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Many of us would dismiss bloating as just indigestion or overeating etc, don`t we? It is normal to get bloated after eating heavy meals. In some persons, bloating might be present always or persistent, get frequent and this can be a serious issue. This might be due to some underlying health issues also. So, please be careful. Persistent bloating can be a sign of these underlying conditions in us. They are IBS and digestive irregularities: If a person experiences bloating often, then he or she might be affected with IBS or irritable bowel syndrome. It must be noted that those with IBS would have abdominal cramps with diarrhoea and constipation. Normal gut functions would be disturbed and the persons would have increased sensitivity and abnormal bowel movements. The symptoms of IBS could be eased by following a certain diet plus by managing stress, by regular exercises etc. Food intolerances and celiac disease: Not many would associate food intolerances with bloating. Point is that lactose intolerance (or inability to digest lactose in dairy products etc) can result in gas, bloating etc.  People can get persistent bloating if they have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. It is noteworthy that persons with celiac disease would find it difficult to consume gluten based foods. Truth is that it would trigger an immune response that would damage their small intestines, impair nutrients absorption etc. Bloating could get worse due to fructose intolerances also. Inflammatory bowel disease or IBD and chronic inflammation: If a person gets bloating issues frequently then he or she could have chronic inflammatory conditions of the digestive tract. Examples are ulcerative colitis and Crohn`s disease etc. Point is that both these issues mentioned fall under IBD and the persons would have symptoms like diarrhoea, abdominal pain, fatigue etc. Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth or SIBO: Excessive bacteria would get accumulated in the small intestine and this can lead to SIBO. The undigested foods would get fermented by these bacteria and this would produce gas leading to bloating, discomfort etc. It is highly essential to get treated for SIBO or else it would interfere with nutrients absorption causing malnutrition also. Ovarian and abdominal tumours: It is shocking to note that persistent and frequent bloating g can also be due to ovarian and abdominal tumours. It is worth noting that women who get chronic bloating with pelvic pain plus unexplained weight loss etc must consult a doctor immediately. Bloating can be one of the early symptoms of ovarian cancer. Liver & pancreatic disease: Fact is that persistent bloating might be due to underlying liver and pancreas issues. There would be fluid accumulation in the abdomen due to issues like liver cirrhosis, pancreatic insufficiency etc. This could be confused with bloating. Persons with liver and pancreatic diseases or issues must consult a specialist without fail and get their issues identified for proper treatment. Important note: We must never ignore frequent, severe and unexplained bloating. Point to be noted is that if the symptoms persist or are accompanied by warning signs like abdominal pain, blood in stools, changes in bowel movements etc then consulting a doctor is a must. Discomfort would get eased by early diagnosis and complications can be avoided. By maintaining awareness regarding digestive health and visiting a specialist doctor when required, we could manage bloating effectively.

Sleeping in a room with an air-conditioner on can be both boon as well as bane for a person. On one hand, the soft hum of the air-conditioner plus the crisp air could give heaven kind of feeling especially on a hot and humid day. On the other hand, sleeping with the air-conditioner on can lead to several health issues in us.  Our body`s balance, immunity and mental wellbeing can get affected due to the air-conditioner. Various side effects we can get due to prolonged exposure to air-conditioners are Cause dryness in us: When we sleep in a room with the air-conditioner on for a long duration of time, we can get dry skin, lips and hairs etc. Point is that our eyes might feel itchy and dandruff might also increase. Truth is that in a low humidity environment our body would lose its hydration naturally. This can affect our comfort and skin health etc. Respiratory issues: If filters are not cleaned properly, then a/c air that re-circulates indoor air could trap dust, mould, bacteria etc. Bitter fact is that continuous use of a/c could irritate our respiratory tract leading to coughing, sneezing etc. Hidden immune fatigue: When we live constantly in a temperature controlled bubble then our body would find it difficult to get adjusted to the heat or cold. It is worthy to note that our immune system would thrive on small challenges like adjusting to seasonal changes. Our body would become less resilient if it gets insulated from natural temperature variations. By this, we could become more vulnerable to cold, cough, flu etc. Joint and muscle stiffness: At deep sleep, our muscles would be at rest and cool air would reduce the blood flow to the extremities. Truth is that those persons who sleep in a/c would feel stiffness in joints and muscles after waking up in the morning. Repeatedly sleeping with a/c on would lead to mild tension in the neck, shoulders etc. Disrupted sleep cycles: In the beginning, a/c might help us to fall asleep faster. Our natural sleep cycle would get disrupted by an overly cold environment. During deep sleep, our body`s internal temperature would drop naturally and extreme cooling could trick the system to wake up intermittently.  By this, our overall quality of sleep would get affected. We could get a slight decline in cognitive alertness the next morning. Imbalance in microbiome: Our skin and nasal microbiome would get affected when we spend more time in the artificially cooled environment. Microbial balance on the skin and respiratory tract could get affected due to dryness, filtered air and due to lack of natural humidity etc. So, please take care.