A bloated stomach is indeed an anathema to us. When you have a busy work day, feeling puffed up like a hot-air balloon can put a spanner in everything you do. You feel lethargic and irritated. Sometimes, there can be bloating along with an acute stomach pain. If you have binged on food during weekends after cheating on your regular diet, bloating can be unstoppable. All in all, it’s a major killjoy and can make you feel uneasy in every possible way. But of course, you can beat the bloat with a little effort - just follow some basic dos and don’ts in life and find some simple solutions in your kitchen. We, therefore, present here a compendium of everything you need to know about stomach bloating. The simple home remedies prescribed below can work wonders too.
What causes bloating?
Needless to say, to put an end to bloating, you need to know what is essentially causing this condition for you. There are several factors that can cause bloating. Here are the major ones:
Flatulence: Of course there’s nothing to worry about if you are prone to getting excess wind. Flatulence is a normal thing, but persistent flatulence can be a symptom of a disease. To cure excess wind and the bloating associated with it, you need to take smaller meals frequently every day instead of three major meals with extended time gaps between them. You also need to chew food or drink slowly to facilitate digestion. Above all, exercise and avoid foods that you think are causing flatulence.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): It’s a common condition which, experts say, doesn’t really have a cure. All you need to do to control IBS is make dietary changes and consult doctors to prescribe relevant medicines. IBS also results from a family history of the condition and can lead to bloating, diarrhoea, constipation and stomach pain. Exact causes of IBS are yet to be known and this condition can trouble you throughout your life. Apart from doctor’s prescriptions and proscriptions, eat a balanced, clean diet and exercise regularly.
Celiac disease: Again it’s a digestive irregularity and is being researched extensively around the world. Primarily, this condition occurs when your small intestine is unable to absorb any nutrients. It can also be precipitated by an adverse reaction to gluten, commonly found in foods such as rye, barley and wheat. A thorough consultation with a doctor is needed to tackle this condition whose symptoms include bloating, constipation and stomach pain, among others. Consult doctors immediately and try to cut down on gluten in your diet, as per professional advice and in accordance with your body needs.
Food intolerance: According to experts, food intolerance is increasingly becoming common around the world. Essentially, it entails having difficulty in digesting certain foods. It can lead to severe bloating. So you need to go through a process of elimination when it comes to planning your diet. For instance, your body may give out an adverse physical reaction to dairy products. If that is the case, consult a doctor, cut down on those foods which give you trouble and find healthy substitutes so that the balance in your diet is not tampered with.
Constipation: We all know, much before Amitabh Bachchan spelt it out in the film, Piku, how constipation can ruin things for us. It’s a very common condition and there are treatments galore. And bloating is an inextricable part of constipation. Irregular lifestyle and stress are believed to be contributing factors for constipation. So what are the remedies? To begin with, start eating fibre-rich diets immediately - these include cereals, fruits and vegetables. Drink lots of fluids and exercise regularly. Last but not the least… try to deal with everyday work and life stress on a war footing.
Basic dietary and lifestyle changes
Before we proceed to home remedies for bloating, here’s a round-up of a recommended overhaul of our basic dietary and lifestyle patterns:
Avoid these foods: There are some common food items which are considered bloating culprits. So, start cutting down on vegetables such as cauliflower and broccoli. Beans too should be avoided. Find substitutes for these in consultation with a nutritionist or dietician.
Say no to fizzy drinks: If you haven’t started cutting down on colas, you should start right now! Carbonated drinks, experts say, keep the gas trapped in our body. So bid adieu to fizzy drinks. What can be the healthy substitutes? Simple, take freshly squeezed juices, buttermilk and green coconut water.
Stop taking fake sugar: Artificial sweeteners contain something called sorbitol, which metabolises very, very slowly. It’s hard to digest another ingredient, fructose, and a natural sugar. Please ditch artificial sweeteners or any sorbitol-containing stuff immediately. Try honey or jaggery as a substitute for regular sugar.
Are you chewing right? A lot depends on chewing, especially things pertaining to digestion. Since indigestion is a reason for bloating, kick the habit of wolfing down meals. Chewing right aids digestion. Also, don’t talk while eating. Eat slowly and give your brain adequate time to realise that you’re full.
Portion control: Avoid extra helpings of your favourite dishes. Control your portions well so that your digestive processes don’t encounter extra problems. If you are taking heavy proteins, restrict yourself to one serving per meal. If you overeat, you could get acid reflux, which is a condition that makes food, stomach acids and other digestive juices enter the oesophagus. You don’t want acid reflux to contribute further to your bloating!
Say no to processed foods: Experts say that any food that has preservatives, artificial colours and other additives prevents good bacteria from doing its bit for proper digestion. This aggravates bloating. On top of everything, preservative-rich foods can provide you with almost no nutrition. So focus entirely on having natural foods.
Cut down on caffeine: Experts say that an excessive intake of caffeinated drinks can lead to IBS and make bloating hard to negotiate.
Quit smoking and control drinking: In any case smoking and excessive drinking pose several kinds of health hazards. If you think that smoking has got nothing to do with bloating, think again. There’s research that shows that smoking contributes substantively to the gas build-up in our system. Also, some ingredients in alcoholic beverages can lead to severe indigestion. So check smoking and drinking.
