How to Avoid Bloating

Stomach bloating and gas can cause more than discomfort if it's interfering with your lifestyle or affecting your ability to eat or enjoy your day-to-day activities. While chronic bloating is an issue to discuss with your doctor, there are some simple remedies to try to combat bloating due eating habits or PMS symptoms. Consider these methods to avoid bloating.

Instructions

1. Stop gulping excess air when eating and drinking. Drinking through straws, talking while eating or gulping down food and drink can introduce excess air into your system. By taking smaller bites and chewing them thoroughly, you can cut down on this cause of bloating. Along these lines, consider curbing your gum chewing habit, which can also lead to air-induced bloating.

2. Cut down on salty foods that lead to excess water retention if you're experiencing bloating and gas before your period. Also consider reducing alcohol consumption as your period approaches since it can inflame your digestive tract and lead to bloating.

3. Exercise regularly and drink at least eight glasses of water each day to improve digestion and keep the food moving through your intestines for bloating relief. You don't need a rigorous workout-in fact, simple exercise like walking or yoga after a large meal can also help eliminate stress that can also cause bloating.

4. Consider your reaction to foods known to contribute to bloating and gas such as wheat and flour, dairy products and raw vegetables like beans, cabbage and broccoli. If you suspect you've got an intolerance to a specific food, consider taking a tolerance test if you can't find the culprit through the process of elimination to determine if what you need to exclude from your diet altogether.

5. Try consuming foods that contain zinc, which can help the small intestine absorb food (therefore keeping it from stalling in your large intestine) to reduce bloating and gas. Try foods like salmon, eggs, nuts, yogurt, spinach and lentils, for example.

Tips & Warnings

• If you find yourself suffering from chronic bloating and gas that causes abdominal pain, nausea or a change in your bowel movements, see a doctor since this may indicate conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome or lactose intolerance.