Banish the bloat
Tuesday 11 March 2008
No matter how much time you spend in the gym, or how many biscuits you cut from your diet, your stomach can still look and feel a lot bigger due to bloating.
Most women experience swelling in the abdominal area after meals or before their period. But if you don’t want to shy away under jumpers and cardigans in the warmer weather, read on and find out how to beat the bloat once and for all!
Keep hydrated
Although filling your stomach with fluid may sound unappealing when you’re bloated, drinking water flushes waste out of your system and gets your digestive tract moving. Make sure you drink at least 8 glasses of water a day.
Increase your fibre intake
Most women consume only 12-15 grams of fibre per day but we need at least 24-25 grams to get our systems flowing. Fibre prevents constipation by adding bulk, which helps everything move through the intestines quickly and more efficiently. Good sources of fibre include wholemeal bread and pasta, fresh and dried fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds.
Drain excess water
Did you know that up to 3lbs of excess water can be trapped in the body at any time? Eating too much salt is a major cause of water retention - try to find other ways of flavouring food like herbs and spices or lemon and lime zest.
Herbal Remedy
Many women suffer from excess water retention around the time of their period, but it can occur at any time. New Aquaban Herbal contains a blend of three natural herbal diuretics which work together to gently relieve the body of excess water, without leaving you dehydrated. Aquaban is available to buy from chemists for £3.49 for a pack of 60 tablets.
Minty bloat-buster
Mint is known to aid digestion by stimulating the flow of natural digestive juices and bile. So try to replace your morning coffee with peppermint tea and scatter mint leaves over your salads.
Move it and lose it
When you feel puffy, you feel sluggish. This is the time to force yourself off the couch. Exercise is one of the most effective ways to banish that bloat .Just a 10-minute brisk, arm-swinging walk will invigorate your entire system.
Eliminate food triggers
Wheat, dairy products and yeast account for 80% of food reactions. Try to identify foods that may be causing the problem. Try keeping a food diary for two weeks and take note of how you feel after different foods.
Don’t bite off more than you can chew!
Chew slowly! Eating food quickly can cause you to swallow too much air which results in bloating. Remember it takes around 30 minutes for your stomach to realise that it is full. Eat little and often to avoid feeling full and bloated after eating too much.
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