Tips to beat the bloat

Do you eat a relatively clean diet, you workout on a regular basis, you drink your water, you take your probiotics but you’re still feeling bloated often? If so, this article is for you as we walk you through common causes of bloating and how to get rid of it naturally…

TOP 5 CAUSES OF BLOATING

Poor evacuation: if there is too much stool in the colon, it can distend the belly area
Gas buildup: bloating can happen when there’s too much gas in the stomach. Gas build up is caused by a few habits like: not chewing food properly; drinking carbonated beverages; eating raw food (vs. cooked); eating gas forming legumes like broccoli, cauliflower; getting too much fiber in our diet specifically indigestible fiber like sunchokes, cauliflower, flax seeds, potatoes, sunchockes — they irritate the gut and can worsen bloating. Lastly, gas can also be caused by incompatible food combinations (foods that are difficult to digest when consumed within the same meal).
Digestion is weaker in Summer: In the Summer time, our digestion is weaker. As temperatures rise, our body reduces the production of digestive acids to prevent it from over heating. That means we have a harder time breaking down the foods we eat.
Stress: Eating under mental and emotional stress prevents us from digesting properly as our nervous system is in fight or flight mode vs. rest & digest.
Chronic conditions: Other causes of bloating include IBS, and SIBO

HOW TO BEAT THE BLOAT

Overall: avoid overeating or crazy and eat at regular times each day
Chew longer: chew your food until it’s liquid in your mouth. Sounds gross but it works!
Eat easy-to-digest foods, like soups, stews, Kitchari, and broths that have all been cooked for a long time
Cook your veggies: raw veggies make you more bloated because they are harder to digest. Instead steam or sauté your veggies.
Watch your food combinations: Some of the foods you eat together in the same meals can cause gas & bloating. Certain food types are better eaten on their own such as fruit (should always be eaten on its own!), dairy with fruit or dairy with protein like meats, different proteins together (e.g. fish & meat)
Morning cup of warm water: start your day with one cup of warm water (before anything else like coffee or OJ). It will kick start your digestion, flush out the system and get rid of any lingering matter from the day before.
Hydrate in between meals: Sip warm or room-temp water or herbal teas throughout your meals but the bulk of your liquids should be drank in between meals. Drinking loads right before or during a meal drowns your digestive enzymes which makes them less efficient at breaking down the foods you eat.
Skip iced water: iced water stalls the digestive system and increases your chances of being bloated after a meal
Make lunch the biggest meal of the day: Make breakfast and dinner light and consume your most calories over lunch as your digestion is at its strongest then. You might think that skipping meals is a good idea but it’s not. It actually helps your digestive process if you have regular meals even if the quantities are smaller.