It’s the weekend, for some it’s a time to party, drink, catch up with friends or just relaxing at home. While you engage in all these activities, you might over indulge by eating too much or drinking too much.
This can lead to bloating. Bloating can occur when the carbohydrates are broken down, the fiber in it gets fermented, thereby producing gas which can lead to bloating. It’s caused by excess air or gas in the gastrointestinal tract.
Bloating is often the result of eating high salt foods. Sodium induces the bloat, likely because it causes water retention. These habits may aggravate your condition.
- Avoid that additional alcohol :Feeling bloated, drinking that alcohol will not help you. Because it slows down digestion and increases water retention. Alcohol makes you urinate more at first but leaves you dehydrated. Dehydration tells the body to hang onto water, and then you end up with that bloating feeling. So, avoid taking that glass of wine.
- Don’t drink that soda: You might be tempted to drink that soda after eating. But that’s a bad ideal. That soda contains gas this will increase the gassiness and bloating that makes you uncomfortable.
- Don’t chew gum: Anytime I feel bloated, friends usually tell me to chew gum to get relief. However, research shows that extra air gets into your system if you eat or drink too quickly, drink carbonated beverages, or chew gum. If that air ends up trapped in the colon or small bowel, you end up feeling bloated and gassy.
So how do you prevent bloating? Read on to find out more!
- Drink water: When you’re bloated, the last thing on your mind is drinking water so that you don’t feel like your tummy is about to explode. However, drinking water will help your digestive system and support bowel movement. It’s important to note that bloating and constipation are like the two sides of a coin. It will be better to drink plenty of water before eating. The good news is, it will stop you from over eating and reduce the effects of bloating.
- Go for a walk: After your meal, you can decide to go for a short walk. It helps with the digestive process and reduce bloating. Research has shown that a walk after a meal helps accelerate gastric emptying. Five or 10 minutes should be enough to help you find relief. Your sure bet is to exercise on a regular basis. Because exercising regularly can help keep the walls of your large intestine toned so stool can pass easily.
- Drink a cup of tea: No not your regular beverage, but teas like ginger or fennel tea( you can get fennel tea from any shop that sells spices) These teas will relax your digestive system and help you get rid of bloating and gas in your digestive tract.
- Do light stretches or Yoga: You can relive bloating with simple yoga poses like Child pose or Cat/Cow. It helps relieve abdominal discomfort associated with bloating. Hold each pose for five deep breaths (breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth), and continue repeating until you feel some relief. Allow your belly to expand fully with each breathe you take-in. Doing this helps to activate your body’s parasympathetic nervous system, or rest and digest mode, which is calming and will allow you to better digest your food.