Bloating, Foggy Brain, and Fatigue in Midlife? Mindfulness Can Help.
Craving Relief: The Urge to Fix What Feels Wrong
You know when are having one of those days where everything just feels… off?
Your body feels bloated, heavy, and sore. Your thoughts are foggy. You’re craving something—anything—that might help you escape the discomfort, but nothing really satisfies.
If you’re a midlife woman—navigating perimenopause, menopause, post menopause or simply the unpredictable terrain of being human—chances are, you’ve been here before. And you might be here again.
The Spiral of Judgment After a Moment of Calm
I want to share a bit of my experience from a day just like this.
Last week I led a Qigong class under a light summer rain, and something about it felt sacred—like the clouds themselves were offering me a blessing. But later, the discomfort crept in: my body felt swollen, sluggish, and unfamiliar. I found myself spiraling into judgment, crafting stories about what I might’ve done to cause these unpleasant feelings. The impulse to escape through food, distraction, or frustration was loud.
But mindfulness gently reminded me: this too shall pass.
Instead of resisting, I turned to the Four Foundations of Mindfulness:
Mindfulness of Body (Kaya) – Observing physical sensations like bloating and pain, not to fix or fight them, but simply to feel them.
Mindfulness of Feelings (Vedana) – Noticing the "unpleasant" sensations and their emotional cousins: restlessness, sadness, irritation.
Mindfulness of Mind (Citta) – Watching how quickly thoughts spiral into judgment: "Why do I feel this way? I hate this."
Mindfulness of Dhamma – Seeing the impermanence of it all. Even this moment, this discomfort, is not forever.
How Mindful Eating Helped Me
From this place of presence, I remembered something I teach in my Eat for Life course:
The Three Food Wisdoms:
No Restrictions – You are allowed to eat whatever you want.
Eat Just the Right Amount – Tune in and honor your hunger cues.
Know Your Triggers – Recognize what leads you to eat when you’re not hungry.
Responding, Not Reacting: The Mindful Choice
At the time, I wasn't hungry. I was uncomfortable.
Instead of grabbing a salty snack or a sugar hit to mask the feeling, I slowed down. I wrote this blog. I walked my dog slowly and called a friend. I returned to the ground of my being.
Because that’s what mindfulness gives us—not a quick fix, but recognition.
It doesn’t mean we won’t have bad days. We will.
It doesn’t mean discomfort disappears instantly. It won’t.
But it means we can show up with more curiosity and less judgment. We can respond rather than react. And that? That changes everything.
So if you’re in the thick of it today—mentally, emotionally, physically—this is your invitation to pause.
To breathe.
To observe.
Let discomfort have its moment. Let the rain be a teacher. Let the cravings pass through.
You don’t have to chase comfort. You are allowed to simply be.
And someday, maybe we’ll meet in a class or a community of women choosing to be present with life—exactly as it is.
Maybe we’ll laugh. Maybe we’ll cry. Maybe we’ll just rest in the quiet truth that nothing lasts forever.
In Kindness,
Satya
