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| Of course, you can unbutton your jeans when bloating begins. However, you can do more with these helpful tips. |
Having a bloated stomach is no picnic. Despite how great an article of clothing fit you before, it can suddenly ruin your look and mood when you come face to face with your full-length mirror. When this problem occurs the immediate solution is rummaging through your closet and trying one thing after another for a better fit. However, you lessen your chances of bloating if you know the difference between foods that can cause bloating and others that can help reduce it.
When your body bloats, it is also retaining extra water that needs to leave your system. Therefore, foods that are natural diuretics can help get those trapped fluids moving along as they should.
Foods That Help When Bloating Occurs
Bananas are excellent for help with water retention. They not only have potassium for keeping leg cramps away but also for how wonderfully that specific mineral rids the body of sodium in the process.
Watermelon is another fruit that helps reduce that bloat with all its juice. It also has a healthy dose of potassium, vitamins A and C, dietary fiber and more lycopene than any other form of fresh produce according to Watermelon.org. For 40 calories per cup, you can enjoy its sweetness without guilt that you are breaking your diet.
Other natural diuretics are citrus fruits such as oranges and lemons. They can help push excess water out while keeping you hydrated. Instead of coffee that contributes to bloat, you might want to try switching to water with some fresh lemon for your beverage. It’s refreshing and also will act as a mild laxative to keep everything moving instead of adding to this problem.
Leafy green vegetables also have a lot of beneficial potassium that will come to your rescue when your tummy swells. Fresh spinach, kale and Swiss chard are just a few rich sources of potassium as well.
Asparagus is another winner when bloated since it has asparagine, an amino acid that makes it a natural diuretic also.
Cucumbers are something else to reach for when bloating occurs due to its quercetin, a flavonoid antioxidant that counteracts swelling.
Celery can also rescue you when you’re bloated. This vegetable is also a natural diuretic.
Tropical fruits like kiwis, pineapples and papayas all have protein-splitting enzymes that could help with digestion and a bloat problem.
Probiotics like yogurt or soy drinks or any labeled foods with “live and active cultures” have beneficial bacteria that can help.
Something else that comes in handy is trying fennel seeds, especially if you’re suffering with painful gas. The most direct way is to chew about one-half teaspoon of these seeds.
These are just some suggestions that can help relieve the discomfort as well as deflate that puffy stomach. However, if bloating happens more often than you like then you may want to eliminate some foods from your diet.
Foods That Contribute to Bloating
Cabbage, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, and broccoli are just a few examples. They contain a sugar called raffinose that can stay undigested in your gut for a time until your own body’s bacteria kicks in. Unfortunately, this wait can cause stomach expansion and gas pain with it.
Dairy products can cause the same problem if you happen to be unable to digest lactose. A simple fix is buying lactose-free milk and nondairy replacements for cheeses.
Coffee is not the only beverage that causes bloating. Carbonated beverages can also be blamed, especially worse are the ones that contain artificial sweeteners that have sugars that your digestive system has difficulty in breaking down.
Apples have a lot of natural sugars that can bring on bloating due to how long it takes the body to process them. Pears, raisins, prunes, and grapes can be just as detrimental.
You also might want to try salting your food less or use a salt alternative. Do try my herbal salt substitute recipe. Here are two other flavorful homemade substitutes I like to use. If you do, you will retain less water and have a flatter stomach.
Start looking at the sodium content of the foods that you buy because you may want to buy lower-sodium products. Convenience foods are notorious for having too much sodium.
Hopefully the information presented here will help keep you staying and feeling as beautiful as possible. If all else fails, you also may want to see your family doctor to see if there is another cause.
