Bloating. If you’ve ever felt like your stomach has suddenly turned into a balloon by the end of the day, you’re not alone. I’ve been there too—desperately trying to figure out why I sometimes looked five months pregnant after what seemed like a perfectly normal meal. I went down the rabbit hole of cutting out gluten, dairy, sugar (basically everything fun), convinced I had some sort of mysterious food intolerance. But no matter what I eliminated, the bloating still showed up uninvited.
What finally changed for me? Learning that bloating, to some extent, is completely normal. The wellness industry loves to sell us the idea that a flat stomach is the gold standard, but in reality, our digestive system is meant to expand and contract throughout the day. That post-meal belly bloat? That’s just your gut doing its thing—digesting food, producing gas, and keeping everything moving along. But when bloating becomes painful, excessive, or unpredictable, that’s when it’s worth digging deeper.
For me, one of the biggest lightbulb moments was discovering FODMAPs.
What Are FODMAPs?
FODMAPs are a group of short-chain carbohydrates that some people have trouble digesting. These fermentable sugars pull water into the gut and are rapidly fermented by gut bacteria, which can lead to gas, bloating, and digestive discomfort—especially if you have a sensitive gut or conditions like IBS.
FODMAPs are found in a variety of foods, including:
- Fructose (found in certain fruits like apples, pears, and honey)
- Lactose (found in dairy products like milk, soft cheese, and yoghurt)
- Fructans (found in wheat, onions, and garlic)
- Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) (found in beans, lentils, and chickpeas)
- Polyols (found in sugar alcohols, as well as some fruits like cherries, plums, and cauliflower)
Should You Cut Out FODMAPs?
Not necessarily! The goal is not to eliminate FODMAPs forever. These foods can be really beneficial for gut health, and cutting them out long-term isn’t ideal. However, if you experience frequent bloating, discomfort, or IBS-like symptoms, doing a short-term FODMAP elimination and reintroduction process can help identify specific triggers.
How to Get Started (Without Overwhelm)
The best way to navigate FODMAPs is with guidance, and that’s where the MONASH FODMAP App comes in. Created by the researchers who developed the FODMAP diet, this app gives you an easy-to-use guide on high- and low-FODMAP foods, portion sizes, and how to systematically test your tolerance to different foods.
Rather than trying to figure it all out alone (or relying on Google, which can be a minefield of conflicting advice), the MONASH app provides science-backed, practical information to help you understand your gut better. I also offer 1:1 support to clients who need additional support.
The Missing Piece: Your Mind-Body Connection & Bloating
Before you start cutting out foods, it’s important to know that bloating isn’t just about what you eat—it’s also about how you eat and what you believe about food.
For years, I thought my bloating was purely about food intolerances. But in reality, stress, eating too quickly, and my own toxic beliefs about ‘good’ and ‘bad’ foods were playing a huge role.
- Stress & the Gut: When we’re stressed, our nervous system shifts into ‘fight or flight’ mode, slowing digestion and making bloating worse. Ever noticed how anxiety can give you stomach cramps? That’s the gut-brain connection in action.
- Eating Too Fast & Not Chewing: Digestion starts in the mouth. If we rush meals or barely chew, we send big chunks of food to the stomach, forcing it to work harder and leading to fermentation and gas.
- Toxic Nutritional Beliefs: If we constantly fear certain foods, stress hormones rise, and digestion suffers. It’s ironic—sometimes the fear of a food causes more gut distress than the food itself!
For me, slowing down, chewing my food properly, and reducing food stress made just as much of a difference as anything I changed in my diet. So before assuming you need to eliminate FODMAPs, it’s worth looking at the bigger picture—because often, the key to better digestion isn’t just about food.
A Final Word: Bloating is Normal (To a Degree)
Before you go cutting out onions and apples from your life forever, remember—some bloating is a natural part of digestion. The goal isn’t to have a perpetually flat stomach (which isn’t realistic), but to reduce discomfort and find a way of eating that feels good for you.
For me, simply understanding what was happening in my gut and making a few small adjustments (rather than obsessing over every bite) made a world of difference. And if bloating has been a struggle for you, I hope this helps you feel more informed, less alone, and empowered to explore what works best for your body.
