What is a Bulging or Protruding Belly?
Belly bulges or protruding or pronounced belly can be as a result of bloating, hormonal changes or several other factors. Though some belly bulges can be caused by excess fat or weight gain.
Taking in of too much calories can lead to weight gain but a protruding or pronounced belly can come about as a result of hormones, bloating or other factors.
Possible Causes of A Protruding Belly And Its Solutions
Bloating:
Bloating is a kind of feeling, a feeling of pressure or swelling in the stomach. The most common causes of bloating are trapped gas or over-eating in a short time. The feeling of bloating can cause abdominal expansion which is a visible swelling or extension of the belly.
Expansion occurs when the feeling of being bloated or swelling incites the brain to react by moving the diaphragm downwards and relaxes the abdominal wall muscles.
Other common causes of belly bulges include:
Post pregnancy belly:
The body passes through quite a number of changes during pregnancy and a growing or bulging belly is the most obvious change. Although, one tends to lose about 13 pounds after child-birth, it’s more likely that one gained more than that during pregnancy.
Fluid retention:
A bulging belly may also be as a result of fluid retention or abdominal separation also known as diastasis recti.
Abdominal Separation may happen during or after pregnancy when the developing uterus causes the long muscles (two in number) that run parallel in the abdomen to separate and divide from each other.
Menopausal Hormonal Belly Bulge:
One of the most commonest effect of menopause is weight gain. The hormonal changes that lead to weight gain starts during perimenopause (a few years before menopause). Weight gain caused by menopause also affect the abdomen.
Beer Belly:
Though studies haven’t really found a connection between beer and belly girth, there are several reasons why drinking beer could give one a bulging belly. The more one drinks, the more calories one tends to consume which in turn could lead to weight gain.
Food intolerance
Food Intolerance also known as Food Sensitivity is difficulty in digesting and breaking down certain types of foods.
Food intolerance also contributes to bloating after consumption of certain kinds of foods. Along with the feeling of bloating and an expanded abdomen, one might have other symptoms like gas, stomach pain and diarrhea.
Some common food intolerances include: dairy products, gluten and caffeine.
Common Weight Gain:
Though weight gain can stretch throughout the whole body, some people are more likely to gaining belly weight than others. Weight gain is usually as a result of eating more calories than you burn out through constant body functions and physical activities.
Depriving oneself of sleep as well as stress have also been associated to overeating and weight gain.
Adrenal Stress Fat:
Stress is a natural stimulus to a recognized threat. When confronted with a threat, your nerve and hormonal signals informs your adrenal glands to lease adrenaline, cortisol and other hormones of stress.
Stress is typically short-lived that is it doesn’t last for a long period of time and the body returns back to normal. When confronted with ongoing stress, the body stays in this same state. From a trusted source, there is proof that chronic stress increases abdominal fat and longing for foods that are likely to cause abdominal obesity.
How to get rid of a belly bulge
Getting rid of a belly bulge is possible but how to go about it greatly depends on the cause.
Diet and Exercise:
Increasing the rate at which you perform activities and eating healthier foods with fewer calories can help one lose general weight.
Limiting loss of weight to a specific part of the body isn’t possible.
Medications:
Certain medications may help with belly bulge such as:
· Probiotics
· Fiber supplements
· Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
Reducing Stress:
Look for ways to help ease off stress so as to lose weight and improve general health.
One can reduce stress by trying to:
« Take a walk
« Listen to music
« Spend time with people you love
« Take a hot bath
Get More Sleep:
Getting adequate sleep can help keep the weight down and help manage stress. Ensure to sleep for at least seven to nine hours per night.
Surgery:
Surgery may be used to correct separation of the abdomen caused by pregnancy or some other kind of stress in the abdomen.
If you are bothered by your protruding belly, a cosmetic procedure such as a tummy tuck or liposuction can help reduce the amount of fat in your belly. Also, try talking to a qualified cosmetic surgeon for advice on the right processes for you.
In conclusion, whether your belly bulge is caused as a result of too much beers, a medical condition or hormonal changes etc. Lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise and medical and cosmetic treatments can help get rid of a protruding or pronounced belly, depending on the cause of the condition.
