5 Tips to Prevent Bloating

Never Eat Fruit After Meal

Fruit should be eaten first thing in the morning to avoid bloating during the day. Fruit only takes 20 minutes to digest while cooked food can take 2-3 or more. If you eat fruit after a cooked meal, the fruit is going to sit on top of the cooked food and cause fermenting and gas in your stomach. Fruit is often seen as a healthy dessert after dinner and in an ideal world that is true, HOWEVER, it will wreak havoc on the digestion process. I like to have a smoothie packed with fruit first thing in the morning then I avoid having fruit throughout the day. I am very sensitive and prone to bloating so I have to be really careful.

TAKE YOUR TIME

Scarfing down a meal and barely taking time to chew our food is a huge contributor to bloating and indigestion. Slow it down. Put your fork down in between bites. Chew your food, savor it, enjoy it, be grateful for the food on your plate. We are so busy working, going from activity to activity, squeezing in meals and not taking the time to be more mindful about how fast we are gobbling down our food. Try eating slower than you usually do and see if this helps with your digestion and bloating!

Tea Tea Tea

There are many different teas that have amazing herbal properties that help to combat bloating. Ginger works to soothe the digestive tract by relieving gas built up in the stomach. Ginger also improves circulation which also helps to decrease bloating. Peppermint tea is another great option for improved digestion and less bloating. Peppermint relaxes the muscles which ease stomach cramping and gas. Although chamomile tea is often thought of as tea to have before bedtime, it actually is great for digestion and treating bloat.

Fiber

Fiber is the indigestible part of carbohydrates that keep our bowels moving. We want to constantly be eliminating our waste. You should be going #2 at least once a day, preferably twice. Hate to be graphic but it is SO important! Most people aren’t receiving enough fiber in their diet and are chronically constipated. Some people have years of waste build up in the colon that failed to be eliminated. The key here is PLANTS! Plant foods are the only foods that contain fiber. Animal products do not have any fiber. So load up on fruit, veggies, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, potatoes. If you have waste build up, you are going to be bloated all the time, and are not going to get a flat tummy. I would recommend at least 30 grams of fiber a day, the more the merrier! Slowly add fiber to your diet so your body can adapt and adjust.

Stop Overeating

Overeating can cause us to experience extreme bloating and indigestion. Sometimes our eyes are bigger than our stomach and we eat way more than we should. I suggest eating on a plate instead of out of a bowl. Bowls can be very deep and hold way more food than a plate. Fill your plate once and see how you feel. Wait 10 minutes and if you’re still feeling hungry then eat a little more. The key here is eating until you are satisfied, not until you can’t breathe and have to unbutton your pants. On a side note, bloating can also be caused by a food allergy so try eliminating dairy, eggs, and gluten and see how you feel.

Pro tip: Take a probiotic to help balance your gut bacteria and aid in digestion

Hope these tips help you!

In good health,

Danielle

 

I am a holistic health coach and I am offering FREE consultations. Email me @healthygirlkitchen.com to make an appointment!

Danielle Brown

Hi! I’m Danielle Brown, the face behind HealthyGirl Kitchen! I share easy, approachable plant-based recipes that are not only healthy but taste amazing. Follow me on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook for free vegan meal ideas, recipes and healthygirl tips.

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  1. Taylor Hicken says:

    You made a good point when you shared that it is important to take your time to chew the food, otherwise, it can contribute to bloating and indigestion. My friend just mentioned the other day that she is worried about her brother who has been experiencing a bloated stomach since a few days ago. I will suggest to her taking him to a reliable gastrointestinal doctor who can help with the issue.

  2. Jennifer says:

    I just stumbled on your article this afternoon and this is really helpful. Thank you!

  3. Tex Hooper says:

    I like what you said about how plant foods reduce bloating symptoms. I need to get a health coach to help out with my weight loss. I’ll have to consider getting a coach who can also help out with the exercise routine.

  4. Graham Thorpe says:

    Thanks a lot for sharing such a great piece of article! I found it a good helpful write-up with a good sound and explanation. Here I have seen some valuable ideas that are definitely helpful for every health-conscious person who wants to prevent bloating. Please keep sharing more updates!