If you’ve ever experienced bloating, you know how uncomfortable it can be. Your stomach feels extended, full and at times even painful. Bloating is commonly associated with the accumulation of gas in the intestines, although there are many other possible causes behind it such as food intolerances, constipation and digestive disorders, to name a few. For some people, bloating is more of a chronic issue, as opposed to an occasional inconvenience. However, for most cases, bloating may be managed with simple lifestyle and dietary changes.
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Unless it’s caused by an underlying medical condition, stomach bloating usually resolves on its own after several hours. To help hurry it along and find relief, try these tips:
- Go for a walk — Walking helps improve the intestinal transit of gas in your body, as it keeps your body in an upright position.
- Do yoga — The postures and breathing techniques in some yoga routines may help relieve bloating by stretching your belly muscles and stimulating the digestive system. Recommended yoga poses for bloating relief including the downward-facing dog, upward-facing dog, knees-to-chest, child's pose and forward bend.
- Take a warm bath — The heat from a warm bath may help relieve the pain from a bloated stomach and help lower stress levels which, when elevated, can cause bloating.
- Drink water — The bubbles in soda and other carbonated drinks can contribute to the gas in your stomach and worsen bloating, so it's best to avoid these and drink water instead.
- Take probiotics — Probiotic supplements may help improve your digestive process by restoring the balance of good-to-bad bacteria in your gut.
- Eat more fiber — Insoluble fiber adds bulk to your stool, making it move through your digestive tract more quickly for healthy elimination. Soluble fiber helps feed the good bacteria in your gut, which promotes proper digestion.
- Remove artificial sweeteners from your diet — Artificial sweeteners can be hard for your stomach to digest, causing an accumulation of gas in the intestines.
- Consume the right amount sodium — If you're eating mostly processed foods, then you're likely consuming too much sodium, which can cause your body to retain fluids and make you feel bloated.
Foods that can cause or exacerbate bloating include beans and legumes, processed foods, carbonated beverages, alcoholic beverages, whole grains like wheat, rye and barley, and artificial sweeteners. For natural bloating remedies you can find at home — such as lemon water, tea and fermented foods — click here.