The key to beating bloat is getting to the root cause and the causes of bloat can vary! Assuming you don’t have a medical reason such as IBS, Chrones or other medical issues directly affecting the gut and intestines you can presume your bloat is coming from 1 or a combination of the 3 reasons below.
The main reasons your feeling bloated are usually caused by holding excess water weight, constipation/ sluggish bowels, and/or excess gases in the intestines.
**To reduce excess water weight you need to drink more water ( funny enough, the more you drink the less your body will hold)
**Reduce sodium intake, salt causes bloat and causes the body to hold more water.
Constipation and gas can go hand in hand and usually constipation can also cause gas. Chronic constipation can require a medical expert to rule out anything serious but usually, the general cause of constipation is caused by not enough water.
**Water will flush the bowels out so it’s important to drink water and lots of it.
**Another cause of constipation can be a lack of fiber-rich food in the diet and too many white carbohydrates such as white bread, white rice, and the like.
**Adding in loads of leafy greens, fruit, beans, and whole grains such as quinoa, bulgar, brown rice, spelt bread can improve your body’s ability to poop.
**Eating foods high in magnesium is another way to activate the intestines and colon. Almonds, cashews, sesame and pumpkin seeds, leafy greens like Swiss chard, spinach and collard greens, peas, and beans such as pigeon peas and soybeans and dark chocolate are all wonderful source of magnesium.
**Probiotics and prebiotic foods are another wonderful gut support that will help banish bloat. Foods high in probiotics are kefir and yogurt (assuming you aren’t allergic to dairy; if you are, look for lactose or dairy-free options instead) kombucha is another great way to add good gut bacteria to the gut. Kimchi and sauerkraut are both great for boosting gut health. Look for the unpasteurized versions to get those live active cultures. Dark chocolate is a superfood because it also contains prebiotics to keep the gut healthy and bloat-free. Like we need any more reasons to indulge guilt-free in dark chocolate!
**Last but not least exercise is a great way to stay regular as the movement moves things down. So make sure you are also moving your body daily.