Feeling Bloated? Here's What to do About it!
Feeling Bloated? Here's What to do About it!
Your clothes are not fitting right. Your stomach is round and bloated. You feel uncomfortable.
You are not alone. 30% of people experience bloating on a regular basis. Along with bloating, you may experience acid reflux, stomach discomfort and other digestive issues.
The good news is that you don’t have to suffer anymore. There are several factors that may contribute to your bloating. Many are extremely common, yet easy to fix naturally.
I will also share a fantastic juice recipe with you that can kick all bloating to the curb.
WHAT IS BLOATING?
Bloating is just gas and excess air that has become trapped in the digestive tract, usually the small intestine, which is where most of the digestion and absorption of nutrients takes place.
So...why are you so bloated? Well, there can be several reasons, but we've listed the most common, and after we cover the causes will give you a natural recipe to help deal with it!
NOT EATING ENOUGH FIBER
Fiber helps to push things along in your system. When you’re not getting enough, things will move more slowly through the digestive tract and eventually, start piling up like a traffic jam. This will make it harder for air to escape and you will quickly feel bloated after eating a big meal.
What to do? Eat more fiber-rich foods, such as greens, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, whole grains, beans and legumes. Ditch processed foods, sugary junk and dairy.
SODA
All that carbonation in your soda is air being swallowed into your belly. If your digestion is already having a hard time, this air is going to get trapped and make you feel bloated.
What to do? Ditch sodas, sugary drinks and carbonated beverages. Drink lots of water. Besides water, you may want to drink herbal tea and green juices. If you think water is bland and boring you can make it interesting by adding some fresh fruit, cucumber, mint, the possibilities are endless!
ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS
Artificially sweetened foods and beverages often contain sugar alcohol and this can cause bloating in a lot of people. If you take a look at labels you may be surprised at how much artificial sweetener you are consuming on a daily basis! Not to mention that artificial sweeteners also cause inflammation in the gut, which leads to digestive issues galore.
What to do? Ditch processed foods and stick to foods in the natural state. If you want sweetness in your life, stick to sweet root vegetables and fruits. For sweeteners, try honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar instead.
EXCESS SODIUM INTAKE
Most people are getting a TON of (table) salt because they are eating too many foods that come out of a bag, box or can. These have high salt content because salt enhances flavor and helps make food last longer.
What to do? Stick to no more than 1,500 - 2,000 mg of sodium a day. Watch the sodium content of your food. Eliminate processed foods in general. Don’t over-salt your food and stick with Himalayan Sea Salt if you need to add salt.
LACK OF PROBIOTICS
Most cultures consume fermented foods with their meals, which aids digestion, improves the health of the digestive tract and also reduces symptoms of bloating and digestive discomfort.
What to do? Take daily probiotic supplements. Make sure it’s high quality with 10+ strains of bacteria and 50 billion CFUs. Eat probiotic-rich fermented foods, such as saurkraut, kimchi, kombucha, kefir and yogurt.
DIGESTIVE DISORDERS
Frequent, uncomfortable bloating is sometimes a sign of a deeper issue going on in your gut. If you feel like you are eating well, but are still experiencing bloating, it could be a sign of a problem like IBS, SIBO or Celiac Disease.
What to do? Make an appointment with your healthcare professional to be tested for any of these in order to begin treating the root cause vs. the symptoms. These issues are best dealt with as soon as possible before anything more serious develops.
DEHYDRATION
It may seem counterintuitive, but your body will actually HOLD ON to water if you are not drinking enough. This can cause that heavy, waterlogged, fat feeling that just makes you want to put on sweats and stay in for the night.
What to do? Drink more water. Make sure you drink 8-10 glasses of 8 oz water a day, more if you are very active or if it’s hot outside. Make sure to drink throughout the day, instead of gulping down 2-3 glasses at once after not drinking for hours. Carrying a water bottle helps a lot. You can mark your water intake by adding a new rubber band on your bottle after each finished serving.
QUICK FIX FOR A BLOATED BELLY
Let me start by saying that there are no long-term quick fixes. Your stomach is a finicky organ and sometimes it just isn't happy with you, but you can do your best to prevent the discomfort by eating healthy, drinking lots of water and treating your body well to balance your digestion and heal your body for good.
That being said, your body can use all the support it can get. There is a powerful juice that can assist your healing ANDcan kick bloating to the curb. You are human, after all. Life happens. This juice can instantly normalize your digestion and help with bloating, reflux and other digestive discomforts.
BANISH BLOAT JUICE RECIPE
INGREDIENTS:
- Red cabbage - 1 whole cabbage
- Cayenne pepper (spice) - ¼ tsp
- Cilantro - 1 handful
- Coconut water - ½ cup
- Ginger root - 1 thumb
- Lemon - ¼ fruit
- Lime - ¼ fruit
- Salt - 1 dash
INSTRUCTIONS:
Feed all ingredients (except salt and cayenne) through the juicer. Pour into a tall glass or jar and then add salt and cayenne. Sip slowly.
Try this juice and eliminate these 7 factors that can lead to digestive troubles. You will see a difference in no time in your digestive health.
Which one of these factors are applicable to you? How will you employ these techniques to eliminate indigestion? Figuring out the answer to these questions will help you take care of your gut and feel much more comfortable on a day to day basis!
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