bloating and electrolyte imbalance?

[jennyruns]

Hi Ladies, I was wondering if any of you know what are some possible causes of bloating? I have been unusually bloated for the past couple of weeks (very much so), and I don't think my diet has changed much. I don't eat dairy or wheat because of lactose/gluten intolerance, I drink at least 1 gallon of water a day, and eat a very low sodium diet (high blood pressure runs in my family). A friend suggested that I might have an electrolyte imbalance and that I might try increasing potassium intake? Does anyone think that could be a problem? As part of my supplementation, I take a multivitamin but I just checked and it doesn't contain potassium. I track my calories on fitday and I'm not sure what the recommended amount per day is but I'm consuming about a little over 1000mg - is that too little? Thanks!!

[Ishtar78]

Go to a health food store/sports supplement store about buy a bottle of elete. It makes your water into a sports drink without the sugar of gatorade. This worked for me in a day. It flushed everything out.

[darkangel]

Any food intolerance can cause bloating. If you have problems with gluten and dairy, there could be other culprits. Keeping a food journal to record what you're eating and when you notice the bloating getting worse could help you figure it out.

Abdominal bloating can also be caused by an imbalance of gut flora - particularly an overgrowth of candida. If you eat a diet high in simple carbs and sugars, if you're on birth control pills, or if you've taken broad-spectrum antibiotics, that could be an issue.

[Ishtar78]

that is another valid idea too.
i used to be helllllaaa bloated.
had allergies up the wahzoo. milk, gluten etc.
that you would have to get allergy tested for. i would suggest using the services of a naturopath before a medical doctor. naturopaths have been quite successful treating my asthma, celiac disease (gluten intolerance), several allergies (like close to 100) and hormonal problems.