Feeling Bloated?

Feeling bloated is very common, however there can be many different causes …

Firstly you need to increase your intake of fibre rich foods, this includes lots of fruit and vegetables (try and get your 5 a day), wholegrain cereal such as porridge and bran flakes. Try to include beans and brown rice too.

Brown bread is included in “fibre rich foods” however, bread is know to bloat because of the flour it contains – if you are eating a lot of bread, try cutting down or give it up for just for a few days and see if you notice a difference.

Lay off the fizzy drinks, they are full of gas which will bloat out your stomach, even the diet, sugar free and low carb varieties! They contain sorbitol, mannitol and malitol, which are just sweeteners that are used to replace sugar. These sweeteners have a laxative effect, leaving you feeling uncomfortable and bloated!

You may even have a food intolerance, which is causing your bloating. Main causes are wheat and dairy products.

Irritable bowel syndrome is also associated with being bloated, a healthy diet will help you to lose weight. If you are unsure visit your doctor.

Camomile and peppermint teas are calming and good for the digestive system – try drinking 2 or 3 cups a day and see if you notice a difference.

If you would like any advice on healthy eating, please see instructor and we can book you in for a free nutritional consultation!

by Kirsty Kemp
Rainham

Photos from freedigitalphotos.net.