9 Digestive Rules to Avoid Bloating ...

One of the best ways to avoid bloating couldn’t be simpler to implement but it is surprising how many people still insist on grabbing something to eat on the hoof. Sitting down whilst eating not only enhances the pleasure you will get from the food but also ensures that the digestive tract is relaxed and enables the food that is being eaten to be digested correctly. And speaking of relaxed, try to eat whilst in a calm and relaxed state, although stress doesn’t directly impact on bloating it will increase the chance of indigestion.

It is also important to sit correctly if you are to avoid bloating. Being hunched over a desk isn’t going to work. Slouching will place additional pressure on your digestive tract and increase the potential of becoming bloating.

Another simple way to avoid bloating is to chew your food! I know that you already chew your food of course, but the importance of this action cannot be overstated. Every mouthful should be chewed 20 times, this can be a difficult habit to initiate but persevere because it really does pay dividends. Chewing is the first step to good digestion and causes the food that we eat to be broken down more efficiently. It also alerts the other digestive organs to get ready for the food that they are about to received and produce digestive juices.

Contrary to common opinion, under normal circumstances it isn’t usually a good idea to drink at the same time that you eat. When liquid is consumed at the same time as food, there is a tendency for the food to be washed down rather than saliva being created by the chewing process and the process of digestion being initiated. Liquid will also dilute your saliva and the juices secreted by the other digestive organs. If you are experiencing problems with bloating, try not to drink anything for about half an hour before or after a meal.

With reference to the point above however, it is important to drink plenty of water at other times of the day, approximately 1.5 litres is considered optimal for most people, most of the time. Having a hydrated body will assist the digestive processes of the intestinal tract and help you to avoid bloating. Dehydration will lead to constipation which in turn may cause the lining of the intestine to become inflamed. Studies have shown that drinking water at room or body temperature is more beneficial than chilled or cold water.

There has been lots of research into the effects that consuming coffee has on the digestive system; although the findings have been rather inconclusive, the general observations are that excessive consumption is likely to exacerbate any pre-existing gastric condition. Although caffeine can be helpful as a laxative, it can also increase the acid levels of gastric juices or cause ulcers to form. General advice is in order to avoid bloating, avoid coffee and keep your intake of tea to a minimum.

One of the most obvious and easy ways to avoid bloating is to stop drinking fizzy drinks. The bubbles contain trapped carbon dioxide, the carbon dioxide creates gas and causes the stomach to empty sluggishly.

Fruit should be consumed in small quantities and is best consumed either first thing in the morning or in the middle of the afternoon. Although fruit is a necessary element of a good diet, the fructose that fruit contains metabolises slowly and when large amounts are ingested, it can ferment and cause gas in the stomach.

Modern, western diets tend to incorporate a lot of wheat but this is a common cause of stomach swelling. Reduce your intake of wheat to just one meal per day to avoid bloating, and when you do eat it, make it wholemeal wheat rather than white wheat.

Some people simply accept stomach swelling as an after effect of eating or drinking but it doesn’t have to be and by following the above tips it is easy to avoid bloating. By changing a couple of habits and paying attention to the ingredients and food that you eat, the discomfort will soon be a thing of the past and you will see how easy it is to avoid bloating.

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