Avoid Swallowing Air And Gases
There are two sources of gas in the digestive system.
One is gas produced by the bacteria in the gut. The other is air or gas that is swallowed when you eat or drink. The biggest offender here is carbonated beverages like soda or fizzy drinks.
They contain bubbles with carbon dioxide, a gas that can be released from the liquid after it reaches your stomach.
Chewing gum, drinking through a straw and eating while talking or while in a hurry can also lead to increased amounts of swallowed air.
Summary
Swallowed air can contribute to bloating. A major cause is drinking carbonated beverages, which contain gases that are dissolved in the liquid.
Improve Your Carb Intake
Fast-absorbing carbssugar, white bread, and white ricecan raise blood sugar and insulin levels, flatlining your energy levels and stressing your bodys digestive system. Instead, choose slow-burning carbs like oats, barley, sweet potatoes, and wild rice, which provide more sustained energy and help reduce sugar cravings.
That doesnt mean easily digestible carbs are off the table, though. Try eating fast-burning, high-glycemic index carbs right after your workout, when theyll be quickly used up. Focus on fruits like watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe, and cucumber for a couple of days for extra bloat-fighting power.
Your body stores carbs with water, so going lower-carb for a couple of daysor focusing on dry carbs like rice cakescan help you attain more defined muscles. Focus your meals around lean proteins such as chicken breasts, egg whites, fish, and extra-lean ground turkey. Include greens and other non-starchy vegetables like mushrooms, bell peppers, celery, and tomatoes, plus a thumb-sized amount of heart-healthy fats like extra-virgin olive oil at each meal.
Dont fall for the low-calorie allure of sugar alcohols, thoughtheyre lower-calorie because your body literally cant digest them well. The result: Gas, bloating, and, in some cases, diarrhea.
Cayenne Pepper Minimizes Belly Bloat
A substance known as capsaicin, found in cayenne peppers, can be magical when it comes to bloating. It works by increasing the flow of digestive juices to help break down food. It also helps release gas.
Further, capsaicin has antioxidant powers and may even help keep unfriendly bacteria away.
I recommend adding a teaspoon of dried cayenne powder to warm water. Maybe even with a squeeze of lemon juice. If you need to sweeten it up a bit, try a pinch of stevia or monk fruit.
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How To Get Rid Of Water Weight Fast Naturally
Bloating happens to everyone. And while it’s not something you need to get rid of, if it’s causing you discomfort there are ways to find relief. In a perfect world, we’d all subscribe to a balanced diet filled with organic veggies, gluten-free grains like quinoa, and easily digestible proteins like chicken and fish. We’d trade in happy hour cocktails for water and manage to avoid any trace of fatty, salty foods. While a bit idealistic, this is what Charles Passler, DC, founder of Pure Change and nutritionist to celebrities like Bella Hadid and Adriana Lima, recommends for avoiding the common feeling of belly bloat altogether.
Unfortunately, busy schedules and the convenience of a quick takeout meal can make it difficult to stay on track. Add in other factors that may lead to bloating like dehydration, constipation, PMS, and you can be stuck with an uncomfortably bloated stomach despite your best efforts. Fortunately, there are ways to combat belly bloat for quick relief from even the worst symptoms of this pesky digestive problem. We spoke to Passler and other health experts on how to get rid of bloating fast, so you can get back to your routine and feel your best.
Here are 20 things to do the minute you feel bloated.
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Other medicinal bitters that may aid with digestion include dandelion, gentian root, burdock, yellow dock, and Angelica.
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What Causes Bloating And How Can I Reduce It
What are the best remedies for a bloated stomach, how can lifestyle changes help, and what causes bloating in the first place? Our nutritionist explains.
Were all familiar with that uncomfortable, bloated feeling and some of us are well aware of the cause overdoing it over the festive season or after a full on blowout at the weekend. For others, bloating is a more than an occasional annoyance. Research suggests that 10-25% of healthy people experience frequent, uncomfortable and, in some cases, painful bloating and its more common in women than men.
Pin-pointing your exact triggers and knowing how to resolve the problem can prove complex. First, be clear about your symptoms if you are experiencing bloating youll be feeling pressure in the abdomen with or without any sizeable change in your tummy or waistline. Some sufferers experience symptoms associated with irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, indigestion or even premenstrual syndrome. Be clear what your symptoms are and be aware of how frequently you experience them keeping a symptom diary can be invaluable.
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Using Collagen To Help A Bloated Belly
For many these days, bloating is a symptom of a condition known as a leaky gut. Essentially, the tight junctions between your small intestinal cells loosen. This affects your ability to successfully digest your food and absorb critical nutrients. It also allows partially digested nutrients and pathogens to leak into your bloodstream.
Therefore, when youre bloated, its important to consume foods that will soothe and help heal the lining of your digestive tract. I cant think of anything better than collagen. My favorite sources of collagen are bone broth and collagen peptide supplements.
