During the festive season, we tend to indulge ourselves when it comes to food and drinks. Sometimes you may be done with a heavy meal but it definitely isn’t done with you. Cue: Bloating. Some common symptoms of this include stomach pain and rumbling, discomfort and gas. It’s hard to feel like your best self when you’re just not feeling good. To help you manage issues like bloating during some of the most exciting days of the year, we’ve narrowed down five tips that actually work.
Move after eating
Squeezing in a walk or a run will help minimise physical discomfort and digestion issues. Resist the urge to take a nap immediately after a big meal and instead walk for at least 15 minutes. According to a 2008 study by the Journal of Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases, walking helps move food through the stomach much more quickly. When this happens, gas can move more quickly through your intestines, causing less distress.
Try specific yoga poses
Take a note from celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar’s book and try sitting in Viparita Karani to prevent bloating. This pose is also called the legs-on-the-wall pose and essentially involves placing your hips above your heart which boosts circulation. The thinking behind this is that if you’re feeling bloated, lying with your legs up will reverse the gravitational pull and keep digestion going. Want to try this pose? Here’s how:
• Sit near a wall in a way that your feet are on the floor, spread in front of you, and the left side of your body is touching the wall.
• Lie down on your back so that your legs are resting on the wall and the soles of your feet face the ceiling.
• Either place your butt against the wall or wiggle a little so it’s away from it. Feel free to move around a little till you’re comfortable.
• Make sure your head and back are both resting on the floor.
• Release this position after five minutes by rolling on the side, taking a deep breath, and then lifting your body off the ground.
Eat smaller meals
When it comes to food, our golden rule is to eat without guilt. Everything in moderation is key to a healthy and happy life so don’t you go about feeling low about giving in to food. In fact, allowing yourself to indulge in your favourite foods can help you feel satiated and prevent overeating. It’s a win-win!
Stay hydrated
Being dehydrated gives the body a signal to hold on to water which makes your belly feel puffy and full. Plus, drinking enough water keeps things moving in the body–food, digestive movements, and all. According to a 2019 study by Harvard Health, drinking water after a meal can help balance sodium in the body, reducing bloat.
Get enough sleep
Prioritising your beauty sleep can go a long way in keeping bloating at bay. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body releases cortisol aka the stress hormone. This upsets the digestive system and causes bloating and constipation.