Our modern lifestyle brings about quite a few repercussions; one of them being bloating. Stress, unhealthy eating, less intake of water, alcohol consumption and lack of exercise- all these are directly responsible for bloating. Bloating can result in a fuller looking stomach, pain in the abdomen, constant gases and a general feeling of discomfort which may last throughout the day. This may make you moody, less energetic and unenthusiastic about carrying on with your day-to-day activities. If you feel that you are suffering from regular bloating, then it is the best option that you do something about it. Here are a few simple tips to help you prevent bloating.
Complexity Level: Moderate
Time required: 2-3 days
Instructions:
1. Improve your diet:
- Like most of the ailments which affect the stomach, bloating is usually the result of unhealthy eating habits. To avoid constipation which is one of the causes of bloating, include a lot of fiber in your diet.
- Eat foods which are easy to digest like yogurts, rice, cheese, fish etc. Avoid high consumption of foods like nuts, beans, broccoli, peas, cauliflower which are not so easy to digest and may cause bloating.
2. Drink lots of liquids:
- Yes, drinking large quantities of water may just be the answer to all your problems. It will flush your system and will prevent digestive problems which are the main causes of bloating.
- Apart from that you can drink natural and herbal teas like peppermint, chamomile, ginger etc which will bring down the bloating considerably.
3. Care during menstruating:
- Women complain of bloating the most when they are menstruating. Special care should be taken during this period.
- Getting enough rest, light exercise and a well-monitored diet will bring down bloating.
4. Exercise:
- Exercise is one of the best remedies to prevent bloating. It results in a better digestive system, makes more enthusiastic and releases all the trapped gases within your body.
- Stretching, yoga, pilates are some of the best forms of exercises to prevent bloating and practicing them daily will definitely help you be bloat-free.
5. Avoid alcohol, cigarettes and gum:
Our stressful lives often make us turn towards drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes and chewing gum. These are perhaps the worst things to consume if you want to avoid a bloated stomach since they produce a lot of gas in your body.
Frequently asked questions:
Does the intake of fizzy drinks ease a bloated stomach?
Perhaps one of the most common myths relating to bloating is that drinking fizzy sodas will calm a bloated and uneasy stomach. This is not true at all. Fizzy drinks will only create more gas within your stomach and add to the bloating. Avoid them at any cost.
Quick tips:
1. Take a good night’s sleep
2. Reduced consumption of alcohol, cigarettes, fizzy sodas and gum will do the favor.
3. Avoid artificial sweeteners and sugar-free products which contain sorbitol, mannitol or maltitol and cause bloating.
4. Eat smaller meals at regular intervals.
5. A drop of peppermint oil can ease a bloated stomach.
6. Go for a detoxifying program at regular intervals.
Things to watch out for:
1. If you are experiencing prolonged bloating then it is best to see a doctor. There are many serious ailments which cause bloating and only a doctor can diagnose them correctly.
2. Lower the consumption of black tea or coffee. Avoid caffeine.