Which Supplements Help With Bloating
If the foods and teas above along with movement arent cutting it, you may want to consider the following supplements.
Prebiotics and probiotics reduce bloating
As previously discussed, prebiotics are food for the good bacteria in your gut. This is important to help them grow and outnumber the bad bacteria, like the ones that cause gas. Probiotics are good bacteria that help digest and absorb your food among MANY other things.
Digestive enzymes help your body naturally reduce bloating
Your body requires enzymes to fully digest the food you consume. Some people lack one or more digestive enzymes for a variety of reasons. Enzyme production also naturally declines as we age, so digestive enzyme supplements can be extremely helpful when it comes to bloating.
Fiber packs a bunch in reducing your bloat
If youre backed up, eating often leads to bloating since theres only so much food and waste your body can hold. This is why its important to get plenty of fiber in your diet. High fiber fruits and veggies include spinach, artichoke, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, green beans, onions, sweet potatoes, raspberries, and avocado. If you don’t feel like eating much, a fiber supplement or a delicious collagen fiber snack bar might be better options for you.
Keep in mind that fiber works by drawing fluid into your digestive tract, which can also make you feel bloated. So its important to go slow. If the addition of fiber causes discomfort or further bloating, give it a rest.
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Make Friends With Digestive Enzymes
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In a pinch, digestive supplements containing ingredients like amylase, lipase, protease, or HCL might help get rid of bloating quickly. These key ingredients are meant to aid the digestive process and can reduce gas production. Incorporating a high-quality capsule of digestive enzymes before big meals can make a world of difference in reducing bloating.
Essentially, enzymes are meant to aid your body’s natural digestion to better break down the food you consume and to minimize indigestion and, in turn, excess bloating and gas. Snyder likes Solluna’s Feel Good Digestive Enzymes. Hum’s Flatter Me supplement, with a blend of 18 enzymes, also brings bloat relief.
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Richard Lin, the CEO of microbiome wellness company Thryve, says certain probiotic strainsaka the good bacteria in our digestive systemhave been shown tp help relieve symptoms of bloating. For a boost of healthy bacteria , Shapiro suggests, “plain whole fat Greek yogurt that will smooth digestion and keep your belly flat, too.”
When on the hunt for probiotics to relieve bloating, Kelly Heim, PhD, a pharmacologist specializing in natural products and personalized medicine, recommends “a high-quality, clinically studied probiotic supplement containing a few strains of both Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.” .
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What Causes A Bloated Stomach
When our stomach is empty, it is about the size of a clenched fist. However, the design and structure of the stomach allows it to increase in shape and size to accommodate what we eat. That said, its worth bearing in mind that your stomach can only handle about a litre to a litre and a half of food at any one time. Overeating can put strain on your stomach and compromise your digestion.
1. Food and lifestyle factors
Our lifestyles and dietary choices will influence our gut and how it functions and feels. Inactivity, being over-weight, weak abdominal muscles and even psychological issues, including stress, can influence how effectively our digestion processes the food we eat. For some, certain foods can trigger symptoms artificial sweetners, dairy, some starchy foods and even certain vegetables can potentially be triggers. If this sounds familiar, keep a food diary and record the food you eat and your corresponding symptoms be prepared to discuss this with a medical professional before making any changes to the foods you eat. Do not eliminate food groups without professional guidance.
2. Constipation
One of the most common causes of bloating, IBS affects one in five people at some stage in their lives. Symptoms include changes to bowel habits, cramping, bloating and distension as well as excess gas. Treatment varies but dietary changes, the addition of probiotic and prebiotic foods, exercise and stress management may be effective.
4. Food intolerances
5. Coeliac disease
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Will Ginger Help Reduce Bloating
Ginger has a long history of being used as a digestive aid.
The phenolic compounds in ginger stimulate the production of digestive enzymes.
Ginger also reduces inflammation and muscular tension within the gastrointestinal tract. This helps release trapped gas as well as relieve constipation.
Ginger tea is a great way to harness the power of ginger. The stronger the better. You can also add a knob of fresh ginger to your smoothie.
Ease Into A Yoga Pose
Once the dessert is cleared, find some space to give your body a nice stretch. Gentle yoga poses like Childs pose or Cat/Cow can help relieve abdominal discomfort associated with bloating, Doyle says. Hold each pose for five deep breaths , and continue repeating until you feel some relief, she says. Allow your belly to expand fully with each inhale, Doyle says. This helps to activate your bodys parasympathetic nervous system, or rest and digest mode, which is calming and will allow you to better digest your food.
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Why Do Wheat And Gluten Cause Bloating
Bread, pasta, cereal, and pastries commonly contain gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. Gluten is a stabilizing ingredient it keeps dough sticky and bread fluffy, but its root word glue hints that it isnt your digestive tracts best friend.
Due to modified wheat crops that are designed to grow faster while resisting droughts and insects, we no longer eat the simple and natural wheat of our grandparents generation. Todays altered wheat has introduced us to new forms of proteins that we cant easily digest. We also have dramatically easier access to highly refined wheat products, which explains why the prevalence of digestive disorders like irritable bowel syndrome continues to increase.
