7 Sneaky Causes of Chronic Bloating (That Have Nothing to Do with Food Sensitivities)

If you feel bloated 24/7… even after cutting out gluten, dairy, coffee, FODMAPs, and what feels like half your kitchen… you’re not crazy, and you’re definitely not alone.

So many women I talk to in my DMs + that I work with tell me, “I’ve tried every elimination diet, eat super clean, tried all the probiotics / gut health supplements and I’m still bloated.” 

But I want to fill you in on a little secret…

Bloating isn’t always about the food or having the perfect, trendy supplement line up.

Sometimes it’s deeperrrrrr… your actual gut microbiome, ability to absorb food, hormone balance, or lifestyle habits that are actually keeping you struggle with bloat week after week.

Here are 7 overlooked reasons why you look 6 months pregnant (even though you’re not) when you wake up, after a long day or after every meal. (and no, it’s not just because you ate broccoli).

1. Low Stomach Acid

Stomach acid often gets a bad rap and is usually what we blame whenever we have reflux.. However, low stomach acid is actually much more common that high stomach acid. Stomach acid is what breaks down protein and helps to ward off pathogens from entering your gut. If your stomach acid is too low (super common with chronic stress, thyroid issues, chronic alcohol use, taking birth control forever, or long-term antacid use), food sits longer in your gut which can lead to fermentation… cue gas, bloating, reflux + straight up feeling like sh*t.

Why it matters: Without enough stomach acid, your body can’t absorb minerals like zinc, iron, and magnesium properly. Over time, this creates a vicious cycle where nutrient deficiencies make digestion even weaker and drive a lot of other health issues like period pain, autoimmunity, fatigue, acne, hair loss + more. Stomach acid is also super important for stimulating the rest of the GI tract. Everything from digestive enzyme release, to adequate bile acids (which help with fat + fat soluble vitamin (A, D, E, K absorption) AND even motility. 

Simple ways to improve stomach acid: Bitter foods (like arugula, radish, lemon) before meals can naturally nudge acid production. For some women, diluted apple cider vinegar before meals helps too (1 tbsp with at least 4-8 oz of water). Oh + slowing tf down. So many people are constantly on the go (and even eat while standing) + this isn’t helping your stomach acid. 

You can take this at home stomach acid test to see if your levels need a little boosting

2. Sluggish Bile Flow

Bile = the unsung hero of digestion. It helps break down fats, absorbs fat-soluble vitamins like the ones I just mentioned above and keeps things moving. Without good bile flow, fats don’t digest well → bloating, nausea, floating stools, constipation. And this can lead to vitamin deficiencies, period pain, PMS, fatigue, hair loss + a lot of other

symptoms. We need fats + we need to absorb them well. Women without gallbladders or with sluggish livers often struggle more.

Why it matters: Poor bile flow = poor hormone and toxin clearance from the body. If estrogen or toxins aren’t being eliminated properly, this can lead to higher estrogen levels then downstreams into hormonal/ cyclical bloat, worse pain with endo, skin issues, heavier PMS, and more.

Simple ways to improve bile flow: Add bile-supporting foods like beets, artichoke, lemon water, and dandelion root tea. Working on stomach acid level can help with this as well in addition to ensuring you’re consuming a mineral rich diet (WITH high quality salt like redmond’s real salt or celtic salt. 

3. Mineral Imbalances

Magnesium, sodium, potassium — they don’t just matter for energy; they are soooo important for digestive health. Both magnesium + potassium help with gut motility amongst other things, potassium is crucial for the thyroid which can control digestion, and sodium is an essential building block of stomach acid. If your minerals are off (often from stress, overexercise, undereating, poor nutrient absorption, a sh*t or diet that isn’t diverse), your digestion slows and this can lead to miserable bloat.

Why it matters: Stress burns through minerals fast. And if your gut isn’t absorbing well, you could be deficient in so many crucial minerals even if you “eat healthy.” This is one of the top things I uncover with every single client. I include a HTMA (hair tissue mineral analysis) test in every single one of my packages for a reason!

Simple ways to support minerals: Focus on mineral-rich foods — coconut water, potatoes (yes, you read that right), dark chocolate (higher cacao), leafy greens, sea salt (redmond’s real salt - code RITA saves you 15% off or celtic salt), pumpkin seeds. Mineral drops in water can also be a gentle daily support. And a HTMA can show us what specific minerals your body needs more support with.

4. Estrogen Dominance

We often don’t think about HOW our hormones can affect our digestion because we know poor gut health can drive hormone issues, however, hormonal imbalances with estrogen + progesterone can drive a lot of GI issues.

Higher estrogen relative to progesterone can lead to fluid retention, slowed digestion, more histamine symptoms like nausea/reflux/diarrhea, and yes, major bloat (especially right before your period). This is why “endo belly” can hit women with endo soooo hard. Because so much of their GI issues + symptoms are being driven by hormones.

Why it matters: Estrogen dominance can stem from poor liver detox, sluggish bile, stress, heavy metal/mineral imbalances like a copper imbalance, or long term use of  birth control. It’s not just a “hormone problem” – we need to dig deeper into your body’s systems and how they together support balance of estrogen + progesterone.

