Feeling bloated never feels good. The discomfort, stomach irritability and gas that often comes with it. When your stomach is bloated it has it’s causes, which can be prevented or treated naturally. Bloating is simply your body reacting to a food or drink you ingested in an inflammatory way. Bloating is simply your gut under a state of inflammation.
Recognizing what caused your tummy to feel bloated is important. That food or drink is the cause, and by recognizing what your gut does not align with you can prevent the pain and discomfort in the future. We have a very intimate relationship with the food that we eat. We feel energy or drowsy. We feel peaceful and tranquil or our tummy goes into overdrive and we get bloated.
Being more in tune with what you’re eating and drinking and how that makes you feel mentally, emotionally and physically is a very important and valuable skill. Pay attention when you eat and drink. The more mindful you are the better you can custom tailor your diet and food choices to feel better and not have to deal with bloating. This is something that i’ve learned to benefit from over the years.
Knowing what sits well with you and what doesn’t makes your life, health and happiness a bit easier. You can make more educated and informed choices.
With that being said, what causes your stomach bloating in the first place?
It all comes down to the food or drink that you’re consuming. Bloating is an inflammatory response in your gut. Have you ever been bloated without eating food or drinking anything at all? Probably not, and if you were it was because the food or drink that you consumed prior was influencing your stomach.
Bloating occurs because of foods or drinks that your gut are sensitive too are consumed. The gut (immunity) reacts by creating inflammation to come to the rescue and observe the issue. Inflammation is a precursor to the immune system dropping by for a visit.
It can also occur because of a slow digestive system, abnormal levels of gut bacteria, digestive enzymes or other factors that play a role in healthy transit time through the gut.
The Most Important Step?
Eat foods that your gut doesn’t react too. Drinks too. If you become aware of what is causing you to feel bloated then simply avoid those foods and drinks. It’s a fairly simple rule.
Beyond making better decisions and prevention there are things that you can do right now if you’re bloated.
5 Ways To Stop Bloating Naturally
- Get Probiotics in Your Gut: Probiotic foods and drinks are rich in healthy bacteria for the gut that help to bring a much needed bacterial homeostasis to a disrupted gut. Foods like saurkraut and kimchi are the easiest probiotic rich foods to find. Drinks like kombucha and water kefir are rich in probiotics also. In a study with 122 IBS patients, a daily dose of bifidobacterium bifidum significantly improved bloating and pain symptoms compared to placebo. Food is the best source of probiotics but you can get a supplement to help as well.
- Get Digestive Enzymes in Your Gut: Digestive enzymes are what break down food and specifically carbohydrates in your gut. If you do not have enough digestive enzymes handy then the carbohydrates ferment, leading to gas, bloating and abdominal discomfort. You can get a good amount of digestive enzymes in foods such as pineapple, kiwi, papaya, bananas, mangoes and once again saurkraut. Saurkraut is rich in probiotics and digestive enzymes, I always have some on hand in my fridge and eat it a few times a week for gut health for this very reason. If you don’t have these foods on hand this is the best digestive enzyme supplement that i’ve found, click here to read about it.
- Eat Smarter: There are many ways that you can eat smarter overall but when it comes to bloating in the gut there are a few simple changes that you can make to reduce bloating. First, do not drink any beverage (water, juice, soda, tea, coffee) near food. Drinking and eating within the same time frame can wreak havoc on your gut and will more than likely contribute to bloating, gas and abdominal discomfort. Keep your eating and drinking separate. Secondly, eat less processed foods, less carbs, less dairy, less meat and less sugar. The majority of the reason you are bloated is because you are eating a food in one of those categories, I can almost guarantee it. If you replace those foods with fresh, organic, whole foods such as vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and sprouts you are on your way to a less disturbed tummy.
- Utilize Peppermint: Peppermint essential oil is one of the best things to have on hand for bloating, indigestion, gas and abdominal discomfort. Peppermint eases and relaxes stomach muscles while increasing the flow of bile which aids in digestion and the transit time of the intestinal system. This simply calms your stomach down and allows for things to flow smoother and easier. In a 4 week study patients who added peppermint oil improved by 53.5% whereas the control in the group improved 28.1% from the use of fiber. What does this mean? Use peppermint essential oil and fiber both to see an even greater improvement. Chia seeds are a great source of soluble and insoluble fiber. Simply soak them in water and mix in a glass for about 5 minutes until they gel up and drink the liquid. I recommend peppermint essential oil from doterra which can be bought by clicking here. They are certified pure therapeutic grade and I wouldn’t ingest any essential oil from any company. Doterra i’ve used for years and have ingested their peppermint oil safely many times before without any unwanted side effects. They are pure in quality.
- Turmeric Helps: Turmeric is widely used in Ayurvedic (Indian) and Chinese medicine. Turmeric helps the liver to produce bile which is essential in the digestion of fats. It helps the body reduce gas and bloating by being one of the best anti-inflammatory spices known to man. Curcumin, the active medicinal compound in turmeric is responsible for these benefits. You can get turmeric as a spice and add it to foods or mix it in water and drink approximately 20 minutes before a meal to help with bloating, gas and indigestion. There is an organic CO2 liquid turmeric extract that I really like (which you can find here) that I use and recommend. If you decide to use that turmeric write me a message on facebook by clicking here and i’ll send a 10% discount code your way for your purchase of that turmeric supplement.
Beyond these 5 ways to reduce bloating and digestive discomfort one recommendation I have that has always helped me and seems to help others as well is to simply go for a walk. Walking helps to move the blood, lymphatic system and speed up the absorption and digestive process. If you have bloating with gas it definitely helps to expel the gas quicker so that you can go on with your life without those uncomfortable stomach pains. Walking has been shown to reduce gas and bloating in one study already. It makes sense and it works. Another thing you can do that has helped many is to simply lay down on your back and massage your abdominal region while laying on your left side. This is a great way to relieve gas and bloating discomfort.
Hopefully these tips and ideas give you more time to enjoy a peaceful stomach with less pain and discomfort. You can get rid of bloating with the right techniques. These are good health guidelines that have other benefits in your life also. Please share these tips with a friend or family member who you know may benefit from this information!
Source: http://www.dietvsdisease.org/how-to-get-rid-of-bloating/%20Image: http://www.culturamix.com/beleza/cicatriz-de-abdominoplastia/
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
David Benjamin
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David Benjamin is the founder of HealthyWildAndFree.com. He's a health and & green living advocate. He is the author of Dirt Cheap Weight Loss: 101 Ways To Lose Weight On A Budget. He believes that if we take care of ourselves and take care of our planet we can enjoy a much more sustainable, healthy, happy and harmonious life. Eat your greens, Live green and appreciate the green around you! Pura Vida :)You can connect with me on Facebook, Youtube, Pinterest and Instagram.
