Bloating Archives

November 22, 2018 By Urvi Gohil 1 Comment

GUIDE TO A HAPPY GUT: Say bye to bloating, acidity and heartburn!

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Do you know? body is constantly communicating with you…..

Very small episodes of acidity, bloating, indigestion, etc. says a lot about your lifestyle and overall health. Are you paying attention?

It is important for us to know that about 70% of immune system is located in our gut and the gut absorbs nutrients that support body functions from energy production to hormone balance, skin health to mental health and toxin & waste elimination too.

Here are some easy ways to stay away from bloating, acidity and heartburn, and how to improve overall health by improving gut health.

Fennel Seeds or Saunf: These seeds have antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory properties and promote the production of gastric enzymes. It works wonderfully in indigestion, bloating, acidity, heartburn post meals and constipation too. Just add 1 tbsp of raw seeds to the water bottle you carry in office. Or have 1 glass of fennel seed water post meals to take care of such symptoms.
Basil Seeds: They work well in relieving constipation, bloating, naturally detox your body and regulates smooth bowel movements. It works as a natural coolant. You can have a glass of milk with basil seeds few hours before bed time, or make a drink with water, honey and Sabja seeds and have it in mid-morning, or just make a habit of soaking it for 2-3 hours and drinking the water in the morning.
Fenugreek Seeds: These are rich in fibre and antioxidants, and helps in enhances bowel movement. Take a tsp of fenugreek seed and soak it in 1 cup of water at night and have it in the morning with a glass of lukewarm water if you have long term problems of constipation, indigestion or heartburn. *People experiencing severe acidity should avoid this.
Lemon Ginger water: This will help strengthen the digestive system and prevent indigestion, nausea, heartburn and bloating. Take a glass of lukewarm water, add 1 tsp of lemon juice and 1 tsp of ginger juice in it, this will work best for bloating post meals or occasional bloating post heavy meals.
Apple Cider Vinegar: The unfiltered, unpasteurized and raw mother Apple Cider Vinegar has live micro-organisms and help to work towards heartburn & GI stress. A dilution of Apple Cider Vinegar before a meal can help you stimulate acid secretion and reduce gut symptoms. Also, having a tbsp of ACV in 300 ml water in the morning can also help in the same.
Chewing Gum: Chewing gum after a heavy meal may not only freshen your breath, but it could help fight acid reflux and heartburn because of bi-carbonates in it. Research studies show that chewing gum after a big meal can reduce acid levels in the oesophagus to get rid of heaviness. It will really work.
Water: Is the body’s basic requirement! A constant supply of water is necessary to replenish the fluids lost through activities such as respiration, perspiration, urination, regulating body temperature, digest food, etc. Try to drink above 2-2.5 L of water throughout the day and it is the answer to all your digestive issues.
Vegetables & Fruits: Have 1 portion of vegetables in every meal is the best way to help your gut digest the food well and have enough nutrients. Plus the fibre from them helps to ease bowel movement and act as food for micro-organisms. Fruits are best to go for in mid meals to add more soluble fibre and get rid of acidity and bloating.
Physical Activity: No escape here. Being physically active for 30-45 min is the answer to good health and happy gut. Exercise gets your heart pumping and increases blood flow and oxygen circulation throughout the body. Blood and oxygen are necessary to aid digestion and keep the intestinal muscles healthy. So for constipation, bloating, acidity, heartburn, etc. including some walking, cycling, yoga, etc. will give you better results along with good diet early.
NO to Sugar, refined flour, fried and processed food, as they are not hosting to good little beings in your gut meaning microbes.

Make sure you follow these simple tips and keep your gut healthy because……

A Happy GUT = A Happy YOU!

November 8, 2017 By Disti Shah 4 Comments

What is Bloating?

There is a lot of confusion around ‘bloating’, a common problem that we come across in our day to day life. In fact, we are seeing a virtual epidemic of bloating in the current times. And, abdominal bloating not only looks bad but also causes lot of discomfort.

But, it’s not the end of the road. The good news is that it is one of the conditions which can be avoided, but before learning that, we need to first understand what the most common causes of bloating are….

Constipation

Too little fibre, fluids, and physical activity may lead to constipation, which can result in bloating.

Eating too fast

Eating quickly and not chewing your food well can cause air swallowing that leads to bloating.

Drinking too much of carbonated beverages

The fizz in carbonated drinks (even diet ones) can cause gas to get trapped in your belly.

Too much consumption of sugar free beverages

Too much sugar alcohol in artificially sweetened foods and drinks lead to bloating.

Food allergies and Intolerance can cause gas and bloating. But, these need to be confirmed by your doctor.
Medical conditions which may cause bloating are – Lactose intolerance, irritable bowel syndrome, Giardiasis (parasite infection), colon cancer, bacterial overgrowth etc.

Simple ways to avoid bloating.

Chewing the food thoroughly

Chewing breaks the food down from large particles into smaller particles that are more easily digested making it easier for the intestines to absorb nutrients from the food particles as they pass through. This also prevents improperly digested food from entering your blood and causing a wide range of adverse effects to your health, one among them is bloating.

Exercising regularly preferably including more abdominal exercise

Physical activity helps air bubbles pass through your digestive tract quicker, so that bloated feeling will disappear faster than if you lounge on the couch.

Avoiding too much of water during meals

Too many liquids during meals can cause dilution of digestive juices which may hamper the digestion process, also small amount of liquids aids digestion therefore moderation is a must.

Avoiding drinking using straws and narrow mouth bottles-

Leads to ingestion of excess air while sucking which may in turn cause bloating

Avoiding carbonated beverages-

When carbonated drinks are opened it allows the compressed carbon dioxide to form bubbles and escape into the air. Lots of the gas escape from your mouth or resurfaces from your throat as a belch. However, drinking lots of Coke at one time forces large amounts of the liquid into your stomach where the gas may pass to your intestines.

Eliminating smoking and Hukka

People who smoke or have Hukka inhale a lot of extra air than non-smokers

Avoid chewing gums and food that have artificial sweeteners-

Artificial sweeteners are difficult to digest and therefore should be taken in moderation as constant use may cause digestion problem.

Avoiding gaseous vegetables

Vegetableslike – beans, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, onions too much of raw vegetables, radish, melons, broccoli cause gas while the digestion process.

Avoiding foods with air whipped into them – soufflés, sponge cakes, and milkshakes
Avoiding long gaps between 2 meals

Limiting sodium intake – by specially avoiding processed foods as they have loads of sodium

Ann extra salty meal may lead to water retention, which causes bloating.

High fibre meals may aggravate bloating therefore keeping a check on the fibre intake.

The gas occurs because bacteria within the colon, unlike the intestine of humans, are capable of digesting fibre to a small extent. The bacteria produce gas as a by-product of their digestion of fibre. Therefore excess fibre may cause a bloating sensation.

Avoiding milk for people who are lactose intolerant

Your body may not be making enough of the enzyme lactase, which is needed to break down the lactose in dairy foods.

Have Probiotics

They have good bacteria in them similar to those that you already have in your stomach. Having probiotics in your diet will further aid in digestion and thus stop bloating.

Finally, to conclude, here are a few exercises that can help to reduce bloating