Simple tips to improve estrogen dominance: Support estrogen detox with cruciferous veggies (like broccoli which has indole-3-carbinol (I3C) that converts to diindolylmethane (DIM) and sulforaphane), flax or chia seeds, adequate fiber, little to NO alcohol. Oh and have daily poops. Pooping is HOW we eliminate estrogen from the body, if the pipes aren’t moving, neither is extra estrogen.

5. Gut Dysbiosis (Imbalance of Good / Bad Bacteria in the Gut)

You can eat the “cleanest” diet in the world, but if your gut microbiome is out of whack… you have H. Pylori, lots of bacteria that aren't supposed to be there, candida, parasites, low stomach acid/ enzymes.. You’ll still feel bloated. And things like years of poorly managed stress, antibiotics, birth control, thyroid issues, or alcohol use can REALLY set the stage for dysbiosis and pathogens setting up shop in your gut that aren’t supposed to be there. And restrictive diets (like AIP, low-fodmap, etc), especially when done long-term can starve your gut of good but bacteria which are crucial for health.

Why it matters: Gut health isn’t a trend and isn’t just about digestion.. Your gut microbiome can influence hormones, immunity, insulin sensitivity, thyroid health, mood and so much more. An imbalance can show up as acne, brain fog, fertility challenges, and fatigue in addition to bloating.

Simple ways to improve dysbiosis: A targeted gut + mineral protocol can help. Everyone’s gut microbiome and root causes will be different. This is why I recommend a HTMA ( to look at minerals that are important for digestion) + stool testing (which looks at the gut microbiome, absorption and more). These two tests are often the best way to know what’s really going on with your gut. 

6. Stress & Nervous System Dysregulation

Your gut can only digest well when your body feels safe. Chronic stress keeps you stuck in fight-or-flight, which slows stomach acid, bile, and motility. This can also downregulate thyroid function which can drive a lot of the above symptoms.

Cue: bloating, constipation, and feeling like your food is just “sitting in your stomach like a rock.”

Why it matters: Stress is not just mental. It’s not just a bad fight with your partner, a toxic work environment or a death in the family. — stress physically affects gut motility, absorption + release of digestive juices + even blood flow to the digestive tract. This is why women with endo or autoimmune conditions often notice their symptoms worsen during stressful seasons.

Simple ways to reduce stress/ regulate your nervous system: Simple shifts like breathing before meals, sitting down while eating, eating without scrolling your phone, no doom scrolling before bed or first thing in the morning, healthy ways to cope with stress like journaling or spending time outside, or gentle yoga can get digestion moving again. Consistency here matters more than perfection.

7. Constipation & Slow Motility

If you’re not pooping daily, bloating is inevitable. I meannnn, you’re literally full of sh*t. No pun intended. Slower motility can be triggered by thyroid issues, dehydration, lack of fiber, a sedentary lifestyle, undereating and even gut infections like parasites or SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth)

Why it matters: Your gut is literally reabsorbing waste and hormones when you’re constipated. That can worsen estrogen dominance, acne, and fatigue alongside bloating.

Simple ways to improve constipation: Hydrate (drink at least ½ your body weight in oz of water daily WITH mineral like high quality salt and/or electrolytes (Code “RITA” saves you 15%), move your body daily + go for walks after meals, and add both soluble (chia, oats) and insoluble fiber (veggies, nuts) to your meals aiming for at least 25-30 g of fiber a day, minerals like magnesium, and get a stool test done to see if specific pathogens are causing motility issues if you’re trying everything else. If you’re stuck for days, magnesium citrate or smooth move team can be a short-term rescue, but the goal is to address the root. And 20/10 don’t recommend taking senna anything long term because this can worsen constipation.

The Bottom Line

If you’ve cut foods and still feel bloated, it’s not your fault. Restricting harder or taking a bunch of random gut supplements aren’t the solution… finding the root cause is. 

Whether it’s low stomach acid, hormone imbalances, or mineral deficiencies, your body is asking for MORE + the RIGHT support, not less or random strategies.

Ready to Get to the Root of Your Bloating?

This is the exact work I do with my clients: uncovering the hidden causes of symptoms like chronic bloating, painful periods, and fatigue.

• In my Total Restore 1:1 coaching program, we take a deep dive into your symptoms, history, and lifestyle to create a personalized healing plan that actually sticks. And you also get to have a holistic health bestie in your pocket for the duration of your coaching program (3 or 6 months)
  
  
• If you want to hit the ground running + have a plan to run with, my Lab Intensive package gives us testing + a detailed roadmap so you can stop guessing and start feeling better. This is better for clients with less intense symptoms + for those not looking for as much accountability.

If you’re tired of feeling like your digestion + bloat runs your life, you don’t have to keep doing this alone. Let’s restore balance in your gut so you can actually enjoy food, social plans, and life again — without constantly worrying about the bloat.

Book a low pressure discovery call below, or give me a follow on IG + shoot me a DM to learn more about how I can help you do this!