7 Ways to Get Rid of Bloating

Having gas is a normal part of digestion. We all have gas and we all experience flatulence or bloating and having either of these two doesn’t mean there is something off about our digestion.

But gas issues can be embarrassing and excessive bloating causes an unsightly belly bulge we’d all like to get rid of. Besides being unsightly, it’s also uncomfortable feeling tight around the waistline.

Why do we experience bloating? And what causes it?

Excessive gas and bloating can be caused by medical conditions, food choices, as well as our behavior.

Gases like carbon dioxide, oxygen, methane, and nitrogen make their way into your gut via swallowing air and due to the fermentation of foods as they are being digested in the large intestines.

Excessive gas in the gut is usually caused by one or more of the following.

You can deal with bloating with two effective strategies: you can prevent it by avoiding the foods and behavior choices that cause gas formation and accumulation. Or you can treat the excess gas when you first notice it.

Here are 7 scientifically proven ways of remedying your stomach bloat.

It’s important to identify what causes your body to bloat. Do you eat foods that are known to cause gas or are you noticing abdominal distention due to some condition like lactose intolerance, for instance? You need to find out what foods you may be intolerant or allergic to so you can make sure to avoid them in the future.

Another reason why you need to identify the cause is that there are conditions during which bloating is natural and inevitable – for example, most women suffer from excess gas during the menstrual cycle.

Bloating can also be a result of anxiety, stress, sudden weight gain, certain medications, and high-fat meals.

Once you know what’s causing excess gas formation in your gut, you’ll figure out if it’s avoidable and how.

People experience bloating from different foods. Those whose guts are not used to high-fiber diets are likely to experience excessive gas formation at some point after eating. Cruciferous vegetables are a great example of such foods

Now, these veggies carry a high dose of anti-oxidants and are considered super-healthy. So it’s best not to give up on them entirely just because they led to bad bloat. Instead, the way to incorporate them into your diet is to eat them in small quantities which allows your body to adjust to their high-fiber. Begin with small portion sizes and increase them gradually.

Carbonated beverages like soda and beer can give you gas because you’re literally swallowing air bubbles along with the drink. Though you will experience an initial relief with burping and belching you’ll continue to feel bloated until a little while after. That is why doctors recommend not drinking sodas with certain gastrointestinal issues, since they only give you the illusion of getting rid of gas when in fact they cause it.

Eating or drinking too quickly, sucking on hard candies, and chewing gum can all lead to swallowing air.

Preservatives and sugars in processed foods often form excess gas while being digested. Similarly, foods that are high in fats like French fries and pizza lead to more gas. Fats take longer to digest, which means that the food stays and ferments in your gut longer, thus producing greater quantities of gas.

Foods rich in non-digestible or difficult-to-digest carbs produce more gas for the same reasons.

Many people suffer from some form of constipation and experience symptoms like bloating, hard and difficult-to-pass stool, straining, and just irregular or slow bowel movement.

These symptoms can all lead to the excess formation and collection of gas in your gut. That is because bacteria continue to ferment the stool.

You can alleviate these symptoms in three ways. First, improve your hydration – drink a sufficient amount of liquid, preferably water. Incorporate more fiber in your diet including both, soluble and insoluble fiber. And exercise more often.

Walking, swimming, cycling, or any other form of movement are essential to gut health and regular bowel movement.

Eating a large amount of food can lead to bloating due to two reasons. First, the food takes up a lot of space in your stomach, stretches your belly, and gathers gases and solids to make you feel too full and tight in the abdomen. Second, the most indigestible foods you’ve eaten the more gases they produce, which makes you feel bloated even more.

And if these foods are high in salt, they will tend to retain water in your gut making you suffer from bloating longer.

Reducing portion sizes and limiting your intake of salt, will together minimize any symptoms of bloating while preventing abdominal discomfort.

Abdominal massages can relieve you from tightness, a feeling of fullness, cramping, and excess gas. It can also help reduce the buildup of abdominal fluids.

Here is how to massage your stomach yourself.

People have used herbal teas to treat bloating for thousands of years. Many studies not only prove how effective this method is but also show how it can calm this condition in the long run. Here are some of the most commonly used herbal teas and they are wonderfully aromatic. See which one you like.