Do you ever experience that uncomfortable bloated, puffy feeling? Do you ever feel like your stomach looks as if you’re 6 months pregnant even though you’re not?

If you experience bloating on a regular basis you would know that it’s uncomfortable, can often be embarrassing and sometimes even painful. The organs in your abdomen are crucial to your health and feeling good on a daily basis. Having a bloated stomach isn’t normal, and it can often signify a serious health problem that is lurking below the surface.

There are loads of different reasons you may be experiencing bloating such as allergies, food intolerances, irregular bowel movements, consumption of inflammatory foods, medications, hormonal imbalances, indigestion, leaky gut, gut flora imbalances, gastrointestinal disorders like IBS, celiac disease, ulcerative colitis and stress.

Luckily there are lots of natural tools you can utilise to help your stomach, improve your gut health enabling you to feel great inside and out.

1.  Stay hydrated

Most people don’t drink enough filtered water during the day, and it’s a critical component to stay hydrated. Water will help to flush out waste and toxins, keep you hydrated as well as helping to remove excess salt from your system.

2.  Lemon & Ginger Tea

Drinking a glass of warm lemon water or tea first thing in the morning, is a great way to improve your digestion as it aids your liver to detoxify the body. It also acts as a natural diuretic so reduces water retention. By adding ginger to your tea, you will reap the anti-inflammatory and digestive benefits that will soothe the GI tract and reduce bloating.

3. Eat asparagus

Asparagus helps to flush out excess water and reduces bloating. It’s also great for digestive health.

4. Eat more Inca Inchi Oil

Inca Inchi oil is one of the richest sources of essential fatty acids and has the perfect balance of Omega 3-6-9. Omegas 3’s are particularly helpful for reducing inflammation and boosting the immune system. As Inca Inchi Oil comes from a seed it means that it’s a plant based, sustainable and ethical product that prevents over fishing of the oceans. You can make a beautiful mayonnaise or pesto with the Inca Inchi oil as well as drizzling it onto your meals.

5. Eliminate sugar free food/drinks and artificial sweeteners

It’s best to completely avoid Sorbitol, Maltitol and other artificial sweeteners, which are frequently found in sugar free foods, diet drinks and chewing gums. We are unable to digest them fully so it results in intensifying gas, pain, bloating discomfort and can even cause diarrhoea.

6. Eliminate carbonated drinks

Fizzy drinks contain carbon dioxide which gives the drink its ‘fizziness’ or ‘bubbles’. The bubbles enter your digestive tract and can often make bloating issues worse by distending your belly even further which causes even more discomfort. If you suffer from bloating issues, it’s best to drink filtered water and herbal tea.

7. Eliminate gluten and wheat completely

Many people are diagnosed with celiac disease or can be intolerant or sensitive to gluten (a protein in wheat, spelt, barley and some other grains), leaving them feeling uncomfortable, sometimes with painful and frustrating bloating. When people who suffer from gluten intolerance or sensitivity eat gluten; the gluten triggers an autoimmune response within their body damaging the small intestine lining.

As the small intestine lining becomes more and more damaged, the intestines are unable to digest food as well as they should. This results in a series of uncomfortable symptoms, including gas, pain and bloating. These symptoms can grow more and more severe if left untreated. It’s important to avoid gluten and wheat completely for at least 3 months (or longer) so your body can begin its natural healing process.

What else can you do to beat the bloat?

• Eat slowly
• Chew your foods well
• Chew mindfully
• Sit up straight
• Eat at the table or outside in nature and away from your computer/work desk/phone
• Don’t over eat, stop when you feel truly satisfied
• Don’t eat when you’re stressed or upset (calm yourself down first)
• Maintain a regular dinner time and try to eat no later than 7pm so you can allow your body to have plenty of ‘rest and digest’ time before you go to sleep
• Massage your stomach in the direction of your GI tract, the gentle movement can help to evacuate some of the gas in your stomach

If you have tried these methods before and have had no relief, then you may need further help and support with your bloating, flatulence, stomach pains, regular bowel motions and/or other digestive issues.

You may be interested in a one on one consultation to discover the root cause of your issues so you can begin to feel healthy again.

Alternatively you could undertake an loss diet such as the 4 Phase Fat Elimination Protocol where you will learn how different foods affect your body and are empowered to take control of your health and body for the rest of your life. Find out more here.

Happy changing habits.

Jordan Pie
Changing Habits Nutritionist

September 2016

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