5 ways to help beat the bloat

Take deep breaths before eating

This helps your body shift into a state of 'rest and digest', which allows the body to prioritise digestion. This relaxed physical state will mean food is more efficiently broken down.

Chew your food thoroughly

Your stomach does not have teeth. You need to chew food properly, to promote better digestion, and less bloat! Take your time eating and aim to chew each piece of food around 25-30 times. Chewing will create saliva, which releases enzymes that help to break down food.

Go for a 10-minute walk after eating

Not only can this help to balance blood sugar, but it also helps towards getting things moving through your digestive system, so food doesn't just sit there, ferment, and cause bloat.

Consume enough food

Under-eating puts a huge strain on the body, as it causes issues such as low blood sugar, a struggling thyroid etc, as we need enough energy from food to meet our metabolic requirements. Not consuming enough nutrients is stressful on the body, resulting in stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline to be released. All this will contribute to a slower digestive system, food sitting in the stomach, and constipation.

Properly prepare food

Foods such as cruciferous vegetables, beans, and wholegrains can be irritating on the gut for a lot of people. These types of foods are much more easily digested when properly prepared, the way our ancestors did back in the day. Try sourcing the foods as close to their original form as possible (e.g. dried beans instead of tinned (canned) beans, and soaking, sprouting, and/or fermenting where you can. A lot of green cruciferous vegetables benefit from being well cooked. All this can promote easier digestion, and less bloat.