11 Must-Know Tips On How To Get Rid Of Bloating
Is belly getting bigger? Or are pants getting shorter? The answer is always the former, and it means you’re bloating. Bloating is not a nice feeling, and it is more often than not the result of a poor diet.
But easing the bloating never seems like the easiest thing in the world to do. Even after a few hours, you could still be experiencing a huge tummy and wondering what in the heck is going on.
To help you ease the soreness and to shrink your belly back down to its standard size so that you can fit into your trousers again, let’s take a look at 11 must-know tips on how to get rid of bloating.
1. Drink Water
We know, we know. The last thing you want to do when your belly is ballooning to the size of your head is consume more food or drink, but drinking water is good for you when you’re bloating. It will help restore the sodium balance in your body so that you can give up fluids – which is what you need to do.
Moreover, water is also helpful because it flushes out your system and makes sure that your digestive tract is working correctly. This means you avoid complications, such as constipation.
2. Eat More Foods That Are Rich In Potassium
Another helpful tip on getting rid of bloating is to eat more foods rich in potassium, which is the best mineral for getting the kidney to excrete more sodium, and it is exactly what you want.
You can find your potassium-rich food in the fruit and veg aisles, with bananas, melons, mangos, spinach, nuts, and tomatoes being particularly hot with the mineral.
Orange juice is also loaded with potassium, but it’s also loaded with natural sugars too. If you’re watching your calories, it’s probably best to avoid OJ.
3. Drink Peppermint Tea
Peppermint tea is one of our favorite teas because it’s just so gosh darn tasty. As well as being super delicious and coming with various other health benefits, peppermint tea is also great for soothing a bloated stomach.
It does this thanks to the essential oil menthol, which asserts an antispasmodic effect on the digestive tract. Moreover, peppermint tea also relaxes nerves and, as a result, relaxes the stomach. We’ll drink to that!
4. Cut Salt From Your Diet
Another tip on how to get rid of bloating is to cut down on salt. Refuse to pass the salt the next time you're asked. The more salt we have, the more water our bodies retain. Consequently, the more bloated we become.
The problem is that most of our sodium content comes from all those canned and packaged foods we love, as well as restaurant meals. Our top tip here is to eat more unprocessed foods and indulge more often in home cooking.
5. Eat Pumpkin
It may not be Halloween just yet, but you should still be able to get hold of pumpkins from health food stores. Pumpkin is recommendable because it helps to reduce the amount of gas your body creates. You see, gas is often caused by poor food digestion, and for this reason, high-fiber foods are often the culprit.
We find it difficult to digest fiber, and if it doesn’t break down in the small intestine, it’s sent to the large intestine. At this point, natural bacteria are allowed to pounce on it, with the result being that a lot of gas is created. Pumpkin – which you can eat baked, boiled, or steamed – is a great way to eliminate this gas.
6. Eat Slowly
Often, the chief reason we bloat is that we eat too quickly! Have you ever felt compelled to eat quickly if you’re eating with someone else who is wolfing down their meal? Instead, either eat alone or make it your prerogative to eat slower, no matter who you are eating alongside. When we eat quickly, we indulge in air swallowing, which leads to bloating.
7. Try To Ignore Sugar Alcohols
If you ever check the ingredients of the food you buy, you might come across strange scientific names, such as sorbitol, maltitol, lactitol, and isomalt. These are sugar alcohols, and they are usually found in food marked as being ‘sugar-free.
The consequence of these sugar-free meals is that they tend to linger for longer in your gut, making you bloated. So our next tip on how to get rid of bloating is to avoid such foods.
8. Have More Ginger
Ginger is a medicinal wonder, and it reaps so many fantastic health benefits. Another ace up its ginger sleeve is its ability to ease stomach bloating. Indeed, thanks to a high number of chemical components, it can help with many stomach ailments, including indigestion, stomach flu, and nausea.
It works in a two-pronged attack, with gingerol relaxing the intestinal tract before its roots get work, preventing excess gas formation.
9. Eat Smaller Meals
The next tip on how to get rid of bloating is, instead of opting for the traditional 3 big meals per day because you feel as though you have to, aim to eat smaller meals. Smaller meals are better at keeping bloating at bay, and if you eat them more often, you will be better able to control your blood sugar and hunger.
We recommend eating up to six small meals per day while ensuring that the quantity is proportionate to your needs.
10. Try To Avoid Fizzy Drinks
If you enjoy carbonated drinks, this could be the prime reason you’re experiencing a lot of bloating. It’s the fizz in these drinks that can lead to gas getting stuck in your belly. And the thing is, even the diet ones are really bad for this.
So our next tip on how to get rid of bloating is to try swapping these fizzed-up naughties with flavored water or even the aforementioned peppermint tea.
11. Get On The Move
If you’re slouching around on the couch, this could be one of the reasons why your bloating feeling just isn’t shifting. Even if your belly feels as large as a hilltop, it’s still no excuse to get up and carry on with our workout.
Indeed, the more you huff and puff, the more gas you shift. Or, if you really don’t fancy working out, why not take a walk? You’ll be surprised by how much of a load you can take off.
How do I get rid of bloating? How can you stop bloating?
Stay happy!