Are You Bloated Every Day? Here's Why That's Not Normal — And What to Do About It

Let me be direct with you: feeling bloated on a daily basis is not normal. It's not just "how your body is." It's not something you have to accept, manage around, or white-knuckle through. And it's definitely not in your head.

So many people — especially women — have been living with chronic bloating for years, quietly suffering and assuming this is just how they're built. It's one of the most heartbreaking things I see in my practice, because the solution is almost always within reach.

Occasional Bloat vs. Chronic Bloat — Know the Difference

First, let's clear something up. Occasional bloating is normal. If you had a big salty meal, ate a lot of cruciferous vegetables, or went heavy on the beans, some bloat afterward is your body doing exactly what it should.

But if you're bloated frequently — waking up with it, ending every meal with it, carrying it around all day — that's your body signaling that something deeper is going on.

Why Your Doctor Might Not Have the Answer

Here's the hard truth, and I say this with enormous respect for medicine: over 90% of doctors are not up to date on IBS and SIBO. That's not their fault — it's a relatively recent area of research. But it does mean that if you've been told "you have IBS, take fiber supplements" or "try probiotics" and you're still suffering, there's a reason.

If you have bacterial overgrowth in your small intestine — a condition called SIBO — fiber supplements and probiotics will feed the bacteria and make things significantly worse. I've seen it happen time and again with clients who came to me after months of doing everything their doctor told them and feeling worse for it.

Some doctors may even tell you it's stress, or anxiety, or that it's in your head. I want you to hear this clearly: IBS is a real, physiological condition. And in up to 80% of cases, the root cause is SIBO — small intestinal bacterial overgrowth — a medical condition that is both testable and treatable.

What Is SIBO?

SIBO stands for Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth. It happens when bacteria that belong in your large intestine migrate into your small intestine, where they don't belong. When you eat, those bacteria ferment your food and produce gas — which causes bloating, distension, pain, constipation, diarrhea, or both.

Dr. Mark Pimentel at Cedars-Sinai has been at the forefront of SIBO research since the early 2000s. I know his work well — personally. I was one of the first people ever to take a SIBO breath test, and I tested positive. Years of suffering finally had an explanation and a path forward.

The Good News

SIBO is treatable. And the low FODMAP diet — developed by researchers at Monash University — has changed the lives of countless people with IBS and SIBO, including mine.

Here's what the research and my clinical experience shows:

• 1 in 3 people with SIBO can resolve it completely
• 2 in 3 will see 80–90% improvement in symptoms

The low FODMAP diet is not a forever diet. It involves an elimination phase, a structured reintroduction, and a long-term maintenance phase. Done correctly, it can get you to a place where you're no longer afraid of food, no longer planning your life around your stomach.

Small Things That Could Be Making Your Bloat Worse Right Now

While we're here — a few common culprits I see constantly:

• Chewing gum: You're swallowing air with every chew, plus most sugar-free gums contain sugar alcohols like sorbitol and xylitol, which are notorious gut irritants.
• "Keto" or "sugar-free" products: Mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol — these sugar alcohols cannot be digested by your body and commonly cause gas, bloating, and diarrhea.
• Coffee on an empty stomach: Coffee is acidic and a gastric stimulant. I've had clients whose entire "IBS" turned out to be morning coffee on an empty stomach. Try pairing it with food, or swap for matcha.
• Eating on the go: When you eat in fight-or-flight mode, digestion takes a back seat. Sit down, slow down, and let your body do its job.

You Don't Have to Keep Suffering

If you've been living with chronic bloating, digestive discomfort, or an IBS diagnosis that hasn't gotten better — there is a path forward. A real one. I've walked it myself and I've walked it with hundreds of clients.

I specialize in IBS, SIBO, and gut health. I will look at your full picture, help you get the right testing, and guide you through every step — the diet, the treatment options, the reintroduction. All of it.

You deserve to feel good in your body. Let's get you there.