I get so darn upset because I haven't been able to help my daughter's bloated stomach decrease. She's a little chubby but the stomach is very hard and large like a protein starved cambodian. I've kept her on a low protein diet and now I question that theory for health.

2 digestive enzymes at each meal with hcl hasn't helped. Pulverizing all her fibrous veggies hasn't helped. In the morning it isn't as large as it is in the evening.

Homeopathy......I just wish I knew a practitioner that was closer to me. Big sigh. Thanks for letting me vent.

I know that fiber can cause bloating. For many people, that normally healthy psyllium husks, cause bloating. Pulverizing fibrous veggies does not remove the fiber. Fiber is tiny.

I notice that you are giving her hcl. I think TMG is far more healthy. It is betaine hcl https://www.diagnose-me.com/treat/T36338.html It can also help low adrenal function, which can cause bloating. It is best to take it about 20 minutes before each meal. You can find it in a powder. Besides, it is an important methyl donor and therefore protects DNA. It is a good substitute for digestive bitters too, as it promotes stomach acid. I could go on and on about TMG.

Since this is not a temporary thing, I would not suspect appendicitis, but this is something that can cause distention.

Constipation?

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- Jim

�Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened.� Sir Winston Churchill

jfhjfh, thanks. I'll give the betain hcl before meals. I've been giving it to her after we eat. (The hcl I have is Betaine hydrochloride - I didn't know it is different from hcl) I have some TMG mixed in a MSM supplement. Is TMG and betain hcl the same thing? Why don't they just call it the same thing?

She doesn't have constipation. Her stools are very soft and sink to the bottom which doesn't make sense to me because there is so much fiber in her diet.

I look around me and other children eat crackers, chips, pretzels, suckers and other refined nutrient deficient foods while sipping their high sugar artificially colored drinks. But no weight problems or bloating there.

We eat whole foods and she drinks water. She eats as much and sometimes more than me or my husband. I don't know how to help her brain register "I've had enough."

Betaine HCL is acidified TMG. TMG is just betaine (unacidified). Betaine HCL does not have all the benefits of TMG. TMG is a precursor to SAMe. For your daughter's benefit the betaine tmg should be good for her digestion, if you suspect she is not creating much stomach acid.

I decided to see if her high fiber diet is the culprit. I will kick myself if this has caused her chronic bloating. For her veggies, I'll be making a broth with them and she'll get to enjoy the liquid. We'll see how it goes.

I was watching Dr. Oz today. His special guest was Dr. Andrew Weil. That's why I was watching.

It came out the dandelion leaves are excellent for bloating.

Then I found this:
They were talking about freeze dried dandelion leaves in capsules.

Thanks, jfh. I can easily make a tea with dandelion leaves and carrot juice to make it more palatable. Capsules would be handy but they'll have the fiber. I'm finding it quite a challange to come up with a low fiber diet that is nourishing. I may need to get a digestive enzyme specifically with cellulase.

Fiber is necessary, otherwise constipation. Probiotics can help balance that. It would be best to address the bloating with use of enzymes temporarily, probiotics, and too low stomach acid. People, kids and adults, will have bloating due to digestive problems of low stomach acid. The food just sits and ferments, causing the gas. Do not drink during meals, so that stomach acid can remain high for digestion.

When you initially take in more fiber, you can have bloating, but that is just a day or two. Psyllium husks are the worst. Vegetable fiber is the best, as they digest well.

Fiber contains silica, which is fuel for the probiotics.