Does your stomach feel full or severe pain?
Or does it gets swollen, hard, or stiff?
If that’s a yes, chances of you experiencing a Bloated Stomach are pretty high. It’s a common problem that occurs due to multiple reasons & mainly accompanied by pain, stomach growling, frequent burping, etc.
Among the causes, excess Intestinal gas & air are the main culprits for a bloated stomach. Gas builds up in your stomach when you swallow air or consume intolerant food causing abdominal bloating.
Bloating is a common issue that can affect people of any age group. Furthermore, it makes you uncomfortable, affects your working ability & social activities.
Below are some easy ways to avoid stomach bloating:
Avoid eating too much or too fast
Overeating is another major reason that can cause a bloated stomach. Try to take small meals or add an extra daily meal if required.
Likewise, when you try to eat too fast you tend to invite bloating. The faster you eat the more air you tend to swallow.
It takes around 25 min for your brain to know you are full, enough time for you to overeat and get a bloated stomach.
Avoid swallowing air
There are two main sources of gas in our stomach.
One is produced by bacterias present in our gut. Another is the air we swallow while eating or drinking.
Although it’s not possible to prevent air from entering our body, we can certainly practice a few habits to reduce air intake.
Some effective ways to slow down excess air intake:
- Avoid chewing gum
- Quit smoking
- Avoid talks while eating
- Eat slow
- Avoid using straws
Avoid food that causes gas
Fiber-rich foods like beans, lentils, whole grains, etc. are known to produce large amounts of gas in our bodies. It always comes in handy to keep a track of all the food items that make you feel bloated.
Some common food items are known to cause stomach bloating:
- Whole grains
- Dairy products
- Beans & lentils
- Onions
- Cruciferous vegetables
- Apples
- Carbonated drinks
- Sugar alcohol
You don’t have to strictly restrict your diet and avoid all the food mentioned above. There may be just a few food items that may or may not cause gas like some people have issues digesting milk while others don’t.
It depends completely on your body if it’s intolerant to any specific food item.
Low-Fodmap diet to avoid stomach bloating
IBS or Irritable bowel syndrome is among the most common digestive system issues. Stomach bloating along with abdominal pain, diarrhea is the potential symptom of IBS.
Around 60% of IBS patients reported stomach bloating as the worst symptom.
Experts advise adapting to a low-Fodmap (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols) diet. Fodmaps are short-chain carbohydrates and a sugar alcohol that are hard to digest.
A fodmap diet has proved significant in treating IBS. So, if stomach bloating is something that you experience often, switching to a low-fodmap diet can make things right for you.
Peppermint to avoid stomach bloating
Peppermint oil due to its antibacterial abilities calms the muscles in our digestive tract. Using peppermint oil mixed with a carrier oil can eliminate issues like bloating, abdominal pain, & removing intestinal gas.
Moreover, you can also use peppermint tea as a substitute to improve your digestive system & avoid bloating stomach.
Make easy Peppermint Tea
- Boil 15-20 fresh peppermint leaves with 2 cups of water.
- Let it rest for 15 min.
- Remove leaves. Add honey & lemon.
Conclusion
In most cases, stomach bloating can be reduced or eliminated with minor lifestyle changes. We hope the above-mentioned tips would help eliminate stomach bloating. However, if you have a chronic bloating condition or suddenly feel severe abdominal pain, you must see a doctor. The possibility of a serious digestive system issue can not be ignored.