Painful Bloated Stomach? Here’s What Your Body Is Telling You

The SABI on 02/07/2025

What your bloating might be trying to tell you—and how to find solutions that truly work.

Painful Bloated Stomach? Here’s What Your Body Is Telling You

Have you ever felt like your stomach was working against you? The kind of bloating that’s not just uncomfortable—it’s painful, persistent, and hard to ignore. For many women, a painfully bloated stomach is more than just an occasional inconvenience. It’s a recurring symptom that disrupts everything from confidence to comfort, leaving you wondering, “What’s going on with my body?”

I know how isolating this can feel because I’ve been there. During a time when my hormones were completely out of sync, bloating became a daily battle. I didn’t just feel uncomfortable; I felt disconnected—like I wasn’t in control of my own body. That experience is what led me to dive deep into understanding the connection between hormones, digestion, and inflammation. As someone who now works in holistic nutrition and product development, focusing on women’s hormonal health, I’ve spent years researching how these systems are all intertwined.

Here’s what I’ve learned: bloating isn’t just an annoying side effect. It’s your body’s way of sending a message—a signal that something deeper is happening, whether it’s related to digestion, chronic inflammation, or hormonal imbalances. Once I started listening to those signals, everything changed. By addressing the root causes of my bloating—with nourishing foods, mindful habits, and herbal support like The Digestive Herbata, which I helped create to support digestion naturally—I found relief and reconnected with my body.

You deserve that too. Let’s unpack what your bloating might be trying to tell you—and how to find solutions that truly work.

What Causes Severe Bloating?

A painful bloated stomach often signals more than one underlying issue. Here are some of the most common causes and what they reveal about your health:

1. Hormonal Shifts

If your bloating tends to flare up during your cycle, your hormones could be playing a major role. Rising oestrogen and falling progesterone during the luteal phase can slow digestion and cause water retention, leading to that uncomfortable, swollen feeling.

What It’s Telling You:

Your body may need support managing hormonal fluctuations.
Foods rich in magnesium (like spinach and pumpkin seeds) and adaptogenic herbs, such as holy basil in The Digestive Herbata, can help regulate stress and hormone imbalances.

2. Digestive Sluggishness

When food moves too slowly through your digestive system, it can ferment, creating excess gas and pressure that leads to painful bloating. This is especially common if your diet is low in fibre or if you’re dehydrated.

What It’s Telling You:

Your gut needs support with motility and hydration.
Hydrate with warm water and herbal teas like this gut-calming blend, which contains moringa and nettles to gently flush out toxins and keep digestion moving.

3. Food Sensitivities or Intolerances

Certain foods, even healthy ones, can trigger bloating if your body has difficulty digesting them. Common culprits include dairy, gluten, and high-FODMAP foods like onions or legumes.

What It’s Telling You:

Your gut may be struggling to process certain foods.
Consider keeping a food journal to identify triggers and incorporating digestive herbs like fennel and cardamom, both found in The Digestive Herbata.

4. Stress and the Brain-Gut Connection

Stress doesn’t just affect your mind—it directly impacts your gut. Chronic stress can disrupt the gut-brain connection, leading to increased inflammation, slower digestion, and more painful bloating.

What It’s Telling You:

Your body is asking for calm and balance.
Practices like breathwork or meditation, paired with adaptogens like holy basil, can lower cortisol levels and soothe stress-induced bloating.

5. Inflammation in the Gut

Chronic inflammation, whether from an unbalanced diet or a health condition like IBS, can cause persistent bloating and discomfort.

What It’s Telling You:

Your gut may need anti-inflammatory support.
Focus on whole foods, avoid processed sugars, and sip on herbal teas with anti-inflammatory properties like vervain and moringa, found in The Digestive Herbata.

How to Find Relief and Reconnect With Your Body

Addressing bloating starts with understanding its root cause. Here are practical steps you can take to ease discomfort and support your overall health:

1. Sip on Digestive Herbal Teas

Herbal teas are one of the gentlest, most effective ways to calm your gut and reduce bloating naturally. The Digestive Herbata combines cinnamon, cardamom, vervain, and holy basil to soothe inflammation, ease digestion, and flush out excess water.

2. Focus on Hydration

Dehydration can worsen bloating by slowing digestion and causing water retention. Drink plenty of water throughout the day, and add cucumber or lemon for extra anti-bloating benefits.

3. Move Gently After Meals

Light movement like walking or yoga helps your digestion stay active and prevents gas buildup. Poses like Knees-to-Chest or Reclined Twist can provide immediate relief for a bloated stomach.

4. Support Your Gut Microbiome

Incorporate probiotics (like yogurt and kimchi) and prebiotics (like garlic and bananas) to balance your gut bacteria and prevent bloating long-term.

5. Manage Stress Daily

Stress management is essential for reducing bloating caused by the brain-gut connection. Pair mindfulness practices with herbal support—holy basil in The Digestive Herbata is especially effective for lowering cortisol and soothing your gut.

Your Body’s Signals, Your Solutions

Bloating doesn’t have to be something you just live with. By understanding the messages your body is sending and responding with mindful, supportive practices, you can find lasting relief. The Digestive Herbata is more than just a tea—it’s a tool for reconnecting with your body and restoring balance, one sip at a time.