How To Beat The Bloat

Doesn’t it feel like every time you need to fit into a tight dress or slim-cut pantsuit, your stomach bloats to twice its size? We all know how uncomfortable abdominal bloating feels. Bloating can be caused by numerous factors, such as the foods you’re consuming, gas, constipation, and water retention. Luckily, there are a lot of measures that you can take to beat the bloat. Little changes to your everyday life and eating habits can help you avoid that bloated feeling! Check out these do’s and don’ts on reducing bloating and some foods to avoid when trying to reduce bloat.

Do: Drink Water

Drinking water seems to be the cure for everything including skin and hair, and the same goes for bloating. Drinking lots of water will help flush toxins out of your body and actually reduce water retention. Strive to drink at least eight glasses of water a day! You can make it a challenge with friends through an app or set a smartwatch goal.

Don’t: Chew Gum

Did you know that chewing gum can cause you to swallow air, which can lead to bloating?. Even though gum helps with bad breath, it’s not worth the discomfort it can cause. If you need fresh breath or something to keep you occupied, pop a mint.

Do: Eat High-Potassium Foods

To reduce bloating, try incorporating more potassium into your life. Potassium does a great job of regulating our sodium levels, which can help alleviate bloat. Try to eat a banana each day to keep the bloat away. Strawberries are also notoriously high in potassium and a delicious summertime snack.

Do: Get tested for Food Sensitivities

Many people are unaware that food sensitivities are one of the most common causes of bloat. Food sensitivities are different than food allergies; they are less mild and mostly cause bloating and slight discomfort. If you believe you have food sensitivities, talk to your doctor so that you can get tested.

Do: Reduce Your Salt Intake

Not only are processed foods notably unhealthy, but they also tend to be very high in sodium. Too much sodium in the body causes bloating because sodium also causes water retention. If you are eating high sodium foods, make sure to drink even more water to wash out all the toxins.

Do: Take Probiotics

Probiotics are an essential part of every diet. Sometimes, when your body is lacking proper healthy bacteria, it can cause bloating. Taking probiotic supplements helps your body restore its bacterial balance, thus reducing the discomfort of bloating. Probiotics can be found naturally in foods like yogurt and dried apricots.

Foods Known to Cause Bloating:

1. Pizza
2. High Sodium Soups
3. Alcohol
4. Corn
5. Broccoli
6. Cauliflower

Foods Known Reduce Bloat:

1. Quinoa
2. Cucumbers
3. Celery
4. Pineapple
5. Yogurt