Bloating happens to even the thinnest of people, but there are steps you can take to reduce bloating before it starts. Follow these tips to keep those skinny jeans you're wearing lying flat all day long.
What exactly does it mean to feel "bloated"?
A common misconception about bloating is that it's always the result of eating too big a meal. For doctors, it usually means an excess of gas in the gastrointestinal region, causing discomfort and abdominal distension.
Causes can range from a bacterial imbalance, to eating too much fiber, to not eating enough. When you take antibiotics, the bacteria responsible for breaking down complex carbohydrates can fail and produce gas. However, the most common causes of bloating are swallowing too much air and eating too fast.
Causes of stomach bloating
By paying a little more attention to your eating habits, you can help prevent excessive bloating. Here's a quick list of unhealthy foods and habits that may be to blame:
Chewing gum. Your favorite pastime for freshening up your breath may be the number one cause of stomach bloating. When you chew gum, you swallow air which gets trapped in the gastrointestinal system and expands the stomach.
Drinking from a pipe. When you go to take a drink from a pipe, you first inhale a volume of air, which ends up trapped in your stomach.
Reduction of stomach bloating
While bloating is something that happens to everyone, there are steps you can take to minimize symptoms or help stop them before they start.
Eat consciously. Not only do fibrous produce aid digestion, but foods like potassium-rich bananas and high-water-content fruits like watermelon help flush out belly-bloating sodium. Papaya contains high levels of essential digestive enzymes that break down proteins to aid digestion, so you look and feel less full.
When in doubt: hydrate. Your body needs water, lots of it. Dehydration leads to constipation, which leads to bloating. And while it may seem counterintuitive to drink more water, when your body finally gets the hydration it needs, it releases the fluid it doesn't. Make sure you drink at least eight glasses of water a day.
Unfortunately, bloating is just a part of life. It's usually no cause for alarm, but if you're suddenly experiencing strange symptoms without any dietary changes, it may be worth checking with your doctor. By including gut-friendly foods in your diet, remembering to stay hydrated and listening to your body, you can help fight bloating before it starts.
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