases, accumulates in the colon, and causes gaseous bloating.

In addition to treating issues, Ayurveda seeks to restore harmony. Main objectives are to strengthen gut agni, clear blocked digestive tracts, calm aggravated vata and thus allow digestion to go smoothly with long-term relief.

Mool Health’s Root-Cause Healing

By now, it’s clear that tablets & quick fixes only provide temporary relief. They may mask the discomfort of bloating & gas in the stomach, but they do not restore gut balance or fix the underlying issues. This is where Mool Health comes in.

About Mool Health

Mool Health's founding principle was that gut health is crucial for maintaining good overall health. Instead of using generic methods, Mool Health offers tailored care. Through the integration of Ayurveda and modern research into the gut, Mool Health helps to address issues from the root and promote healing.

Our Approach

Everything at Mool Health begins with you. We start with a free personalised gut assessment to understand your unique concerns & identify the reasons for gas & bloating in your case. From there, we design an Ayurvedic plan tailored to your needs.

This includes a personalised gut kit, which may contain:

• Digest Ease: Improves agni (digestive fire) & prevents fermentation

• GutReset: Probiotic support to restore healthy gut flora

• Stress Less: Balances the gut-brain axis & reduces stress-related bloating

• Consti Free/Care: Supports motility & relieves constipation, if that’s a factor

What to Expect?

Mool Health's plans are entirely plant-based and non-habit-forming, making them a safe and sustainable choice for long-term gut health. They're designed to deliver long-lasting relief, not to create addiction or be a shortcut; they focus on root-cause healing.

Final Thoughts

Gas & bloating may feel like everyday discomforts, but when they keep coming back, they signal something deeper. Quick fixes & tablets can bring temporary relief, yet they rarely solve the underlying problem. Lasting healing begins when the root causes are identified & addressed, whether it’s weak digestion, poor motility, inflammation, microbial imbalance or stress.

At Mool Health, our focus is on understanding your unique gut needs & helping you rebuild digestive strength from within. With a personalised approach that strengthens agni, restores balance & calms the gut-brain connection, Mool Health goes beyond issue relief to deliver sustainable results.

Your gut does not need more suppression; it needs healing. Start with Mool Health’s free gut test, uncover your root cause & take the first step toward long-term digestive health.

FAQs

What causes constant bloating and gas?

Constant bloating & gas are most often linked to dietary factors, such as drinking too many carbonated beverages, overeating or regularly consuming foods that produce gas. Another common reason is an imbalance between beneficial and harmful gut bacteria, which interferes with digestion.

Can stress cause bloating and gas?

Yes. Stress directly affects the gut-brain axis, which regulates digestion. When this communication is disrupted, it can slow down or overstimulate gut movement, leading to bloating and gas.

Why do I feel bloated after every meal?

Feeling bloated after meals may be due to overeating, eating too quickly or swallowing excess air while talking or drinking. It can also happen if the food is not digested properly because of weak digestive fire or microbial imbalance.

What is the main reason for excessive gas?

The main cause of excessive gas is consuming foods that are harder to digest and produce gas during fermentation, such as beans, cruciferous vegetables or carbonated drinks.

Do enzyme tablets help with gas?

Enzyme tablets may help in specific cases, such as breaking down lactose in dairy or complex carbohydrates in beans. However, they do not correct weak digestion or improve overall gut balance, so their effect is limited.