Don’t skip exercising: Lead an active life. By that, we mean exercise and pursue other physical activities to stay fit and to ensure good digestion. With exercise, you can curb constipation and ensure a smooth bowel movement all the time. So, swim, gym or practise yoga. Brisk walking is also good. Keep at least an hour every day for physical exercises.
Home remedies for bloating
Drink plenty of water: Let’s begin with the obvious one. Drink water and plenty of it. Water retention is often associated with bloating. If you don’t drink enough water, the body starts to store water because it can gauge a scarcity. The water molecules mix with sodium and get retained in your body. So, stay magnanimously hydrated and help your body get rid of toxins.
Ginger: This is extremely helpful for better digestion. What’s more, ginger helps in better absorption of protein thereby reducing the chances of protein-induced bloating. Here’s a ginger-water-honey concoction that you can take at least three times in a day to prevent bloating. The process is simple. Take a piece ginger and add it to water. Boil the water and then simmer for a few minutes. Strain the mixture and then keep it in a container. Add honey and drink it.
Cucumber: It’s actually a cool de-bloating agent. They can lower pro-inflammatory enzymes. More importantly, cucumber is one superfood which contains something called Quercetin which can reduce swelling. Sip on cucumber water to fight bloating. You can prepare cucumber detox water by just adding circular pieces of cucumber in a jar of plain water. Try it this summer, without fail.
Papaya: Papain in papayas can really fight indigestion. And papayas are known to eradicate constipation as well. Eat sliced pieces of papaya or make a smoothie with yoghurt and chia seeds. This can be an excellent remedy for de-bloating.
Bananas: We all know that bananas are a wonder fruit. It contains a good level of potassium which in turn monitors sodium levels thereby stopping water retention which, combined with salt, can lead to bloating. Bananas, rich in soluble fibres, can help you get rid of constipation as well. So, eat at least two bananas every day.
Lemon-water: We do not really need to reiterate the wondrous benefits of lemon which is a natural detoxicant, among other things. When you wake up in the morning, drink a glass of warm water with a piece of lemon squeezed into it. You can take this after each meal as well. To ease bowel movement in the morning, you can add honey and a pinch of rock salt. Try it and you are bound to see the difference.
Asparagus: This is an amazing natural diuretic - it can help you urinate frequently so that water and waste/toxins are flushed out thereby lowering bloating chances. Experts say that it can also increase probiotics which in turn will help in better digestion. Grilled asparagus is a delicacy. Here’s an easy peasy recipe - preheat the grill, coat the asparagus with olive oil, and grill for a few minutes till they are tender. Make it part of your meals, if you can.
Fennel: Beneficial for our digestive tract and a veritable warrior against bloating. You can chew on fennel seeds. But better yet, make some fennel tea and drink it at least twice daily. It’s pretty simple to make. Take a teaspoon of dried fennel seeds and crush them. You can use a mortar and pestle for this. Keep the ground fennel in a cup. Add boiling water over it and let it soak for 10-15 minutes. Drink after there’s enough flavour in the mixture.
Yoghurt: We all know the benefits of yoghurt for skin and internal health. It can fight bloating too. Experts advise sticking to the low-fat variety. Go for the sour one. Plain yoghurt contains good bacteria, or probiotics, that help smoother digestion. Eat plain curd with your regular daal-chawal. If you find plain yoghurt quite boring for your taste buds, you can add a bit of coconut. It can actually taste yummy!
Peppermint tea: Well, peppermint is more than a gum. It’s a herb with a host of health benefits. Peppermint is said to be excellent for digestion and can control stomach, bloating and IBS. You can make tea with peppermint leaves and this is quite an excellent concoction that can beat bloating. Just make your tea and add a teaspoon of fresh peppermint leaves that you can get in any big food mart these days.
Apple cider vinegar: The ACV is increasingly being recommended these days for its wonderful health benefits. You guessed it right, ACV can give you relief from gas and a bloated stomach. Now, how do you take ACV to fight bloating? Take a teaspoon and mix it with water or tea. Drink this ACV infused tea or water before a meal. And then watch the difference!
Green tea: We all know how green tea can be marvellous for weight loss. The good news is, it can beat bloating too. So replace your regular tea or coffee with green tea. For better results, add honey and lemon. Grab that green cuppa now!
Aloe vera: This has amazing medicinal properties. Among other things, aloe vera juice can be consumed because it can ease bloating and stomach gas. Plus aloe vera has laxative properties and hence can be a way of ensuring a healthy bowel movement. You can make aloe vera gel at home. You can grow aloe vera plants. Take the leaves, remove the outer layer and scoop out the gel inside. Gather the aloe vera gel inside the leaves, put in a blender and blend it with water for a few minutes till you get a proper juice.
Pumpkin: Since pumpkin contains less sugar and starch, having it won’t lead to bloating. It’s rich in fibre too. So pumpkins can be good for digestion and can eliminate constipation. Include pumpkins in your daily meals as a bhaaji or have them grilled. You can also make a tasty pumpkin smoothie. Slice pumpkins, take a little bit of milk, one cup of yoghurt and a dash of honey and put them in a mixer. Make it into a smoothie. You can add a pinch of cinnamon powder to make it tastier.
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