How To Get Rid Of Bloating
Bloating, or flatulence as it is called correctly, is the disruption of the body in which the intestine accumulates a significant amount of gas. When the main symptoms, experienced as painful bloating or stomach cramps, accompanied by a feeling of fullness and bloating, as well as a strong rumbling sound start, our first instinct is to wonder how to get rid of bloating.
Causes of bloating
When we talk about women, almost 60% of the fair sex and half of mankind in general frequently suffer from an inflated feeling. The reasons for this unpleasant phenomenon may lie in the following:
- large amount of gas is taken with food and drink, not only when we swallow food, but when we talk during meals
- consumption of carbonated beverages helps to ensure that the amount of gas in the intestines considerably increases
- foods rich in dietary fiber cause an increased activity of bacteria in the gut.
- poorly digested food that leads to windiness. These products include apples, cabbage, beans, brown bread and others.
- flatulence can be a result of certain diseases, such as pancreatitis, intestinal dysbiosis, colitis, enteritis, liver cirrhosis, irritable bowel syndrome and bowel obstruction, polyps and tumors
- change of diet and constipation are also able to cause flatulence
- menses and before menstruation
- stressful situations cause accumulation of gas in the gut when harmful habits such as smoking and addiction to chewing gum is exercised
Should flatulence not be due to all or any of the above-mentioned conditions, you can try some of the following simple recommendations to get rid of the bloating:
- Change your eating habits. If possible, give up the foods that cause fermentation in the stomach, such as biscuits, pasta and bakery products, frozen and/or processed foods. These products cause swelling in the abdomen, and is totally not worth it. You do not have to completely cut these from your diet, just reduce your intake as moderate quantities will not cause bloating. Make sure you always chew your food well.
- If you are a fan of raw food you may not know that raw vegetables contribute to the long process of fermentation in the stomach. If you are regularly plagued with a swollen stomach, you may want to steam your veggies a bit before eating them. All the vitamins will be retained; no need to worry that the steaming process will kill all the goodness of the veggies. You will notice a remarkable reduction in the bloated feeling.
- Physical activity not only helps strengthen the nervous system and the cardiovascular system, but also helps to stabilize the digestive system. If participating in active sports is not your thing, you can start the advantageous habit of walking in fresh air daily.
- Get rid of bad habits completely. The first is smoking. Smokers are unaware of the fact that the extra air that is swallowed while smoking may bring about bloating, gas and belching. Nausea and cramps may very well be caused by nicotine.
- The upside of chewing gum is it prevents bad breath, cleans teeth after a meal and prevents excessive snacking. Bloating is caused because a lot of air is taken in while chewing which in turn increases the gas in the digestive system. Add to this the artificial sweeteners found in gum which generally is difficult to digest and you can understand why excess gas in the stomach occurs. Try to cut down by only chewing gum after meals and only for about 5 minutes.
- Avoid carbonated beverages and certain juices such as tomato, orange and pineapple which have a high acid content and most certainly also contribute to the bloated feeling. The carbon dioxide found in the bubbles of fizzy beverages is the cause of gas in the stomach.
- Use natural sedatives such as chamomile tea, valerian, lemon balm, aloe juice, fennel seeds and activated charcoal, which is recommended for use not more than once a week.
- Drugs that can be bought without a prescription in pharmacies uniquely designed to help in cases of flatulence. These medications typically contain simethicone which helps in alleviating the symptoms of excess gas. Available in tablet and capsule forms.
- If there is no rational explanation for your bloated feeling, it may very well be that you are allergic or have an intolerance for some food types. Sleepiness when feeling bloated may be indicative of an allergic reaction to certain trace elements found in food.
- If you have the problem of swelling on certain days of the menstrual cycle, there are drugs for premenstrual syndrome, as well as vitamins, potassium and magnesium, which will help facilitate the unpleasant symptoms.
If you experience periodic swelling, you have nothing to be concerned about. If however you are constantly plagued with swelling, you need to consult with your doctor. There are various causes for constant swelling; this should be determined by a medical examination so corrective action may be taken.