Medimanage.com – Ways to prevent Bloating
Abdominal bloating not only looks bad, but can cause physical discomfort as well. But, the good news is that you can avoid it pretty easily.
And before you understand how to avoid bloating, it is essential to know that bloating is not the same as extra pounds of stomach fat. In fact it is the temporary abdominal discomfort that arises as a result of various things including excessive stomach gas, excessive fat from food, food intolerance, indigestion etc.
Experts believe that these are the underlying causes of stomach bloating unless it is because of a medical condition, such as liver or heart disease, in which case a doctor must be consulted.
There are a few basic things you must keep in mind, when the next time you feel bloated and “out-of-mood”…….
- First, get rid of Constipation
Bloating can be a result of too little fiber intake in the diet, not drinking enough liquids and low levels of physical activity. To avoid this, experts advice that you consume a fiber rich diet including whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds. Also, drink plenty of fluids, at least 6-8 glasses a day and engage yourself in a physical activity for at least 30 minutes every day.
- Don’t make presumptions about intolerance
Food allergies and intolerances can cause gas and bloating, but these need to be confirmed by your doctor. Many a times it so happens, that we presume that certain foodstuffs do not suit our body, based on certain one-off instances, when our body reacted differently to a certain food. But generalizing this is not correct.
In case of intolerance with certain foods, you can reduce the amount of the suspected food and/or eat it with other foods. For those who have an intolerance with wheat, opt for non-wheat grains such as barley, oats and rye or eat only gluten-free food products.
- Be patient while you eat
Eating quickly and not chewing your food well, can cause air swallowing that in turn leads to bloating. The best thing to do is to go slow and enjoy your food. According to experts your meals should not last for less than 20 minutes. Also, it is advised that you do not combine your meal time with any other activity, for instance watching TV or playing computer games as this diverts the mind and your body cannot reap full benefits of the food. Also, keep in mind that digestion begins in the mouth, and you can decrease bloating just by chewing your food more.
- Limit your intake of soft drinks
The fizz in carbonated drinks, like, Pepsi, Coke, Limca etc. including the “diet” ones, can cause gas to get trapped in your belly. To be on a safer side, you can try varieties with the plain water, something like, water flavored with lime can be a good bet. The other option is to lessen the intake of such drinks. So now, if you are taking fizzy drinks say once a day, take it to once a week. Iced teas (fizz free of course) can also help reduce bloat.
- Get over the gum
Chewing gum can also lead to swallowing air, which can cause bloating. Get over the habit, and instead eat a healthy, high-fiber snack like fruit or even low fat popcorn.
- Watch your sodium intake
When you are feeling bloated, it is better to avoid soda, chips and various other highly processed foods that may be high in sodium and low in fiber. This is because these foods retain water, which ultimately causes you to become even more bloated. Experts suggest that when buying processed foods, one should check for no more than 500 mg of sodium per serving in any product, or a total of 2,300 mg of sodium per day.
- Beware of gas-forming foods
Cut back on vegetables that produce excess gas, these include cabbage, cauliflower, cucumbers, radishes, onions, melons, to name a few. But that doesn’t mean you must give up on these nutritious, high-fiber vegetables. Just work them into your diet slowly until your body adjusts to the compounds that can initially cause gas.To read more about Ways to prevent Bloating
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Medimanage Health Insurance India
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