Is bloating a problem? Well, forget about it. Here are 12 useful super tips to help you lose bloat for good.
Bloating is a common symptom among women especially around that period of the month. For some bloating is a status quo all year round. If you are one of those women who struggle to button their jeans after taking a few sips of soda, Lumitea experts have come up with a wonderful How To Lose Bloat in 12 Steps cheat sheet for you. We guarantee you will regain your healthy, catwalk look in a snap! Here’s the deal.
Stay away from the salt shaker
Tasty and easy to prepare instant noodles or any other processed or semi-processed foods may be, they do contain a considerable amount of salt. When the amount of sodium in your body exceeds normal levels your body starts holding on to water, which is why you feel a bit puffy and sluggish. To reduce the bloat, avoid consuming too much salt. Instead you can try some spices like turmeric or cayenne pepper to add flavor to your food.
Ditch the starch
Corn, pasta, wheat and potatoes contain starch, which is a complex carbohydrate. When digested in the stomach, carbs produce gas and lead to bloating. To get rid of the bloated tummy, avoid these foods or try to reduce consumption to a minimum. Instead you can eat brown rice, which due to its fiber high content stimulates digestion and reduces bloat.
No more spices
If you like spicy food, try to reduce that to a minimum too. Spicy sauces like Tabasco and Sriracha are far from being what you need to get rid of the bloat. When digesting spicy food, more stomach acid is released, which irritates the stomach lining and makes your tummy to balloon up in a snap.
Make sure you are not lactose intolerant
Lactose intolerance causes bloating, medical experts say. If you feel gassy and crampy after drinking milk or consuming dairy products in general, perhaps you should kiss those goodbye and opt for lactose-free versions of yogurt, milk and cheese. Is ice cream your favorite dessert? If it makes you feel bloated, opt for a lactose-free smoothie instead.
Sip on green tea
Green tea has been on the anti-bloating scene for thousands of years and continues to be widely used as a home remedy for various ails including water retention and belly bloat. Additionally, due to its antioxidant high content, green tea is a perfect metabolism booster, while it helps you burn calories and keep your body in shape.
Still wondering how to lose bloat? If green tea alone does not seem to work as fast as you expected, you always have an alternative. Lumitea’s 30-day bloating detox tea formula does exactly that. Blending oolong tea with ginger root, senna and lotus leaves that abound in potent antioxidants and cleansing components, this tea mix is a powerful constipation buster, which helps you lose weight, reduces bloating and gives you the pick-me-up feeling when you’re feeling dozy. Additionally, it helps you reduce cravings and supports your immune system.
Add some potassium
Potassium-rich foods help reduce belly bloat. Rich in potassium, banana makes a perfect dessert choice if you want to have a happy and flat tummy. The asparagine amino acid found in bananas has a diuretic effect, supporting your body’s natural ability to flush out toxins.
Say “No” to carbonated drinks
Sodas and sparkling water contain carbon dioxide, which unfortunately supports gas buildup and bloating. This ingredient is one of the major culprits for your belly bloat. Instead of soda you can always have some plain water with a slice of lemon for more flavor. It has the same refreshing effect and it’s healthier!
Cut down on sugar
Sugar and sugar substitutes or sweeteners contain sorbitol, which is another cause for bloating, gas and in some cases, diarrhea. Need to sweeten up your tea? Use honey, it’s 100% natural and supports metabolism.
Chew your food properly
TIME is your worst enemy and eating in a rush makes you swallow air along with food. This again causes gas and bloating. To avoid this nasty effect, chew your food thoroughly before you swallow it. Additionally, the enzymes in saliva play an essential role in the first stage of digestion by decomposing food and helping your gastrointestinal system further break it down and better absorb nutrients, which if food is not properly chewed are lost along with residue resulting from the digestion process. Plus, chewing your food properly will actually give you the chance to savor it and enjoy it more, not to mention it also helps you eat less as it also helps instill the feeling of satiety sooner. So if you’re also aiming to lose weight by eating less, this is the way to go.
Fiber up your diet
A balanced diet should include a considerable amount of fruits and veggies that are rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals that your body needs to function at its full power, nutrition experts explain. However, don’t overdo a good thing though. Going green suddenly can put some stress on your digestive system, which will struggle to adjust to the new regime. Do it gradually to avoid gas buildup and bloating due to more digestive juices being released. Digestive juices, in turn, irritate the flora causing inflammation and facilitating gas accumulation. Remember, an apple a day is good in the beginning to keep the doctor away, and steadily you can increase the amount.
Work out
Physical activity helps your intestines moving. You don’t need to go for a drop-dead protocol if you’re not that much into fitness, walking at least 15 minutes every day is just about enough to give your lazy metabolism a kick and keep your gut working properly to keep bloating away.
Downsize your portions
If you tend to have dinner late and play in the clean-plate league, forget that. Smaller portions will do the trick to beat the bloat. Use smaller plates! The psychologic effect of seeing a full plate in front of you regardless of its size rather than a smaller amount of food on a large plate is already a step ahead toward feeling satisfied sooner.
This concludes our bloat begone cheat sheet, give it a try and feel the difference in no time!