Bloating happens to the best of us. It's normal to feel bloated after a large meal, but when there is no explanation and it's uncomfortable, it's time to find a solution. While there are medications to help with digestion, here are some au natural ideas to beat bloating!
Drink up!
Increasing your water intake should be the first step you take when trying to de-bloat. Water helps flush out toxins and waste from your gut which might be causing you to bloat. This also helps stop constipation - a common cause of bloating. Make sure you drink 8 glasses or 2 litres of water a day! Many fruits and veggies have a high water content to keep you hydrated. Celery, cucumber, tomato, courgette, blueberries, oranges, apricots and many more fruits and veggies have an extremely high water content (over 90%!).
Eat more fibre
Adding more fibre to your diet is another effective way of clearing your digestive system to prevent constipation and a build up of waste. Women are recommended to consume at least 30g of fibre every day. An example of what 30g of fibre looks like is 5 portions of fruit and veg, 2 slices of wholemeal bread, a portion of high fibre breakfast cereal, a baked potato and a portion of whole-wheat pasta.
While fibre is good to clear out your system, remember that eating too much fibre at one time can actually cause bloating. By spreading your fibre intake across the day, you'll maintain a healthy balance that will get your waste removal going and keep bloating to a minimum. If you’re headed out and don't want to be bloated, make sure you bare your fibre intake in mind. Stop eating lots of fibre about 3 hours before you leave if you find it can make you bloated.
Know the power of foods
There are some foods which are annoyingly good at creating gas in your gut, and therefore bloating. Foods like beans , broccoli, cabbage and brussel sprouts, as healthy as they are, can cause unwanted flatulence. There are, however, foods which can help calm your stomach, such as lemons and ginger. Carefully work these different foods into your routine depending on when you're out and about, or just relaxing at home. For example, you could eat those gassy foods when you're spending the evening. Or, if you often wake up bloated, try a cup of hot water with some lemon juice (put the used slice in the mug) and some slices of ginger. Experiment and find what's best for you as everyone is different!
Get your move on!
Any kind of exercise can help alleviate bloating. Even if it's a quick 15 minute walk or a gym session, any kind of exercise will help de-bloat. Cardio in particular is great for your stomach because it helps get your digestive system moving. OF course, building ab muscles will also be useful so try and fit a 10 minute ab workout into your routine 3 or 4 times a week!
Natural remedies
Aside from the foods we've mentioned above, there are a couple of natural remedies, too. Peppermint and lemon essential oil can be great for digestive issues that cause bloating. Try adding one or two drops to some water, or putting drops in an empty veggie capsule. There are a myriad of different oils which can help you de-bloat, but peppermint and lemon are a good place to start as they help calm and relax your digestive muscles. You could also try purchasing some herbal capsules or tablets from a pharmacy for when you're on-the-go!
While we're on the subject of natural… try cutting non-organic, non-natural food out of your diet if you struggle with bloating a lot. While everybody is different, you might find this helps with your overall digestion and prevents bloating.