The enzyme tTG is responsible for breaking down gluten into protein building blocks as soon as it reaches the intestines. However, if you commonly experience bloating after eating wheat or other gluten products, its possible that gluten triggers your GI tract to release a protein that degrades your intestine and creates tiny holes.
Too much intestinal damage leads to leaky gut, which allows toxins, microbes, and undigested food particles to escape through the holes into your bloodstream and trigger additional inflammation and bloating. The only way to prevent wheat and gluten from traumatizing your digestive system is to cut those foods out of your diet for at least 30 days.
Proven Ways To Reduce Or Eliminate Bloating
Bloating is when your belly feels swollen after eating .
It is usually caused by excess gas production or disturbances in the movement of the muscles of the digestive system .
Bloating can often cause pain, discomfort and a stuffed feeling. It can also make your stomach look bigger .
Bloating is not the same as water retention, but the two terms are often used interchangeably. Put simply, bloating involves excessive amounts of solids, liquids or gas in your digestive system.
However, in some people, bloating is caused mostly by increased sensitivity. It just feels as if there is increased pressure in the abdomen, even though there isnt (
7 ).
Although bloating is sometimes caused by serious medical conditions, it is most often caused by the diet and some foods or ingredients you are intolerant to.
Here are 11 proven ways to reduce or eliminate bloating.
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Pineapple Is My Favorite Way To Reverse A Bloated Belly
When it comes to bloating, pineapples shine. Theyre a rich source of bromelain, an enzyme that helps support protein digestion and soothe the digestive tract.
The core of the pineapple has the highest concentration of bromelain, so be sure your pineapple is ripe, which will soften the core. Or, use chunks of the core to make a smoothie or fresh juice.
Best Natural Ways To Debloat According To Experts
Bloating is difficult to deal with for so many reasons, including the discomfort of having a puffy stomach. But bloating is a common challenge that many people face.
“Bloating can have two main causes: Too much gas and a problem with the movement of gas,” says Ashkan Farhadi, M.D., a gastroenterologist at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center and director of MemorialCare Medical Group’s Digestive Disease Center in Fountain Valley, California. “Basically, you either generate too much of it or you cannot move it along, and the reasons for those can vary.”
“A wide variety of causes, which can range from benign to very serious” can be behind bloating, says Richard Firshein, D.O., integrative medicine practitioner and founder of the Firshein Center. Those more commonly include clinical gut dysfunction, PMS, and food intolerances, he says. If bloating is a regular problem for you, we recommend you talk to your health care provider to try to figure out what could be behind it. But if you’re just dealing with occasional bloat, doctors say there are a few steps you can take to ease this, both immediately and overnight.
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Side Effects Of Abdominal Bloating
Some of the side effects and complications of a bloated abdomen that call for immediate medical attention include:
- A pain or pressure in the chest
- Breathing difficulty
- Vomiting blood or some black substance
- Severe and intolerable abdominal pain
- Rapid pulse
- Signs of jaundice such as yellow skin or eyes
If you experience any of the above-mentioned side effects, visit your doctor immediately. This is because it can have a serious impact on your health if left unattended for too long. However, for mild to moderate cases you can go ahead and try out these effective home remedies for bloated stomach. And yes, do let us know if this article helped you by posting in the comments section below.
What Does Inflammation Have To Do With Bloating
Inflammation has a LOT to do with bloating. So much, in fact, that Ive dedicated a video to the topic, which you can watch here.
Ive also written several posts about inflammation because it really can wreak havoc on your health.
- Take a look at 18 Top Anti-Inflammatory Foods to see some of the foods best for helping to reduce inflammation and bloat.
- On the other end of the coin, youll find 10 Foods that Cause Inflammation. Find out what to avoid and why.
- If you need help with all of this, start off on the right foot with my 5-Day Anti-Inflammatory Diet Meal Plan.
I hope you find some of this information helping! If you are struggling with the discomforts of bloating, relook at the 10 simple tips Ive outlined above and try them out. Even bit by bit is fine.
The more steps you take, the better youll feel. Guaranteed!
This post contains affiliate links to products I use regularly and highly recommend.
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The Bottom Line: The Best Ways To Get Rid Of Bloating Fast
Bloating may not be a serious health problem, but it can still pose unwanted interruptions to your quality of life. Feeling fat, uncomfortable, and stuffed makes it much harder to participate in physical activities, relax with your friends, or feel confident about your appearance.
Whether your bloating developed as a result of a special indulgence or an innocent lunch choice, you dont want to spend the rest of your day feeling like your stomach is about to explode. Flatulence, burping, and cramping can ruin your day instantly.
This is why adjusting your eating habits, supplementing regularly with probiotics, and taking digestive enzymes and activated charcoal as needed can powerfully transform your digestive health and restore comfort to your belly.