Feeling bloated lots of the time? It’s a really common problem and can often become worse during the summer months, or when the weather is warmer. There are a number of reasons for this; being prepared is the key!
Conversely, the body tends to hold onto water (you’re naturally around 70% water), when the weather is hotter, which leads to water retention and, therefore bloating. The best way of avoiding water retention is to actually drink more water, around 1 ½ to 2 litres daily!
Additionally, certain herbs, such as dandelion, work as diuretics, helping to reduce water retention; drinking some dandelion tea throughout the day can work wonders and also counts towards your daily fluid intake.
Stress can also have an effect on water balance; aldosterone, a steroid hormone, produced by the adrenal glands helps to regulate water balance in the body by holding on or eliminating sodium. It’s a very fine balancing act! However, if you’re feeling stressed (and modern-day life tends to be very stressful!), then it’s worth taking some time out of a busy day to practice some yoga or just a few minutes of very deep breathing, to help the body relax.
The gastrointestinal tract is home to vast numbers of bacteria, commonly referred to as friendly flora; there are over 500 different types, weighing anything up to two kilos, in the gut! Some are good and some not-so-good, but there needs to be more good than bad; an imbalance can cause various digestive upsets, including bloating and the dreaded flatulence!
It’s always a good idea to take a course of probiotics for one or two months every year to keep the good bacteria in balance. Plus, if you’ve recently taken a course of antibiotics then you really do need to replenish the good bacteria otherwise you’ll definitely feel bloated and uncomfortable.
To support your digestive tract and reduce bloating, eat foods and drinks such as:
There are a number of reasons for trying to keep to a low-sugar diet; most importantly, a high sugar diet encourages the release of insulin, which in turn affects aldosterone levels (see above). This will encourage water retention and, therefore, bloating.
Sugar is sugar in all its forms and yes, even honey is sugar! However, if you’ve got a slightly sweet tooth then take steps to reduce the obvious culprits.
Foods and drinks to limit if you want to reduce bloating and support weight loss:
Interestingly, it’s always best to eat fruit, particularly melons, away from other foods. Mixing fruit with other meals can encourage fermentation in the digestive system, leading to excess gas and that “feels full” sensation.
With the warmer weather on its way, the barbecue is dusted off! However, this can encourage over-indulgence and over-indulgence can lead to bloating.
Your liver is the main organ of detoxification and has to work hard if too much alcohol and fatty food is consumed. If you’re going to be drinking alcohol then it’s always wise to have a glass of water for every alcoholic drink consumed. Likewise, if you’re attending a barbecue, the burgers and sausages will often cause digestive upsets because they are hard to digest.
To reduce bloating when you indulge:
There is a tendency to ‘self-diagnose’ food intolerances! However, if you’re eating foods that don’t agree with you, this will certainly lead to bloating. Common culprits are gluten, wheat, dairy, eggs or soya.
Most importantly, it’s not always an intolerance, sometimes it’s just eating the same foods too often. As an example, many people eat cereal for breakfast, a sandwich at lunchtime and a pasta-based meal for dinner. That means lots of wheat throughout the day, which can trigger bloating.
For some people, gas and bloating are also linked to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). IBS can make the digestive system more sensitive to certain foods and drinks, causing excess gas and that uncomfortable “feels full” feeling.
Try mixing things up to prevent bloating:
However, if you’re really finding it difficult to identify the culprits, a visit to a nutritionist can help. There are also a number of blood tests available to properly diagnose the cause of bloating or food intolerance.
So, don’t suffer in silence if summer bloating is ruining your plans. From staying hydrated to balancing your digestion, reducing sugar and watching over-indulgences, there’s lots you can do to get rid of bloating.
Making small changes to your foods and drinks and paying attention to your digestive system, can help prevent you from feeling bloated and keep you feeling light, comfortable and confident.
