It's 10 a.m. and you've got a hot date planned with the one you love. But you're feeling unusually full, like you-need-to-unbutton-your-pants full. A quick look in the mirror reveals the culprit: bloating.
It could have been the dairy products you had for breakfast, all that sodium and bubbles lurking in the diet soda you just downed, or maybe you're missing some key digestive enzymes in your intestines. Whatever the case, you definitely want to de-puff to fit in those sexy jeans for your date. Here are some tips.
- Walk it Off: A simple walk can work wonders for abdominal bloating. Sometimes you just need to calm down, take a breath, take a break, and take a walk. Plus, exercise can help "get things moving," if you catch the drift.
- Drink Up: Excess water weight is one of the most common causes of bloating, but the solution is not cutting out water, it's drinking more of it! Drink half your weight in ounces in water a day (for example, if you weigh 140 pounds, you should drink at least 70 ounces of water per day). Sipping on peppermint or green tea will help alleviate bloating as well.
- Watch What You Eat: Salt, dairy products, gluten, carbonated beverages, sugar-free gum or products, and cruciferous vegetables (hello, broccoli!) often cause bloat. Steer clear of them if you're already bloated. Instead, munch on foods like asparagus, cucumbers, watercress, artichokes, watermelon, fresh ginger, and fresh lemons. These foods act as great natural diuretics and will help you reduce your bloating.
- Supplement with Digestive Enzymes: Digestive enzymes break down proteins, fats, and carbohydrates in the foods we eat into nutrients that are absorbed through digestion, nourishing every cell in the body. Without enzymes, we can't digest the food we take in, and the body cannot function. You can take digestive enzymes every day to aid in your digestive health if you'd like or you can use them to combat bloat. Once you have bloating, digestive enzymes, especially the full spectrum, high potency variety, are your best bet.
A Lunch to De-Puff
How does a watercress, cucumber, asparagus, and artichoke salad sound? Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice. If you want to incorporate protein, just add a little tuna or organic chicken breast to the salad.
Got Gas?
If you think you might be a little, ahem, gassy, here is another little trick: Try some abdominal self-massage or a nice hot water bottle to reduce the gassy bloat. For the abdominal massage, do it in a circular motion from right to left.
Foods That De-Bloat
- Peppermint tea, and/or peppermint oil
- Asparagus
- Cucumbers
- Watercress
- Artichokes
- Green tea
- Lots of fruit, particularly watermelon
- Good quality probiotic-rich, sugar-free, plain yogurt
- Fresh ginger
- Fresh lemons
