LONDON: Do you feel bloated? It could be a result of various reasons, but you can battle it with a mix of exercise, right food intake and a healthy lifestyle.
Try and complete this seven-day programme for a difference, reports femalefirst.co.uk.
Day one: Start taking a multi-strain probiotic - probiotics have been shown in some studies to rebalance the gut flora, support the efficient digestion of food and regular healthy bowel movements. Bloating is often due to an imbalance of gut microflora. Bacteria and yeasts ferment undigested food, producing gases which can lead to excessive bloating and flatulence. Beneficial bacteria, bifidobacteria in particular, do not produce much gas. In some people, this may take seven days and for some even more.
Day two: Support digestive function - take some apple cider vinegar before each meal, chew your food well and start eating in a relaxed environment. Try to prepare fresh food, the thought and smell of food can elicit the secretion of 30 percent more stomach acid and 25 percent of digestive enzymes. Undigested food can lead to bloating so these natural techniques could be all you need.
Day three: Reduce simple sugars and refined carbohydrates - these could cause more gas by preferred pathogenic bacteria fermentation and encourage the growth of fungi such as Candida. Avoid processed products such as white pasta, breads and baked goods (cakes, biscuits and pastries).
Day four: Start eating more fibre - by trying to consume seven different portions of vegetables and salad each day to keep bowel movements regular. The build-up of waste material in the colon can certainly cause bloating. Soluble fibre from rolled oats, linseeds, ripe fruits and non-starchy vegetables (carrots, celery, bok choy and lettuce) may be the easiest to tolerate for those susceptible to bloating from vegetables.
Day five: Try drinking cups of homemade bone stock or including it in soups and stews - these are rich in the amino acid glutamine, essential to feed the cells lining our gut where final food digestion and absorption takes place. The gut lining takes three to five days to replenish so hopefully new cell growth will be nice and healthy by the time you go on holiday.
Day six: Soak legumes - leaving legumes to soak well overnight will ease their digestion if they cause you bloating.
Day seven: Relax - stress is known to reduce the levels of beneficial bacteria in the gut and can occur in many ways such as a busy lifestyle or lack of sleep. Including some form of relaxation in the daily routine such as reading a book, yoga, meditation or taking a bath with lavender oil can only be of benefit.
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I must say, I thought probiotics were a bit of nonsense, until I tried on especially for bloating - One week flat by Optibac - which has (without wanting to sound too dramatic) changed my life! I think there is a lot to be said for addressing the bacteria in the gut. I took a lot of antibiotics as a child and my naturopath thinks this is the reason for my long and frustrating periods of bloating.