The bloat is real. I know I’m not alone in experiencing the uncomfortable ballooning belly for one reason or another (thank goodness for stretchy Activewear 😉 ). Bloating is a common problem but can be caused by so many different things. I caught up with Naturopath and Nutritionist Jess Blair to get her top tips on how to beat bloat.
Bloating can be a regular and debilitating occurrence for both men and women. Bloating is caused by a number of reasons including, not having enough good bacteria in your gut, stress, poor nutrition, a toxic lifestyle or because of low stomach acid from stress and processed foods.
Bloating usually occurs after eating, from food intolerances, eating too fast, preservatives in food, too much sodium, flying and stress. Bloating can also occur from other conditions such as SIBO and IBS.
Here are my top tips on beating the bloat:
- Try adding lemon water or Apple Cider Vinegar to your water upon rising to get the digestive juices flowing, which can help the stomach acid get to the right PH balance to properly digest food and eliminate bloating, Lemons contain phytonutrients and fibre, which are needed for good gut health as well as high vitamin C to help boost the immune system.
- Add parsley to your meals. Not only is parsley high in iron, potassium, calcium and folic acid, its high enzyme content contributes to improved overall digestion and the effective elimination of waste.
- Diets rich in potassium are known to relieve cramping. Potassium can provide relief from bloating by balancing and circulating body fluids. Try adding strawberries, bananas or kiwis to your diet.
- Drink water away from meals. Drinking water with your meals can dilute the stomach acid that is needed to break down your food. We want the stomach acid to be concentrated to break down the foods.
- Get enough sleep. Our body’s work on a fight or flight, so if we’re tired or stressed our bodies use their energy to focus on other areas. This could affect the digestive system and in turn cause uncomfortable bloating.
- Eliminate foods that react with your stomach, and make sure when you’re getting bloated, or feeling gas pains that you write down what you’ve eaten so you can identify what the foods you may be intolerant to.
- Go for a short walk. This can help everything move properly within your body and release trapped gas.
- Manage stress. By managing stress levels, and taking time to eat our foods slowly and properly, you can eliminate bloating.
Jess Blair is a Naturopath, Nutritionist and Founder of holistic lifestyle education and consultation platform, Wellness by Blair.
Specialising in women’s health, thyroid and hormonal issues, body image and family wellbeing, Jess is passionate about educating Australians on how to best achieve optimal health for both themselves and their families.