What causes excessive bloating?

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I don't think I've ever had a woman come into my office that doesn't ask me, what causes this bloating? You could be tiny or you could be obese,

and you're still recognizing and feeling that you've got that bloating. And there are a couple of reasons that can cause it. And there are definitely things we can do to address it.

One of the key reasons is when we have an imbalance of good and bad bacteria. So are you somebody who's taken a lot of antibiotics

or different medications or birth control, these sorts of things? That can actually reduce both the good and the bad bacteria.

And if we haven't put in the good bacteria, those probiotics, we can develop bloating, especially in the presence of carbohydrates that we're eating.

Another area is actually-- and this is going to sound surprising-- if we incorporate a lot of fiber into the diet but we actually don't increase our hydration,

we don't add extra water. That can leave us bloated, too. And the third area is actually if our motility slows down.

So ladies, think about as your cycle approaches or for anyone if you've had surgery, these sorts of things,

anything that shuts down that motility-- flying can do it. That can also increase bloating. So in that instance, I often look