Bloating is annoying and can be rather painful, but luckily there are natural ways to get rid and prevent it.
Picture this: you’ve just enjoyed a delicious meal, feeling satisfied and content, but suddenly, out of nowhere, it hits you like an unexpected plot in a movie. The uncomfortable sensation of feeling that you’ve just swallowed a balloon… Not knowing how to discretely get rid of it.
Abdominal discomfort or bloating typically occurs when air is trapped in the colon or small bowels. It may or may not be accompanied by a visibly swollen abdomen. The feeling can range from mildly uncomfortable to intensely painful.
What causes bloating?
Bloating is usually the result of gas in the intestines and can be caused by many things, including overeating, food intolerance (to lactose or gluten), constipation or intestinal parasites. Most frequently, however, it is a result of the digestion processes of our food and usually goes away after a while.
Bloating can be a symptom of an underlying health condition, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), IBD (inflammatory bowel disease), or hormonal imbalance or fluctuation. However, bloating can be avoided.
How can bloating be avoided?
The best medicine is to carefully evaluate your symptoms and take note of possible culprits and triggers. The choice of your diet and how your body responds to different foods is a very personal matter. It will therefore be a personal journey to victory by trial and error.
Healthcare practitioners do suggest a few general tips to minimize bloating.
1. Do not overeat
Stop eating when you feel full because an over-stuffed belly slows down digestion and causes gas to build up.
2. Chew your food well
The first digestion starts in your mouth, as food mixes with saliva. Starches, maltose and complex carbohydrates need the digestive enzymes in saliva to digest well. Not chewing food well slows down further digestion and increases gas.
3. Do not mix water with your meals
Ideally don’t drink water half an hour before meals and 90 minutes after meals because it washes away your digestive enzymes. Bloating occurs when food is not digested properly.
4. Do not eat too much fibre
Fiber has some important functions within the body, such as helping to regulate blood sugar levels and promoting digestive health. However, high-fiber foods can cause some people to produce excessive amounts of gas.
- Examples of high-fibre foods include:
- Beans
- Lentils
- Fruits, such as apples and oranges
- Whole grain oats
- Split peas
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
5. Regularly use anti-parasite remedies
Intestinal parasites can lead to a buildup of gas in your gastrointestinal tract. De-worming is advised every 6 months, and 4 times a year for children.
6. Be aware of food intolerance and allergies
Bloating is a typical symptom of a food intolerance or allergy. Intolerances and allergies can cause excessive gas production or gas to become trapped in the gastrointestinal tract. The foods most likely to cause this are gluten-containing grains like rye and barley.
No reliable tests exist to identify a specific food intolerance or allergy, so the best way to identify them is through trial and error. It can help to keep a food diary to track which foods are causing symptoms, such as bloating.
7. Avoid high-fat foods
Fat is an essential part of any healthful diet and is an important source of energy. The body digests fats slowly because they take longer than most other foods to pass through the digestive tract, and can delay emptying of the stomach. In some people, this can cause bloating to occur. Thus, avoiding foods that are high in fat might help to reduce bloating.
8. Avoid swallowing air
- Drinking and eating slowly: Drinking or eating too quickly increases the amount of air a person swallows, which can lead to more gas building up in the gastrointestinal tract.
- Avoid carbonated drinks: Carbonated drinks contain carbon dioxide, a gas that can build up in the gastrointestinal tract and cause bloating. Still water is a better alternative.
- Avoid chewing gum: Chewing gum causes a person to swallow more air. This air can build up in the gastrointestinal tract and cause bloating in some people.
9. Light exercise after eating
Light exercise after eating, such as going for a walk, may help reduce bloating. One study found that light physical exercise helps remove gas from the gastrointestinal tract and relieves bloating. Walking is especially helpful for elderly people, whose digestion is slowing down.
10. Treating heartburn
Heartburn occurs when acid from the stomach travels back up the throat, which can cause an uncomfortable burning sensation. It is also a common cause of bloating.
Treating heartburn can be an effective way of reducing bloating for some people. A person may be able to treat heartburn using over-the-counter medications such as antacids, but some need prescription medications.
11. Make use of Ginger
Ginger is a traditional remedy for digestive issues. It contains carminative, which helps reduce excessive gas in the gastrointestinal tract. Ginger tea can help alleviate symptoms like nausea, gas, and constipation.
Making it simple
Gas is part of normal digestion. The body naturally gets rid of gas by burping and farting. Gas that gets trapped becomes uncomfortable. So, farting and burping are blessings, to prevent bloatedness.
LET’S GO
Unless diagnosed with an illness that is causing excessive gas, let’s grab our notebooks and take charge of bloatedness. Stipulating our good days, watching out for culprits and triggers as we adapt to our unique framework.
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