Does Bloating Cause Weight Gain And A Big Stomach
Bloating can cause weight gain, but typically its going to be a pound or two at most. Lets look at this further. If belly bloating causes you to gain weight, it will be because youve eaten too much, and your digestive system has some work to do.
Of course, if you consistently overeat, then you will gain weight. Looking for weight loss hacks? Watch my video for the best tips ever!
If your bloat is due to something like PMS or too much sodium causing you to feel like youve added a few pounds, its highly likely after a few hours the weight will be gone.
What Is The Fastest Way To Debloat
Drinking water is probably the fastest way to debloat. This is because water is an essential part of a healthy digestive system.
Have you ever been dehydrated and as a result, felt sluggish and just plain blah? This can result from eating salty, sugary, overly processed foods. Upping your water intake can help 100%. This is because water helps to reduce the sodium level in your body, which is often a contributor to bloat.
Water is also crucial if you are planning to add fiber to your diet. Keeping the digestive system moving is reliant on good ole H2O. Foods I suggest that will keep you free of bloat are prunes, spinach, apples, olive oil, and probiotic foods like kefir and yogurt.
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Let’s face it. A bloated belly is a problem nobody likes. Between festival binges, lavish feasts and questionable food choices, bloated belly and water weight can crop up in mysterious ways, even when you follow a strict diet and exercise. If not dealt in time, it can also lead to chronic infections and weight gain problems.
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Natural Ways To Deflate A Bloated Belly
Abdominal bloating is an extremely common and annoying complaint. You can start out with a relatively flat tummy in the morning, but as the day progresses, you can watch your abdomen expand. This kind of bloating makes your pants or skirt progressively tighter in the afternoon, and spoils your party dress in the evening.
Occasionally abdominal bloating can be caused by a serious condition, such as liver disease or heart disease, or it could even be an early warning sign of ovarian cancer. However in the majority of cases a bloated tummy is merely a result of poor digestion and/or inappropriate food choices.
Get More Active Every Day
Exercise helps your body move stool and gas out of the colon and may make bowel movements more regular. Exercise also releases extra sodium from the body through sweating, which can help to relieve water retention.
It is vital to drink plenty of water before and after exercising to stay hydrated, as dehydration can make constipation worse.
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Slow Down And Eat Less
Bolting your food is a sure way to become bloated and uncomfortable. If you eat quickly you will not chew thoroughly. That means large pieces of food in your stomach and intestines wont be digested properly instead they will become food for bad bacteria, yeast and fungi, which produce gasses that cause bloating. Ideally you would eat in a calm and relaxed manner. Try not to eat huge meals, particularly in the evening. As well as causing bloating, it will affect the quality of your sleep.
What Are The Side Effects Of A Gallbladder Cleanse
The side effects of a gallbladder cleanse can depend upon the recipe a person uses to do the cleanse. For example, many people use olive oil in their gallbladder cleanse. This can have a laxative effect when taken in large amounts.
Some people may report the following symptoms from using a gallbladder cleanse:
Other side effects may depend upon the herbs or other ingredients a person uses in their cleanse.
Its also possible that a person can do a gallbladder cleanse, and the cleanse wont work to clear out their gallstones.
At that time, they likely need to seek surgical treatment to keep their symptoms from worsening or their gallbladder from getting infected.
Gallbladder cleanses dont have large-scale research to support their effectiveness. Cleanses are largely folk remedies rumored to work to reduce gallstones.
However, you can take steps to prevent gallstones. This includes:
- eating high-fiber foods
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While You’re At It Drink Only Water
Whether or not you ditch the lemon after that first cup, stick to H2O throughout the day. Water prevents common causes of bloating like constipation and dehydration and doesnt contain any stomach-expanding ingredients like sweeteners and carbonation that are present in other drinks like soda and seltzer.
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Tips To Ban Bloat For Good
To help reduce bloating all day, keep these guidelines in mind, recommended by Grotto and Newgent:
- Keep your sodium intake to a minimum and opt for fresh food over processed. For example, fresh turkey breast will have less sodium than processed, packaged turkey.
- Limit your alcohol intake. When you drink too much, you can get dehydrated, which will result in your body pulling in fluid.
- For bloat as a result of constipation, focus on foods that hold water, such as wheat bran or all-bran cereal.
- Your lifestyle can affect bloating, so make sure you get enough sleep and get in at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day to keep fluid moving in your body. If you travel often and sit on a plane regularly, or just sit at your desk all day, make sure to move your legs or take a lap around the office every hour.
- If your stomach struggles aren’t tamed by these foods that help with bloating and it’s becoming a chronic problem consult a physician.
