Do you often feel like a balloon just one wrong step from drifting away?
Well, don’t let your bloating issues prevent you from staying firmly on the ground and enjoying your best life.
Here are a few 100% natural and proven ways you can reduce bloating and improve your gut health.
Keep Gas From Your Gut
There are two ways gas can find itself in your digestive systems.
- 1Gas gets produced by the bacteria that live in our stomach.
- 2Gas finds itself in the stomach by being swallowed during eating or drinking.
The second one is usually due to carbonated drinks like soda and pops. These have bubbles of carbon dioxide that gets released after it reaches the stomach.
Also, chewing bubble gum, talking while eating and eating in a hurry can also fill you up with air. Using a straw to drink is also harmful, both for your bloating issues and the environment, so make sure to ditch them.
Don't Eat Certain Foods
Some foods that are high in fiber can make people feel overly gassy. In order to reduce bloating, try to minimize consumption of the following foods:
Legumes like beans and lentils and some whole grains are the main culprits. Certain fatty foods that slow down digestion can also do the same.
While these foods can help feel satiety and possibly even with weight loss, they can cause a problem for those suffering from gassiness and bloating. So, try keeping a food diary where you’ll write everything you consume during the day and the amount of bloating you feel.
Try a Different Diet
If you have irritable bowel syndrome, just know that you’re not the only one.
IBS is actually the most common digestive disorder in the world! Even though your doctor might say it has no known cause, around 14% of people suffer from it every day.
Yet one of the most common causes of IBS is SIBO - and the FODMAP foods make SIBO worse. So if you feel good while following the low FODMAP diet this maybe an indication that you have SIBO.
You can find out more about SIBO testing by watching this short video.
Common symptoms of this pesky issue are bloating, stomach pain, diarrhea or constipation. For most people, bloating is the worst symptom they experience ranking even higher than pain.
What can make IBS worse is a diet full of FODMAPs or indigestible carbohydrates. On the other hand, a low-FODMAP diet can reduce the symptom of IBS and with it, reduce bloating as well.
If you don’t know where to start with changing your diet, follow the tips bellow.
Decrease intake of these foods to reduce bloating:
All those foods are very high in FODMAPs and might be making your bloating condition worse. If you’re eating many of these foods, you might need some time to get used to the changes in your diet, but it will be worth it.
Avoid Sugar Alcohols
These components often found in sugar-free foods and chewing gums are a common replacement for sugar. However, they can cause light digestive issues in certain people. When ingested in high amounts, your stomach bacteria will digest them and produce gas.
If you want to reduce bloating, make sure to eliminate foods high in sugar alcohols from your shopping list.
Try Exercising
All your bloating can just be due to excess gas trapped in your bowels. According to exercise and diet blogs, all you need to do in that case is get your bowels moving and you’ll feel much better.
There are also some yoga poses that can help you battle bloating. If you check out blogs like Walk Jog Run , you’ll find this and many other different tips on how to reduce bloating and be less gassy.
Take Supplements
Some over-the-counter products like lactase and beano contain enzymes that break down carbs from various foods. In many cases, they provide almost instant relief, so if this is something you’re looking for, go ahead. However, they are not a long term solution.
Take Probiotics To Reduce Bloating
Bacteria that produce gas in your bowels is the main reason you feel bloated. However, not everyone has the same number and type of bacteria in our stomachs. The type and amount of these useful bacteria can determine why you have issues with gas.
Also, due to these bacteria, some people react very well to probiotics, while some only reduce the symptoms of bloating. But, since probiotics have various other benefits, it’s worth giving them a try. Just be patient, since they don’t have an immediate effect.
Beat Constipation
Constipation is a very serious and common issue and causes behind it are various. But, one is for sure, oftentimes constipation can worsen the symptoms of bloating. Try to battle constipation by eating more fiber.
But, here’s the catch: fiber also can make gas and bloating worse, so it’s sort of a vicious circle. If getting more fiber makes your bloating worse, try drinking more water or moving more to battle constipation. Certain foods and food combinations can also be very beneficial for your constipation issues.
Once again SIBO can be a cause of bloating and constipation, so if fiber makes things worse make sure you assess if you have SIBO.
No matter how much you rest, being bloated will make you tired and uncomfortable. So, make sure to get rid of that problem once and for all and live your life gas-free!