Beat the Belly Bloat

You know the feeling. You eat something, and just feel full, tight, and uncomfortable. You have no idea why this keeps happening, and you really want to get rid of it. The unpleasant belly bloat can be caused by a number of things that can be resolved with a bit of effort and consistency.  

Digestion Issues

Eating the wrong things, food allergies, inflammation, or constipation can all contribute to the unwanted bloat. Your first step is to eliminating grains, carbonated drinks, sugar, and dairy – all of which could be the culprit. Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli or cauliflower, can cause bloating in some people, so if you’re one of them, try steaming them or cooking before eating. Additionally, consuming sugar feeds your intestines bad bacteria which can make them produce more gases, resulting in your great discomfort. After eliminating these foods, you can slowly add them back in (leaving out refined sugar would be a good idea) and see how your body reacts.

Up the fiber intake to help your body break down your food and eliminate sufficiently and properly. Flaxseed, nuts, legumes, seeds, vegetables, and oats are all very high in fiber.

Eat Slower + Smaller Portions

With fast-paced lives, we tend to wolf our food down. This actually works against you, causing indigestion, which all starts once your food hits your saliva. Your saliva is the first step in the digestion process, beginning the breaking down process and making it easier for the rest of your body to assimilate the nutrients. Eating quickly and skimping on chewing can also cause you to swallow more air, creating gas in your stomach. Slow down, enjoy your food. Try eating in smaller amounts so that you avoid expanding your stomach. Taking time to chew helps you to eat less and more mindfully. 

Drink More Water

We hit this topic of drinking more water a few weeks ago, but here it is again – affecting every area of our health. Drinking water before meals help you to eat less, aids in the digestion process, and also gets rid of excess sodium (the result of eating high-salt foods) which causes bloating.  Try adding ginger, lemon, lime, or apple cider vinegar to your water to aid in the detox and elimination process.

Assess your Diet

If you’re bloated all the time, you might want to think about what you eat on a daily basis. Are you eating whole, real foods, or processed junk? Think lots of fresh vegetables, fruits, good protein, healthy fats . . . things your great-grandmother would recognize as food. You don’t need a diet – you need a sustainable lifestyle. This alone can have a massive impact on the way you feel, and the way your body is able to digest, eliminate, and perform.

With a few simple lifestyle changes, you can create healthy habits that make you feel better and go beat that bloat!

Check out my Transform your Health Package for more information.