If you caught our last blog, you would know there are many causes of bloating, and that usually, bloating is simply a symptom of something larger going on within the body. While our main priority should be to find the cause of the bloating, this can take time and it’s nice to be able to have some tools under our belts to help manage the bloat day to day. So here’s some tips:
- Increase fibre intake – this means increasing your fresh fruit and veggie intake, as well as including a balanced amount of whole grains and cereals into your diet. Fibre helps keep bowel movements regular which will help to reduce bloating. It’s important to note that both too little and too much fibre may result in uncomfortable bloating, women should aim for 25g of fibre per day.
- Increase water intake – this is especially important when increasing fibre to avoid constipation and worsening of bloat. In general, increasing water intake supports elimination of excess sodium in the body which may be the cause of your bloating. It also may be helpful to avoid drinking water 30 minutes before and after, as well as during eating to ensure our digestive enzymes aren’t being diluted.
- Eat mindfully – this is an important one! Taking the time to sit down, take a moment and chew our meal (around 30 times for each bite to be exact) helps kickstart the digestion process before our food even reaches our stomach. This assists in the proper breakdown of food by telling our body to release digestive enzymes and juices. If we don’t allow this process to happen, undigested food may travel into the large intestine and be fermented by bacteria which may result in gas and bloating.
- Sip on herbal teas – not only does this get your water intake up in a more delicious way, but there are certain teas which can actually reduce bloating and support digestion. Try peppermint, ginger or chamomile.
- Exercise daily – it doesn’t have to be anything crazy or intense. Even just a 30 minute walk can help to expel gas, kickstart digestion and reduce bloating.
- Include prebiotic and probiotic rich foods (or supplements) – if you’re experiencing bloating daily, your gut health may be not be functioning optimally and it may be great idea to take some time ensuring you’re introducing good bacteria into the gut, and feeding them with prebiotics like kimchi, kefir, sweet potato, almonds, chickpeas. Hint: prebiotics are mostly fibres, so this takes us back to tip no. 1! It’s important to consider that a probiotic supplement and prebiotic foods may not solve your gut issues, so make sure you work with a nutritionist in order to get to the root of the problem, but this can be a good place to start supporting gut health.
- Manage stress – I believe this is important for any health issue. Stress can cause such havoc on the body, and being in a constant state of stress can most definitely affect our digestion and overall gut health and lead to bloating. Creating space in your daily routine for even just 5 minutes of a stress relieving activity that YOU love. This could be meditating, yoga, walking, listening to music, reading. Whatever it is, make sure you do it as much as you can.
There you have it, some tips you can integrate daily to help manage your bloating and support proper digestion. Like I said before, to eliminate bloating you need to get to the root cause of the problem. Working with a nutritionist who will consider your unique needs will be the best way to do this. So, if you are suffering with daily, chronic bloating, please book a consult!
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