It’s winter and as we try to stay warm, we often stay inside and can fall victim to overeating. By the time spring rolls around, we find our clothes are tight and we’re looking bloated.
We’ve all experienced that sensation of fullness and swelling in the abdomen. This feeling is not only uncomfortable but also may affect our mood. So why does it happen and how can we stop it?
Bloating is caused by natural processes during digestion, and is typically triggered by the accumulation of fluid or production of gas in the body. Sometimes, though, bloating isn’t caused by too much gas, but how the body handles that gas instead.
There is some good news, however: if you’re prone to puffing up, you can feel like yourself again with some healthy food choices.
Rice
Believe it or not, rice is a good type of carbohydrate and is able to be fully digested in the small intestine, limiting its ability to create gas in the stomach.
Banana
While bloating can be caused by gas, it’s not always the culprit – high sodium could be to blame. A lot of today’s processed food contain high levels of sodium and potassium in bananas can counteract this. If you’re bloated from last night’s dinner, eat a banana for breakfast.
Raw honey
This stuff is liquid gold and is great for so many things, particularly its gas fighting abilities!
Yoghurt
Make sure you purchase a yoghurt that has active cultures. Regularly consuming yogurt with active cultures increases lactobacillus and bifidobacterium (the “good” bacteria) in the digestive tract, which facilitates awesome digestion and prevention of bloat. The best source is plain, non-fat or low-fat yoghurt.
Peppermint tea
Peppermint tea can sooth inflammation of the stomach and restore the digestive tract and relieve muscle contractions.
Cucumber
If you’re already bloated, cucumbers can slim you down again. The high water and low fibre content of cucumbers can cause increased urination and can soothe the stomach.
Papaya
This bright orange fleshed fruit is nature’s laxative and helps in the movement of the bowels, which can aid in relieving bloating.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is great at cutting through fat and also stops flatulence.
Tell us, do you have any other solutions for beating the bloat?