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Only Drink Water Or Tea
When people are bloated, they tend to skimp on water because they think it will make their bloating worse. Since water retention is the body’s way of holding onto fluid so it doesn’t dehydrate, the opposite is true. Drinking lots of water signals the body that it no longer needs to hold onto every last drop to stay hydrated. “Fluids, specifically water, are absolutely key for optimal digestion,” says Isabel Smith, MS, RD, CDN, registered dietitian and founder of Isabel Smith Nutrition.
Swap All Other Beverages For Water
It may sound counterintuitive, but drinking a lot of water won’t blow you up, says Langer. Your body often holds onto water so as not to get dehydrated, but if you’re constantly knocking back bottles of H2O, that gives it permission to flush out some of its stores. “Make sure you consume water consistently throughout the day,” says Langer, who recommends drinking around 1.5 liters per day. It’s not just that water trumps all other beverages in terms of hydrationthe bubbles in popular carbonated liquids deliver air straight to your gut, and you might have a hard time processing dairy-based options. The result either way? Your body feels like a distended gas factory.
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Try Out Compression Socks
Compression socks are tight stockings that apply gentle pressure to your legs and ankles. They work to boost circulation to the legs as well as promote lymphatic drainage and prevent blood from pooling in the veins. People tend to wear compression socks on long flights to help with blood flow. They’re also a lifesaver when it comes to reducing leg swelling and inflammation, not to mention a potential natural remedy for varicose veins.
It’s important to mention that some people may be more sensitive than others when it comes to retaining water. When it comes down to it, the exact reason you’re retaining water applies to you individually. What works for someone else might not be helpful to you, so use caution when it comes to hastily taking on a new trend, and consult a physician first.
- What foods make you bloat?
Water retention is often caused by eating too much salt, processed foods, and not drinking enough water. Corn, lentils, dairy, garlic, onions, soda, and non-nutritive sweeteners can also cause bloating. Even chewing gum can be a source of bloat, as it causes consumption of air.
- What should I eat when bloated?
Eating foods like celery, fennel, asparagus, lemon, and ginger can help relieve bloating.
- How long can bloat last?
After a meal, bloating can last for two hours or more. Eating the above foods can help speed up the process.
Full Body Detox: 9 Ways To Rejuvenate Your Body
Detoxification or detox is a popular buzzword.
It typically implies following a specific diet or using special products that claim to rid your body of toxins, thereby improving health and promoting weight loss.
Your body is actually well equipped to eliminate toxins and doesnt require special diets or expensive supplements to do so.
That said, you can enhance your bodys natural detoxification system.
This article explains some common misconceptions about detoxing along with listing nine evidence-based ways to rejuvenate your bodys detoxification system.
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Pour Yourself Some Tea
To keep belly bloat at bay, reach for peppermint, ginger, or fennel tea, Doyle says. These teas have different properties, which may relax the digestive tract and relieve bloating and gas, Fullenweider says. According to Mount Sinai, peppermint can help with bloating because it relaxes the muscles that play a role in passing painful gas. But dont drink peppermint tea if you struggle with gastroesophageal reflux disease or a hiatal hernia, because it might backfire and result in stomach acids retreating up the esophagus. Instead, consider ginger tea, as previous research has shown that it may help accelerate gastric emptying. Fennel is another good option that has been shown to help with a range of stomach issues, according to a previous review.
Check For Lactose Intolerance
Lactose is a sugar found in milk.
Your body needs an enzyme called lactase to break down lactose. However, most people dont produce enough of this enzyme to break down lactose once they reach adulthood. The resulting condition is called lactose intolerance (
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- Increasing your fiber intake. Aim for 1830 grams per day of both soluble and insoluble fiber from whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.
- Drinking adequate fluids. Drink 68.5 cups per day of water and other fluids.
- Exercising regularly. Walking, jogging, swimming, or bicycling for about 30 minutes each day may help keep your bowels moving regularly.
Keep in mind that you may need to increase your soluble fiber intake with caution, as this type of fiber is fermented in your colon and may contribute to bloated feelings .
Additionally, adding fiber to your diet too rapidly may worsen constipation, so its important to increase your intake slowly. Aim for an intake of 25 grams per day for women and 38 grams per day for men .
While constipation may be relieved with medication, certain types like bulk and osmotic laxatives may make bloating worse, so talk with your doctor about your symptoms to determine whats best for you (
39 ).
Finally, high amounts of fats in your intestine may retain gas and increase the sensation of bloating. This may be why people often report feeling bloated after fatty meals .
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How To Stop Bloating
If youve been feeling inflated lately, your diet may be responsible for your puffed-out pooch.
