Does a bloated belly ruin your otherwise streamlined physique? Learn how most stomach bloating is preventable (and what to do about it).
Summer’s here and our torsos are on display even if we keep our abs covered up. Tight t-shirts, fitted shirts, tops tucked in (for the fellas) and body-con outfits (for the ladies) put our waistlines on the frontline. And let’s not even talk about bikini-season…
Nothing ruins a toned, trim physique like annoying stomach bloating. You train hard, eat well, drink tons of water… yet sometimes you end the day with a distended stomach. What causes stomach bloating, anyway?
The good news is, there’s plenty you can do to minimise the chances of getting bloated, and yet more you can do to get rid of it if it strikes.
Possible causes of bloating
Too much fibre: fibre is great, but too much can contribute to a bloated stomach. If you eat lots of vegetables, sweet potatoes, rice, oats, consider tracking your fibre for a while to see if you’re overdoing it.
Foods that cause bloating: common culprits are fibrous foods, starchy vegetables, brassica and cruciferous vegetables, dairy (including whey protein) and carbonated drinks.
Eating too quickly: if you chow down on your meals because you’re hungry like the wolf, slow down. Eating too quickly can mean you take in air along with your food, which may create a bloated look and feelings of discomfort.
Eating too much volume: volume eaters enjoy large servings of food like stir-fries, salads, piles of veggies, big omelettes, smoothies and soups. There’s nothing wrong with that, but bear in mind that a large volume of food in your belly could lead to a distended, bloated look.
Supplements to beat the bloat
Digezyme – this clever combination of 5 digestive enzymes (Protease, Amylase, Lactase, Lipase, Cellulase) helps you digest all types of foods including those which might cause bloating: lactose, protein, carbohydrate, starch, fibre.
Complete Probiotic – a simple way to promote better gut health daily, with our exclusive formulation of 5 different strains of probiotic (almost 8 billion CFU a day).
Lactospore – great if lactose is the cause of your stomach bloating, this premium priobiotic has 600 million spores of Bacillus Coagulans to promote better gut health.
Lactase Tablets – helps breakdown lactase (normally common with whey protein), ideal if you find that whey shakes bloat you.
Glutamine – a very cost-effective way to support gut health, can even help prevent leaky gut.
3 lifestyle tips for a flatter belly
Water: drink more of it. Herbal and fruit teas count, fizzy drinks (even zero calorie ones) don’t in this instance. Pure water is best.
Sleep: better sleep on a regular basis will really help your body settle down and debloat. You’ll be less stressed, and your body will have a chance to digest your food and regulate your hormones.
De-stress: easier said than done, but minimising and managing stress in your work, life and relationships will have a huge impact on stomach bloat and pain.
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