Either your jeans shrank or your belly grew, and chances are it’s the latter. You’re exercising and eating right, so what’s up with the bloating?
Sometimes the culprit is obvious (hello, Aunt Flo and last night’s burrito! – too much information?), but other times your “unhealthy” habits are the cause. Read on for reasons your belly can balloon—plus advice on how to deflate it fast.
After consuming heavy meals, many people complain of their bloated belly. This condition is quite common and rather unpleasant.
Many physicians believe that bloating could be gas that is trapped in the stomach. This condition is associated with the dietary habits, which means that you can improve your condition by introducing healthy eating habits.
Here are several common factors that cause bloating, and once you learn how to distinguish them, you will be able to relieve your condition:
Constipation: It occurs as a result of the gas that is trapped behind the stools. Increase your fiber and water intake to prevent constipation. Smoothies, berries and oats are some of the foods you should eat more often.
Carbohydrates: Avoid alcohol, sugar and starch. Poorly digested sugars and starch make you feel bloated. Low-carb diet is the real thing. Try fruit smoothies, and use berries as base ingredients. Veggies work great, too.
Stress: Chronic stress causes bloating and stomach ache. Eat healthy foods, drinks and find a proper way to de-stress yourself in every situation.
Water: Insufficient water intake is a major contributor to numerous diseases and health problems. Coffee and sugar dehydrate tissues.
Bloated stomach is sign of fluid retention, which is a condition in which tissues and organs retain more water than needed. Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Experts agree that a healthy individual should drink about 6-8 glasses of water.
Drinking a lot of water alone will help you lose a lot of weight!
Eating fast: Enjoy your meals. Go on the slow road. When you eat fast, you fail to chew food properly, and you get indigestion that ferments and produces gase, giving you that bloating feeling. Take small bites and chew, chew, chew!
THE “EXCESSIVE GAS AND BLOATING” SMOOTHIE
Ingredients:
- 3 stalks organic celery
- 1 ripe organic banana
- 1 large organic cucumber, sliced
- 1-inch piece organic ginger, peeled and sliced
- ½ cup organic coconut water
- 1 tbsp. Bragg’s apple cider vinegar
- 4-5 cubes of ice
Add all the ingredients into your blender and blend till smooth.
This smoothie is filled with electrolytes and super-hydrating. Throw a little vegan protein powder in the mix to make it into a great post-workout smoothie.
WHY DOES IT WORK?
Although each ingredient makes a contribution, there are a couple star players worth highlighting.
Apple Cider Vinegar: This stuff is no joke for reducing excessive gas and bloating. It is potent. However, to some, it throws the taste off slightly. So if your bloat isn’t serious, you can omit it and let the other ingredients rise to the occasion.
Banana: Too much salt causes water retention around the abdominal area. Foods rich in potassium, such as bananas, help fight bloating caused by salty foods. While salt invites water into the cells, potassium drives it out. Unripe bananas contain resistant starch, which can cause gas and bloating, so be sure to use ripe bananas!
Celery: This natural diuretic helps relieve water retention. When buying celery, opt for organically grown produce whenever possible.
Ginger: One of the best digestive aids around, it works on a few levels. It soothes and relaxes the digestive system muscles. Ginger also contains zingibain, a protein digestive enzyme, which is particularly effective at reducing bloating and gas caused by protein-rich foods. It is also anti-inflammatory.
[Sources: VegetarianBodyBuilding, HealthAndLovePage]
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