How to Get Rid of Stomach Bloating in a Healthy Way

You notice it when you try to zip your pants. You feel it when you bend over. Everyone gets it and no one wants it. Stomach bloat: that puffy feeling in your belly that shows up at the worst times. Here are seven ways you can remedy that pressure in your stomach and keep it from happening in the first place.

Instructions

• 1

  STOP. Soda is a prime cause of stomach bloating. The carbonated bubbles in your drink will give you that full feeling in your belly and cause it to pooch. Substitute water for soda and you will see an almost immediate difference.

• 2

  LIMIT. Foods that you have trouble digesting can be a major cause of bloating and gas. Artificial sweeteners, like sorbitol, are difficult to digest. Try to limit sugar substitutes that are in products like soda, candy, gum and other sugar free foods. Also limit salt and salty foods which add to bloating. Take note that eating bread, pastas and other starches in the late evening might cause you to retain water overnight and as a result you'll wake up bloated.

• 3

  AVOID. Avoid getting constipated. You want to keep food regularly moving through your digestive tract. If you have trouble staying regular, add some magnesium tablets to your diet. 250mg to 500mg a day should help.

• 4

  INCLUDE. Potassium is a necessary mineral that is needed to moderate the balance of liquid in your body and keep you from getting bloated. It is found in the skin of many vegetables, also bananas, tomatoes, nuts, apples, oranges, squash, avocados, carrots, broccoli and many other foods. To see a complete list of potassium rich foods click on the link below. Try to include several of them in your diet every day. If you're still having trouble with bloating, top your food with fresh parsley. It acts as a natural diuretic directing water to flow out of your body.

• 5

  USE REGULARLY. Yogurt and cultured milk contain bacteria that is good for your digestive system. They will help you avoid constipation and bloating if you use them on a regular basis. Check ingredient labels for the strain B.infantis which can reduce bloating. A similar strain can be found in Dannon Activia yogurt.

• 6

  ADD MOVEMENT. If you don't exercise, you will tend to get more bloating than those who do exercise a minimum of 15 minutes a day. Movement, such as walking, keeps food coursing through your digestive system and has the added benefit of staving off constipation and reducing built-up fluid when you sweat. Try for a half hour a day to avoid bloating.

• 7

  FOR THAT TIME OF THE MONTH. You know it's coming on because you are feeling bloated and your clothes fit tight. To alleviate that monthly swelling you might want to add some calcium to your diet. Try for 1200 to 1500 mg a day. When taking calcium it is good to swallow it with magnesium to help with absorption and bloating. A dosage of 200 to 400 mg a day is adequate. Both of these nutrients are known to reduce PMS symptoms.