9 Simple ways to avoid bloating
Do you find yourself feeling bloated after your meals? An uncomfortable feeling and subject to discuss. But it’s more common than you may think and there are some simple everyday things you can do to reduce it.
Of course, there’s always the possibility you may have a food intolerance in which you should speak to an accredited practising dietitian, especially if there is pain or extreme discomfort. But to avoid the mildly uncomfortable bloat, here are 9 simple tips for you to start trying today!
Slow down chewing and chew with your mouth closed
Did you know that swallowing too much air results in air bubbles in the gut which can cause that uncomfy bloated feeling? If you eat slower and avoid things like chatting while you’re chewing, you will swallow less air.
Avoid carbonated drinks
Carbonated drinks like fizzy drinks are full air bubbles. Swap for water and you should immediately notice less bloating.
Ditch chewing gum
Chewing gum results in a lot of unnecessary air gulping. Stick with a good old toothbrush or suck on a mint, but not too many as the sorbitol in mint can also lead to bloating.
Reduce stress
Stress has so many impacts on the body and bloating is included. You can actually inadvertently gulp lots of air when you’re stressed. Aiming to reduce stress not only provides many health benefits alongside avoiding bloating. Try drinking some chamomile tea, which can act as an anti-anxiety aid.
Portion control
This may seem obvious, but we will remind you anyway – if you overeat, you are more than likely going to feel some abdominal discomfort. Eat slowly, listen to your body and stop when your’e starting to feel full rather than when you’re too full.
Eat more fibre and drink more water
Both fibre and water are essential to keeping things moving smoothly throughout your bowel. Drink at least 2L of water per day and make sure every meal is jam-packed with fibre from wholegrains, veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds and legumes.
Introduce legumes in small doses
Chickpeas, lentils and beans are known to cause bloating in some people as they produce hydrogen and methane in our colon. But you can train your gut to adapt to them. Start off with regular smaller quantities. The fibre in these foods have so many good effects on our gut bacteria, if you learn to love them they will help strengthen your gut! Find out more about legumes and try some yummy recipes here.
Reduce your salt intake
Too much salt can cause your gut to hold onto a lot of water causing bloating and other tummy issues. Avoid too many pre-packaged foods high in sodium. Find out more about reading nutrition labels.
Switch to an alternate milk
If you have recently had a tummy bug or have found dairy has started to upset your tummy, try swapping to a non-dairy milk like soy or almond just for a few weeks. This could just be a temporary sugar intolerance. Slowly reintroduce milk in small quantities and to reduce the risk of bloating.
Need to make some healthy eating changes?
Download our Love Your Legumes recipe e-book. We make healthy versions of your favourite meals and boost their nutritional value by adding in legumes. Start feeling healthier now!
Love Your Legumes Recipe e-book
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Sources:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10408398.2020.1716680
