5 Tips to Combat Bloating

Ah, bloating…

The slightly puffy look. The tighter fitting jeans. The belly bulge you’ve been working so hard to get rid of.
And, let’s not forget the discomfort and general “gross” feeling. Who doesn’t love that?
Answer: no one loves that. No one even likes it.
Depending on its intensity and regularity, bloating can be an occasional nuisance or a too-frequent visitor that has long overstayed its welcome. And, can affect just about anyone at any time.
Fortunately, you don’t just have to suck it up when it comes to bloating (even if you are sucking it in). There are a few things you can try that might ease your bloating woes and get you back to looking and feeling like your fabulous, healthy self. Here are some of our favorite tips:

Exercise

You probably hear a lot about exercise in your quest for healthy living, and there’s a reason for that: regular exercise makes a big difference.
Sure, exercise can help you tone your muscles, increase your energy, and slim down. It can also do things for your digestive system—like stimulate your metabolism, promote health gut microflora, and keep your bowels functioning optimally.^1-4 Cardio exercises can also activate sweat glands, which then expel fluids, rather than retain them. When you’re taking care of your digestive system, bloating becomes a lot less likely.

Don’t overeat

Eating too much won’t just leave you feeling unwell; it also leaves you looking a little, well, bloated. Eating large meals, especially those full of starches and sodium, will leave your belly bulging.⁵ Combat overeating by paying attention to your portions, eating slowly, and stopping when you’re no longer hungry. You can also try eating six small meals a day, rather than three large ones, to help resist the urge to overeat.

Watch what you eat

Just as important as how much you eat, is what you’re eating. Foods that are more difficult to digest leave you feeling bloated and uncomfortable. These foods tend to create gas in your intestine, which creates that “full” look and feel. Other foods may promote fluid retention, which also leads to bloating.⁶
Many Americans consume more than double the recommended daily amount of sodium, which can cause you to appear bloated.^7,8 You can combat the effects of sodium by increasing your potassium intake.⁹ Good sources of potassium include bananas, melons, avocado, white beans, and spinach.
Starches, including bread, rice, and pasta, also create bloating, because they’re difficult for the stomach to digest. ⁶ Instead, add more lean proteins like chicken breast or salmon.

Get plenty of fluids

Low hydration can lead to fluid retention, which creates bloating. Additionally, water keeps your digestive system moving, meaning you’ll be flushing (pun intended) waste out of your system more regularly.¹⁰
Water is obviously always a good choice for hydrating, but coffee (which acts as a diuretic)¹¹ and herbal teas (especially peppermint) can be good as well. Along with supplements specifically created for weight management.^* Steer clear of soda though: those bubbles create air bubbles in your stomach, promoting bloating.

Fight gas

Gas is a common cause of bloating. Cutting back on foods that create gas—or at the very least, eating them more slowly—might help with your bloating problems. Certain herbs including peppermint, chamomile, and garlic, and probiotics like yogurt and kefir can also help fight gas.¹²
It may take some time to figure out what solution works best for you and your body. You might want to try a supplement specifically formulated to ease gas and bloating.^*
Bloating can be embarrassing, discouraging, and downright annoying. Follow these tips to look better and feel better by beating the bloat, once and for all!

References
¹ http://gut.bmj.com/content/early/2014/04/29/gutjnl-2013-306541
² https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24670791
³ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24670791
⁴ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18256465
⁵ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3631758/The-7-deadly-digestion-sins-bad-chewing-overeating-nutritionists-reveal-tips-prevent-bloating-stop-overeating.html
⁶ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3388350/
⁷ https://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2009/r090326.htm
⁸ http://www.livestrong.com/article/431684-does-sodium-make-you-look-bloated/
⁹ https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/salt-and-sodium/sodium-health-risks-and-disease/
¹⁰ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2908954/
¹¹ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/11/coffee-laxative-effect-makes-you-poop_n_7546170.html