Time restricted eating and chronic wind.

[Scooby17]

Hi all 😁 About 6 weeks prior to Christmas I started to do time restricted eating, breaking my fast around 12.30pm.

I stopped doing it about a week ago due to chronic painful trapped wind. This happened in the first couple of weeks and I thought my body had now adapted to the fasting state but its returned. I eat very healthily lots of fruit and veg, no processed food or sugar. I had success in every way, feeling healthy and weight loss but can't deal with the pain. Has anyone else had this and how to overcome please?

[Stoozie Administrator]

Hello.

I have no studies to point to, but my theory on this is that fasting increases the 'space' in the colon and gut between digested foods, whereas constant snacking/3-6 meals a day means it is usually fuller.

If you add these pockets of 'space' to the body processing and breaking down veg/legumes, then the gut will be forming gases in response to a sugar called rafinose. It is this gas which is the cause of the old adage about baked beans.

So that's my theory.

As to the how to fix it, can I suggest that peppermint capsules or a tea may help, because it calms any spasms in the gut, and can therefore be used to treat IBS.

I would also keep a food diary, and look for worsening symptoms after particularly beans and legumes (NB cashews are a legume not a nut) and any veg of the brassica family (Cauli, broccoli etc).

Once you have identified your key triggers, you should be able to have them at your lunch meal rather than your dinner (assuming a 16:8 fasting protocol).

I hope all that helps!

Cheering you on

[Scooby17 in reply to Stoozie]

Thank you so much Stoozie, that makes perfect sense.

I do drink raw ginger and lemon water in the morning in the hope to quell the possibility of any tummy trouble and all seemed to have settled down.

I have started a food diary and will definitely think more about my dinner choices rather than lunch.

I have heard something similar about the speed at which the different foods break down being a cause too.

Seems so much to learn about fasting... 🙄

[S11m Volunteer 70lb IF20]

Hi, Scooby17

I get gas... but I had thought that it was largely due to my lack of a gallbladder. The gall bladder stores bile, which it releases to digest fatty meals - so, combining High-Fat and IF potentially causes problems for people without gall bladders.

I think magnesium - or "Milk of Magnesia" might help.

I think it is probably bacteria that make the gas - so re-populating your gut bacteria with "friendly" microbiome live yoghurt after a longer fast might help.

I wonder if Praveen55 could tell us anything about this?

[Scooby17 in reply to S11m]

Thank you, I have tried to work hard on including gut friendly foods when I break my fast, including live yoghurt. Just reset my gut by going back to 3 meals a day having chia and cacoa pudding with fruit and saurcraut at each meal. It worked and I feel back on track, but want to return to fasting for all the benefits soon. Thanks for your support great community. 👍🏻