Beat The Bloat! Stay Light, Fresh, And Comfortable All Summer Long

Stomach bloating Infographic_Activ Living Community

Summertime brings warm weather, longer days, barbecues, bikinis—and often a bloated belly. Let us explore why bloating appears more common during the summer months and what you can do to feel (and look) your best this summer.

What is bloating?

Bloating is a common condition that many individuals experience at some point. Sensations of fullness, tightness in the abdomen, and abdominal discomfort can render your day unbearable.

What causes bloating?

Bloating is a natural occurrence in humans. Let us see what causes it.

Certain foods

Certain foods and drinks can trigger bloating. Foods high in fiber, such as beans, lentils, and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and Brussels sprouts, can be challenging to digest. This may lead to excessive gas and bloating. Carbonated drinks like soda, artificial sweeteners like sucralose, and high-fat foods like ice cream are other common causes of bloating.

Lifestyle

Lifestyle factors can also cause bloating. Eating too quickly, overeating, or swallowing air—can all contribute to bloating. Additionally, stress and anxiety, known to affect digestion adversely, can lead to uncomfortable bloating.

Digestive disorders

Various digestive disorders can contribute to bloating, such as the following:

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): A chronic digestive condition that causes abdominal pain and changes in bowel movements;
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD): A chronic condition that causes inflammation in the intestines;
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): A digestive disorder in which stomach contents flow backwards into the esophagus.

These conditions can disrupt digestive processes, resulting in excessive gas production, impaired digestion, and heightened food sensitivity.

Remedies for bloating

Wondering how to avoid bloating? Embracing healthy eating and lifestyle habits is vital for reducing bloating. You can ease discomfort and encourage improved digestion by making nutritious adjustments to your diet and staying active.

Maintain a well-balanced diet

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Include a variety of whole grains, like brown rice or quinoa, and low-fibre fruits and vegetables, such as bananas or celery, in your meals.

Eat smaller, but frequent meals

Rather than consuming three large meals, consider having smaller, more frequent meals to aid digestion.

Avoid food with a lot of salt

Consuming sodium-rich foods can lead to water retention and a bloated feeling. To counter this, ensure you drink plenty of water and engage in exercise. Sweating is the body’s natural way of eliminating sodium.

Wear loose-fitting clothes

Restrictive clothing can exacerbate discomfort. Choose a flowy dress or a pair of gym shorts with a T-shirt.

Always stay hydrated

Drink water consistently throughout the day and eat hydrating foods like cucumbers. Peppermint and ginger tea also support digestion and alleviate bloating in your stomach.

Be careful with your sugar intake

Be mindful of your sugar intake to prevent weight gain. Fruits can aid weight management. However, the fructose found in fruits, which metabolises more slowly, may be stored as fat. This is when it is consumed alongside a significant amount of other carbohydrates. The key is to consume light meals in the season, with substantial meals at lunch and lighter options in the evening.

Include turmeric in your diet

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Incorporate turmeric into your diet to aid in de-bloating during the summer. It tends to be quite heating, so mixing it with some water and lemon or ginger is an excellent way to gain its benefits. This practise effectively helps decongest, supports healthy liver and gallbladder function, and improves our ability to digest and utilize beneficial fats like coconut oil.

Fast daily

Incorporate a short fast into your routine by not eating between supper and breakfast, spacing them 13 hours apart to allow the body to burn fat and take a break from digestion. This means resisting late-night snacking and excessive indulging. Most of that time is spent sleeping, so the fast is more manageable than you might think.

Exercise daily

Remaining active promotes proper digestion and releases endorphins to relieve stress. It also gets your bowels moving and allows you to work the gas out of your body.

Prevent summer bloating

If you frequently experience bloating, identifying the underlying cause can help prevent discomfort in the future. Consult your primary care provider if you encounter persistent bloating and abdominal discomfort. Practise the aforementioned steps to keep bloating at bay and strive for overall well-being.

Key Takeaways

Bloating is a feeling of fullness or tightness in the stomach.
Certain foods, lifestyles, and digestive disorders can lead to bloating.
Maintain a well-balanced diet, eat smaller, more frequent meals, stay hydrated, and exercise regularly to prevent bloating.

Stay tuned to the Activ Living Community. Keep up to date with the latest health tips and trends through expert videos, podcasts, articles, and much more on nutrition, fitness, mindfulness, and lifestyle conditions like Asthma, Blood Pressure, Cholesterol, and Diabetes. Activ Living ke saath sahi sehat ki shuruat ABHI karo.

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What is bloating?