Does this sound familiar?
You've been staying committed to your nutrition plan. You're focusing on eating wholesome foods every day.
As you feel yourself slimming down, you can't help but feel a great sense of excitement growing in you.
Until one day, you look in the mirror and it looks like you’ve gained all the weight you’ve just lost – and then some right back.
The culprit? Bloating.
It’s something that impacts just about everyone at some point or another, some of us more than others. If you feel like bloating is keeping you from looking your best, it’s time to do something about it.
Most folks don't know what causes bloating, let alone what to do to put an end to it.
Today, we are going to clear the confusion. Here are 4 surprising culprits of bloating and what you can do about it.
1. Stress
That’s right – that work meeting you’re worried about or the fight you had with your spouse, could be the reason you’re feeling so bloated.
That ‘fight or flight’ response, causes your body to move blood away from your digestive tract. This makes it harder to break down the foods you’re eating.
The result? Food sits in your stomach longer, potentially causing major issues with bloating.
Fix it fast:
Practice regular deep breathing. Take time for yourself. Invest in any stress-busting tactics you can to use to calm that anxiety.
This won’t just help your bloat, but every single element of your wellbeing.
2. Chewing Gum
When most people think of the worst bloat-causing foods, rarely is chewing gum considered. But yet, it’s one of the leading causes.
Each time you chew your gum, you’re ingesting air. Chew that gum hundreds of times before you spit it out and you can imagine how much oxygen has been brought into the body.
This extra oxygen will lead to gas and bloating
Fix it fast:
To remedy this situation, you’ll need to give up your gum habit as best as possible.
Try using mints to freshen your breath instead, which won’t have you gulping in all that oxygen.
Or, if you must chew gum, avoid one with artificial sweeteners. These can contribute to the excess gas and bloating problem as well. Just remember though that too much sugar in gum can contribute to cavities and even lead to weight gain.
3. Drinking Through A Straw
If you’re ordering a beverage at a restaurant, chances are it’s coming with a straw.
Just like with chewing gum, drinking through a straw is going to mean far more air is sucked in with each sip. This leads you to suffer the unwanted effect of bloating and gas.
Fix it fast:
Go for bottled drinks whenever you can when you’re in a restaurant. Simply ditch the straw completely. As fun as it may be to drink this way, it’s just not helping your cause.
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4. Lactose Intolerance
Some people who get extreme stomach upset will quickly realize they are lactose intolerant. It’s not always that obvious for some.
Try and pinpoint whether your bloating is coming primarily after consuming dairy products. If it is, that may be your culprit.
Swap out dairy for other lactose-free options for a week or two and see if that doesn’t stop the problem.
Fix it fast:
Consider unsweetened almond milk, rice milk, or coconut milk to replace regular cow’s milk.
The next time you're feeling “not quite as slim yesterday“, consider these bloating causes.
The good news is that bloating tends to be an easy fix so that you can get back to feeling great again.
Yours in Health,
Danette
P.S. Please share this with your friends and I welcome your comments below.