Our digestive system spends all day digesting food so that our body can absorb the nutrients. This often goes unnoticed. But sometimes your stomach and intestines take their toll. What do these sounds mean and how do you learn to listen to your stomach and intestines?
First of all, it’s good to realize that it’s quite normal for the stomach and intestines to make noises, says Tamara de Weijer, general practitioner and author of Eat better for the stomach and intestines.
“It’s mostly your gut making the noise. This is because your gut naturally makes a peristaltic motion,” she says. These are squeezing motions where food mash is mixed with digestive juices and pushed down.
These twitching movements, especially in combination with gas or moisture, produce sounds. The rumbling sound caused by the movement of gas in the intestines is also known as borborygme.
An empty stomach can cause noise
Even the stomach itself makes noise, says Marianne Rook, a health educator at the Stomach Liver Intestine Foundation. This occurs mainly during the contraction of the last food towards the small intestine.
Since your stomach is actually an empty space, this can cause the necessary noise, especially on an empty stomach.
“That gives you some grunts,” she says. “Because your stomach (like the rest of the digestive system) is basically an empty space, this can cause the necessary noise, especially on an empty stomach. That’s why a grunting stomach can be a sign that you’re hungry.”
Basically, your insides are almost always making noise. They are constantly cleaning things, moving food and making digestive juices. You don’t usually hear about this.
“Especially if there is too much gas, people are more likely to suffer from intestinal rumbling. This can be caused by eating too fast, but also by carbonated drinks,” explains De Weijer. Some spices and sweeteners like sorbitol can also cause increased gas formation, Rook adds.
Other complaints are important signals
The air in the intestines has to go somewhere and is squeezed through the intestines. You feel it. “We all leak gas, so there’s nothing to be ashamed of. On average, people pass between ten and twenty twenty a day,” says De Weijer.
If your gut gurgling after eating certain things is accompanied by other discomfort, you may be suffering from irritable bowel syndrome.
However, stomach and bowel sounds can also be an indication that something is not right. Especially in combination with other complaints, such as diarrhoea, constipation, cramps or nausea, bowel sounds can indicate underlying disorders, both experts say.
The sounds made by the stomach and intestines are not the most important signal. How are you feeling and if there are any other complaints.
Hypersensitivity to certain foods
Too much gas can indicate a hypersensitivity to a certain food. Garlic and onion, for example, are probiotic foods and, like beans and lentils, can trigger a reaction.
“If your gut gurgling after eating certain things is accompanied by other complaints, such as a feeling of bloating or sticky stools, you could be suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). More than a million Dutch people suffer from the condition. ” , says De Weijer.
Make sure you listen to the digestive system. It’s helpful if you know a little about how it works, so you can notice the changes sooner.
An intolerance to lactose or gluten can also cause complaints. For example, if you continue to have problems after eating dairy products, this could indicate lactose intolerance. This can cause uncomfortable abdominal discomfort. That’s why it’s important to keep track of what you eat and recognize what’s causing complaints.
Find out how your digestive system works
Additionally, Rook recommends eating a high-fiber diet for good gut health and building it slowly (if needed). It’s also good to pay attention to your overall health.
In this way, sufficient exercise supports digestion. “Be sure to listen to your digestive system. It helps if you know a little bit about how it works so you can notice changes sooner,” says Rook.
To help people listen to their gut, the Stomach Liver Gut Foundation launched the Listen to your guts campaign earlier this year. The free digestive test it can help you understand how your digestive system is doing.
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