Have you ever put on a fitted pair of jeans easily, but then, after a meal, your bloated belly prevented you from zipping them up? Well, you are not alone because bloating is an extremely common and annoying symptom, which is usually the result of a gastrointestinal problem. Bloating is never fun and is sometimes an inconvenience.
What is Bloating?
Bloating happens when your abdomen is filled with gas or liquid, which causes you discomfort. Sometimes your stomach looks visibly swollen and interferes with social occasions or exercising. Bloating is can be caused by the foods you eat, but it can also be due to a digestion issue. Different foods will affect the body differently, and some can even ferment in the digestive system, which is another cause of bloating. Allergies, a hormonal imbalance, thyroid dysfunction, constipation, or even antibiotics can cause bloating. Yes, antibiotics can kill the good bacteria, in addition to the bad bacteria, in your stomach because they cannot decipher which is which. This is why probiotics are often recommended to take for people who are bloated.
5 Tips to Stop Bloating
1. Drink Water
Sometimes it is necessary to fight fluid with fluid. Staying hydrated helps proper digestion by moving food and fluids through your body. A good rule of thumb is to drink a minimum of eight 8oz. glasses of water every day to stay properly hydrated. If you are going to exercise, make sure not to drink too much water right before your workout because this creates a sloshy feeling that can make the belly swell. Drink about 16oz of water an hour before your workout, but sip water throughout exercising.
2. Avoid Gum and Carbonation
Carbonated drinks like soda, beer, champagne, or anything that fizzes can promote gas in the abdomen. A lot of carbonated drinks contain sugars or artificial sweeteners like aspartame, which does not get metabolized and causes bloating. When it comes to chewing gum, bloating can occur because you tend to swallow a lot of air during the act. Furthermore, when you chew gum you send your body physical signals that food is about to enter. The enzymes and acids that are activated when you chew gum are therefore released, but the food they intended to digest isn’t there. This can cause bloating, an overproduction of stomach acid, and can compromise your ability to produce sufficient digestive secretions when you actually do eat food. Sometimes chewing gum is a nervous habit that just needs to be broken. If you are bloated from either carbonation or chewing gum, try drinking peppermint tea or lemon water. These are both kind to the stomach and can help relieve bloating.
3. Choose Potassium & Magnesium
By eating potassium-rich foods, you can help balance the fluid in your body and decrease bloating. Magnesium-rich foods help to relax your intestines, making it easier for things to move through your digestive tract. It’s best to eat avocados, mangos, bananas, raw nuts and seeds, dark leafy greens, asparagus, tomatoes, and cantaloupe to incorporate potassium and magnesium in your diet. If you have a lot of water weight, avoid water-rich fruit like melons, apples, or pears. If you have gas, however, these water-rich fruit can help provide relief from symptoms.
4. Fill up with Fiber
Bloating can be a result of constipation, which can be remedied by eating fibrous foods. In addition to increasing your fiber intake, take a 15-20 minute walk every day to promote digestive movement. Sometimes a diet that is too high in fiber can lead to constipation, especially if you drastically changed from a low-fiber diet to a high-fiber diet. If you get constipated from fibrous foods, you can use the other techniques in this list to help relieve bloating. Good sources of fiber include apples, blackberries, lentils, pears, lima beans, dark leafy greens like spinach or kale, bananas, broccoli, raspberries, kiwis, figs, or artichokes.
5. Get Your Yoga On
Yoga can be very beneficial in helping to reduce bloating, but it all depends on the poses. Because yoga helps to relieve tension in the body, it can promote healthy circulation and movement in the body. There are 6 yoga poses that help decrease bloating more than others. Downward Facing Dog, Revolved Chair Pose, Supine Spinal Twist, Revolved Wide-Legged Forward, Revolved Side Angle Pose, and Half Lord of the Flashes are the poses to practice. They involve torso rotation and spinal relaxation.
No one likes to feel bloated, so deflate that bubble in your stomach with the above tips. Let us know if these tips helped you.