We all know to eat less salt and to scale back on drinks during happy hour. But what else can we do to stop bloating and ease our swollen bellies?
We spoke with two wellness professionals to gather their tricks on how to improve gut health with a diet of flat-belly foods.
Find Out If You Have An Allergy Or Intolerance
Eating a food that does not agree with you is the quickest way to become bloated. The most common offending foods are dairy products, wheat, gluten, soy and eggs. Sometime fermentable carbohydrates called FODMAPs can be an issue. Any food has the potential to cause a problem though. Trying to find the problem food on your own can be like finding your way through a maze, therefore we recommend you see a naturopath or nutritionist to guide you through an elimination diet.
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What Causes Bloating In The Stomach
Now there are quite a few reasons why you could be getting a bloated stomach. But at the end of the day, it usually comes from holding water and intolerances to the foods youre eating. The root causes of your bloated belly are your gut health and the reactions you have to certain foods.
Poor gut health can lead to Irritable Bowel Syndrome . Having IBS can lead to uncomfortable bloating that makes you look and feel horrible . Your body produces excessive gas making your stomach pop out to look bigger than it is. Getting your gut health fixed will be of the utmost importance to fixing your bloated belly.
Stress can also cause gas and bloating . Most people have abdominal pains when they feel stressed. Your digestive system is controlled by your nervous system . This is why stress can make your stomach upset. If youre stressed out then your body releases hormones like cortisol that promotes holding onto water weight . And if you have IBS then stress can make your bloating even worse. Everybody hates a stress belly!
Food intolerances can also lead to a bloated stomach . If youre allergic to a certain food then your body will have trouble digesting it. This could also trigger inflammation that will cause you to bloat and gain weight . Just because you dont have an overwhelming allergic reaction to eating certain foods doesnt mean your body isnt somewhat intolerant to it.
Taking a probiotic can do wonders for improving your gut health and rebalancing your microbiome.
Best: Chicken And Fish
Some animal meats that pack a lot of protein, like chicken and fish, can help fend off excess gas and bloating.
Lean proteins, rather than high-fat proteins, especially promote digestive health in people who have IBS. For instance, red meats have a lot of fat, which makes your colon contract and increases bacteria in your colon.
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Load Up On Quinoa And Brown Rice
Your focus should be on whole foods that are as close to the state in which Mother Nature made them. Minimally processed whole grains like brown rice, oats, and quinoa, are a great place to start, says Dr. Valente. These are packed with fiber, which is why theyre among the top foods that cleanse your colon eating three servings daily lowers colorectal cancer risk by 17 percent, per a 2017 report from the Harvard T Chan School of Public Health.
A 2020 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reinforces this finding, adding that the fiber found in whole grains is strongly tied to a lower colon cancer risk.
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Eat Slowly So You Don’t Gulp Air
When you finally get home after a long day, you’re totally famishedwe get it. But that doesn’t mean you should scarf down your dinner in a hurry. Eating too quickly causes you to swallow excess air, which can lead to uncomfortable gas and bloating. Slowing down the chewing with your mouth closed, on the other hand, can have the opposite effect. Fight off the urge to engorge your entire meal by snacking on something like a small piece of fruit or an ounce of nuts before dinner is ready.
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List Of Foods To Avoid After Laparoscopy
As food helps to recover from laparoscopy, some foods can worsen your condition and lead to surgery complications. Indeed, you should avoid food that can cause constipation and gastritis that can cast pressure on your incision.
During the first week after surgery, only take liquids. Furthermore, you can speed up your recovery by eating soft and nutritious food. Moreover, avoid overeating and try to make digestion easier.
Here is the list of foods to avoid after surgery
- Dehydrated food
- Milk and Full-fat dairy products
Eat At Regular Intervals
Many people experience bloating directly after a big meal. It is possible to avoid this by eating several smaller meals each day, which can help to keep the digestive system moving.
Swallowing food quickly can introduce air into the digestive tract. Drinking from a straw can also lead to people swallowing more air, which in turn leads to gas and bloating. People who have bloating should avoid using straws if possible and try eating slowly to avoid swallowing air during meals.
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When To Talk With Your Doctor
If bloating is an ongoing issue, it never hurts to connect with your doctor.
Sasse also recommends keeping a food journal and making sure to note any foods that lead to that bloated feeling.
Each month, review the food diary by yourself or with a dietitian to go over patterns or strategies. In some cases, a specific food allergy may become evident, or it may become clearer that you are in fact gluten sensitive or lactose intolerant.
In some cases, abdominal bloating can be a symptom of serious health conditions. Its best to get medical support right away if you experience bloating with any of the following:
- severe abdominal pain