Being bloated has got to be the worst feeling ever. It happens to a lot of us for all kinds of reasons, but it never fails to put a downer on things. Luckily for you, there are some things you can do to try and avoid it or at the very least, reduce bloating.
1. Salt
Salt is definitely your enemy when it comes to bloating since sodium causes the body to retain water. When your body has higher sodium levels, it will hold on to water, which causes you to gain ‘water weight’ and feel bloated. Ready meals may be a quick fix at lunchtime if you’re in a rush to get to lectures, but they’re notorious for having high salt content, so make sure to pay more attention to the nutrition labels if you’re someone who suffers a lot from bloating.
2. Chew your food!
We’re all guilty of it from time to time – you’re in a rush and eat a meal so fast that sparks fly off your plate. But eating too fast often means you don’t chew your food properly. This increases your chance of bloating as you are swallowing too much air and the food has a higher chance of making you a bit gassy because your body is not able to digest it properly. After all, bloating is often caused by a build up of gas.
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3: Chewing gum
It might surprise you to hear it, but chewing gum can actually cause bloating. You end up swallowing a lot of air when you chew gum and all this extra air could be the cause of that straining button on your jeans from time to time. Sometimes, chewing gum contains specific ingredients like artificial sweeteners that can only make bloating worse, so it’s definitely one to avoid or at least cut down on!
4. Fizzy drinks
Fizzy drinks are one of the main culprits when it comes to feeling bloated. Fizzy drinks are full of air and whilst they may make you feel more full initially, they really only make you bloated. Even carbonated mineral water is one to skip if you’re trying to avoid bloating. Try squash, fruit juice, or maybe water with lemon instead – the latter has actually been shown to help reduce bloating as it can reduce sodium levels.
5. Exercise
I know, I know – a lot of the time, when you’re bloated, the last thing you want to do is exercise. You feel uncomfortable and you just want to lie down and wait for it to pass, but if bloating isn’t related to your diet (alot of the time girls may be bloated because their period is due) then exercise is one way to reduce it. It doesn’t even have to be an intensive half-hour of cardio; maybe some yoga is more your thing. Even if it’s just going for a walk for twenty minutes, it can help.
Of course, these things might not work for everyone, but they’re the most common solutions to try and beat bloating. You have to figure out what works best for you – but with any luck, next time you’re worried about looking puffy, you’ll know where to start to avoid it!
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