Why Am I Always Bloated? Root Causes of Bloating and Constipation in Women

Bloating is one of the most common digestive complaints I hear from women every day. Whether it hits right after eating or creeps in by the end of the day, that uncomfortable fullness, pressure, or "six-months-pregnant" feeling can take a serious toll on your confidence, energy, and quality of life.

If you feel like you've tried everything to fix your bloating—cutting out gluten and dairy, taking probiotics, following gut protocols, working with practitioners, even spending thousands on testing and supplements—yet you're still bloated... you're not alone.

This blog will break down why bloating happens, the most common root causes, and why so many women remain stuck despite doing "all the right things."

What Is Bloating, Really?

Bloating is a sensation of abdominal fullness, pressure, or swelling that often comes with visible distension. For some, it's mild. For others, it can be severe and incredibly disruptive to daily life.

While occasional bloating is normal, persistent or daily bloating is not. It's a sign your digestive system is struggling—and your body is trying to tell you something.

Top Root Causes of Chronic Bloating

1. Poor Digestive Function
   Digestion starts in the brain, not the stomach. When you're stressed, distracted, or rushing through meals, your body isn't in "rest-and-digest" mode. This means less stomach acid, sluggish enzyme and bile release, and poor food breakdown—leading to fermentation and gas production.

2. Low Stomach Acid
   Contrary to popular belief, many women don't have too much stomach acid—they have too little. Without adequate stomach acid, food sits too long in the stomach, causing pressure, belching, bloating, and even reflux.

3. Impaired Gut Motility
   If your food isn't moving efficiently through your digestive tract, it ferments, feeds the wrong microbes, and builds gas. Constipation and slow transit time are key contributors to bloating.

4. Gut Microbiome Imbalances
   SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), yeast overgrowth, and dysbiosis (imbalance of good and bad bacteria) all drive bloating. These imbalances cause excessive gas production when bacteria ferment the food you're eating.

5. Nutrient and Mineral Deficiencies
   Minerals like sodium, potassium, and magnesium support muscle contractions, enzyme activity, and digestive secretions. Without them, digestion slows, motility suffers, and bloating becomes a daily struggle.

6. Nervous System Dysregulation
   Chronic stress, anxiety, or being in a go-go-go state suppresses vagus nerve activity—the nerve responsible for activating digestion. If your nervous system is constantly on alert, your gut can’t do its job.

Why Haven't the Protocols, Supplements, or Practitioners Worked?

Most gut health programs focus on symptom suppression, not root cause resolution. You may have been given probiotics, enzymes, antimicrobial herbs, or low-FODMAP diets—but if you didn’t address foundational issues like mineral balance, nervous system regulation, or digestive function, your bloating likely returned.

Many women are told their lab work is "normal," or are prescribed protocols that don’t fit their specific body. The truth is, you can't supplement your way out of a dysregulated system. Until you create safety in your body, correct underlying deficiencies, and support your entire digestive process—healing remains temporary.

What You Need to Do Instead

To truly resolve bloating, you need a root-cause approach. Here's where to start:

1. Support Your Nervous System
   ✓ Deep breathing before meals
   ✓ Eating without distractions
   ✓ Prioritize rest, not just more activity

2. Replenish Key Minerals
   ✓ Consider HTMA testing to uncover deficiencies
   ✓ Add sea salt, potassium-rich foods, and magnesium daily
   ✓ Stay hydrated with minerals, not just plain water

3. Optimize Digestive Function
   ✓ Chew your food thoroughly
   ✓ Avoid drinking large amounts of water with meals
   ✓ Consider digestive bitters or apple cider vinegar before eating

4. Focus on Gut Motility
   ✓ Leave 3-4 hours between meals to allow the migrating motor complex to work
   ✓ Walk after meals
   ✓ Address constipation early—don't wait until it becomes chronic

Bottom Line: Bloating is a Symptom, Not the Problem

You aren’t bloated because your body is broken. You’re bloated because your body is signaling that it needs support—and the support needs to go deeper than symptom relief.

If you suspect that mineral deficiencies, stress, or poor digestion are keeping you stuck in the bloating/constipation cycle, I can help. Inside my program, The Bloat Free Method, we use functional testing (like HTMA) and a root-cause approach to get clarity on what your body truly needs.

You can apply to work with me here to begin that process.

And if you want to learn more about HTMA testing and why I use it with every client, you can read about it right here.

Your gut can heal. Your body wants to feel better. You just need the right approach.