Swollen belly after age 40: why abdominal bloating increases at that age
Of the swollen belly and his (close) relationship that he maintains with the (immense) most women We have talked at length. It is suffered even in adolescence, when the hormonal swing It insists on doing its thing and also affects that feeling of heaviness that we experience. As the years go by and the lifestyle begins to become tainted with certain undesirable habits, the swollen belly begins to become more evident as the hours go by (because waking up with a deflated belly and going in crescendo with the passing of the day is a universal classic). The nutritionist and pharmacist already told it Boticaria García on his Instagram account. “The origin of the swelling or abdominal distension It can be something as simple as overeating, eating too quickly or eating certain foods that, due to their characteristics, are associated with gas and flatulence,” he stated, and added other medical causes such as irritable bowel syndrome or alterations in the microbiota.
But it is after 40 when there are more reasons that justify this swelling being more evident and pronounced. We are not talking about a question of weight or abdominal fat – something that also changes when we reach this age and begin to approach perimenopause–, but of the swelling itself, gases and fluid retention. The doctor Luis Lopez Tallajmaster in Anti-Aging Medicine and specialist in Plastic Surgery, explains the hormonal causes of all this: “The gradual decrease in estrogen and progesterone after the age of 40 affects the osmotic regulation of vasopressin, an antidiuretic hormone that is responsible for regulating kidney activity. The fluid retention that occurs is actually an edema that occurs between cell and cell (interstitial space) due to the filtration of blood capillaries and an overwhelmed lymphatic system. If to that we add the loss of muscle mass What happens at 35 (the so-called sarcopenia) and a fast-paced lifestyle with more responsibilities and less hours of sleep, we already have the causes of this widespread problem.
Recommendations to minimize a swollen belly after 40 (and during perimenopause)
Turning 40 does not legally mean entering perimenopause, but it is true that it is a decade in which this transition stage between fertile age and menopause begins and there may be certain hormonal changes that influence it. The nutritionist Andrea Vazquezfrom the pharmaceutical group Marta Masishares with us some specific recommendations to prevent a bloated belly at this age:
- Eat 3 well-structured meals a day (no snacks in between). For the expert, one of the biggest causes is what we eat and, above all, how we eat it. “With the frenetic pace of everyday life, we tend to eat very quickly, without chewing our food well. On the other hand, we do it very frequently, every two or three hours, even if it is a small snack. And that means that our digestive system does not rest,” he explains. That is why he recommends eating only three meals a day, but complete, well structured and without nutritional deficiencies. And calmly, slowly and chewing well to avoid gas.
- Practice healthy 12-hour overnight fast or, what is the same, have dinner early and have breakfast a little later to spend those 12 hours in the evening without eating food and promote the autophagy of the cells (that process of cleaning and getting rid of everything they do not need) . This is how Andrea Vázquez explains it: “Do a physiological fast of at least 12 hours, which we can easily achieve between the hours between dinner and breakfast. Thus, we help activate the migratory motor complex, movements that help clean the intestine and improve digestion.”
- Minimize stress and sleep better. It sounds like a utopia to achieve it, but perhaps knowing that the rise in the stress hormone, that is, cortisolis closely related to a bloated belly, perhaps it helps to try to relax. “Cortisol can cause digestive problems, causing bloating, bloating, constipation and/or diarrhea. Cortisol also influences glucose metabolism, producing insulin resistance and low-grade inflammation. As a consequence, body fat increases, and especially after 40, more accumulates in the abdominal area.”
- Drink an infusion after each mealbut especially those that contain ingredients that promote the elimination of liquids and reduce swelling such as dandelion, horsetail, artichoke or green tea.
The case of dietary supplements
Food supplements What helps are, as the nutritionist points out, those that contain creatine, alpha-lipoic acid, probiotics, tea or dry extract of dandelion or artichoke. “Also the meadowsweet extract for its draining and detoxifying action.” Of course, when supplementing, it is important to consult with your doctor or pharmacist in case you are taking any medication whose combination with any of these supplements may have an influence.
Foods that help deflate
And as a general rule, at any age, female doctors Mar Mira and Sofia Ruiz del Cuetoof the Mira + Cueto Clinic, They remember the foods that help deflate such as fruit, coffee (but without milk), whole wheat bread, tomato, tuna… “It’s about eat lots of protein, lots of fiber and 0% bad fats so that we can continue with our daily lives without any discomfort in our stomach,” they say. An example of a food that can help keep bloating at bay is a chicken salad with chicken, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, and mixed greens. And for dinner, a vegetable stew with French omelet. These are just two examples of dishes in which there is a significant proportion of vegetables, a presence of healthy proteins and a small portion of healthy fats, to which whole grains such as pasta, bread or rice can also be added.