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Beat the Bloat

There's nothing worse than having a bloated swollen stomach. So can what you eat provide a cure?

It may be a regular problem or it may just happen from time to time, but it’s still really unpleasant when you wake up feeling bloated with a swollen tummy and nothing seems to fit. Despite this you’d be amazed at how little people do to remedy the situation. A recent survey revealed that six out of 10 women who said they experienced digestive discomfort, such as bloating and sluggishness, did nothing to sort it out. Apparently, this is because many people believe nothing can be done to help.

So are there ways to stop being blighted by the bloat? Well, you’ll be happy to hear that there are. However, as remedies vary from person to person, you need to find out the one that works for you. Here are a number of the culprits, plus what you can do to solve the problem, so good luck!

And don’t forget that if you get persistent bloating, it’s vital to check with your doctor first to rule out any underlying medical cause before taking things into your own hands.

Swallowing air

It’s common to gulp down air when you’re under stress, and can trap bubbles in your stomach, which can cause bloating. The same thing can happen when you eat too quickly or chat when eating and drinking. If this sounds like you, try drinking chamomile tea to reduce stress – its active super nutrients affect the same parts of our brains as stress-busting drugs.

What’s more, make a real effort to eat at a leisurely pace, while reduce the amount you talk while tucking into food. Cutting down on the chewing gum can also help, as it again introduces extra air into your intestines, which can form pro-bloating bubbles. If you chew gum to freshen your breath, then try swapping to sugar-free mints.

Fizzy drinks… and foods

Lemonade, Coca Cola, etc are not only bad for your teeth and your diet, but also contribute to bloating through their high fizz factor. Sparkling water can also blow you up, so trade them all in for plain and simple still – or tap – water.

Although it sounds odd, look out also for ‘aerated foods’, as these also introduce extra unwanted air to your stomach. This means things like homemade smoothies, which are whipped up in a blender, mousses and puddings like Angel Delight. While these are probably occasional rather than regulars in most people’s diets, they are worth avoiding if you’re prone to being bloated.

The gas attackers

Pulses like baked beans and red kidney beans contain carbohydrates that make it to your colon before being digested. There, bacteria feed on them, producing hydrogen and methane gas. If you’re a bean lover, eat them little and often rather than in large portions occasionally to reduce their bloating effect.

Intolerance to the sugar in milk, called lactose, can also cause bloating. Some people cannot digest lactose in their small intestines and it goes on (like the carbohydrates in beans and sugar alcohols) to provide food for gas-producing bacteria in their colons.

This can be a temporary problem caused by a tummy bug, where you go from being fine with milk, to suddenly bloating after eating or drinking it. One solution is switching to calcium-enriched soya milk to see if things improve. This problem can pass with time and even when present, yoghurt, which has less lactose, can often still be tolerated.

Vegetables like swede and cabbage, onions and sprouts also trigger extra gas production. So be aware of their bloating potential and avoid them if necessary.

Antibiotics

If you’re taking antibiotics because of an infection, you may notice bloating as they kill off the ‘good’ as well as ‘bad’ bacteria. This can cause the ‘bad’ gas-producing ‘bad’ ones to flourish, with obvious effects.

Antibiotic treatment can sometimes also trigger a bout of irritable bowel syndrome and bloating can be a consequence of this. Many doctors now recognise that is it a good idea for people to take a course of probiotic ‘good’ bacteria when prescribed antibiotics to help reduce the risk of unbalancing stomach bacteria. 

Slow digestion

Eating a diet rich in fat and low in fibre can mean that food and gases are hanging around in your intestine for longer than necessary. A healthy, balanced eating regime of, for example, porridge for breakfast, fruit mid-morning, a wholemeal pitta stuffed with tuna and salad for lunch, oatcakes and a banana mid-afternoon and a light supper of lean Shepherds Pie with carrots and sweet corn for dinner fits the bill.

It is also worth trying the yoghurt called Activia. It contains a good, probiotic bacteria called Bifidus Actiregularis that has been scientifically proven to help improve slow digestion over just 14 days when eating one 125g pot a day.

Too much salt

Cutting you the amount of salt you eat can reduce bloating. That’s because the more salt we consume, the more water we retain to dilute it, which can swell you stomach, ankles and wrists. According to Graham McGregor, Professor of Medicine at St George’s Hospital in London, lowering our salt to just 3g a day (we currently eat around 9g on average and the maximum the government suggest is 6g daily) could help our bodies to release up to 1.5 litres of excess fluids.

Getting down to 3g of salt a day means having foods like porridge, sugar-free mueslis, Shredded Wheat and Puffed Wheat or fruit salad with yoghurt for breakfast. Having fruit mid-morning, a lunch of a baked potato with salmon and salad for example, a banana mid-afternoon with a fromage frais, and a supper like grilled steak or chicken with pasta and vegetables for dinner will help.

The menopause

Hormonal fluctuations that occur during the menopause can make your kidneys retain more water and salt than normal, which adds to bloating problems. Trying to stick to around 3g of salt a day may be a particularly useful step during the menopause, but check with your doctor that he is happy before going ahead. Fruits and vegetables are rich in potassium, a mineral that helps to flush out excess salt. Meanwhile, dandelion is a natural diuretic, so a cup of tea each day made from this herb may also help.

…And finally, get a move on!

Moderate exercise like walking each day can help to keep your digestive system working well, speeding up ‘transit’ times which may reduce bloating.