Fighting Bloat: Foods and Drinks to Keep Your Tummy Flat
Bloating is not a fun feeling. When you are bloated, everything becomes just a little bit more uncomfortable. It hurts to bend or twist, your pants are too tight, and you feel a bit like you are going to burst. We get bloated for a lot of different reasons: the foods we eat, hormones, lack of exercise.
Whatever the cause, we want to do what we can to prevent the uncomfortable feeling of being bloated. While you may not be able to do anything about certain circumstances, others are under your control. To help you out in the bloat department, check out these foods and drinks that can eliminate bloat and keep your tummy flat.
Whole Wheat Bread
Most people love bread. It is our love of bread that makes giving up carbs so difficult. If you want to eat bread, but avoid the bloat, go for whole wheat. White breads are not as easily digested, and therefore stick around in the gut longer and create bloat. The complex carbs in whole wheat move through the digestive system faster and more efficiently, cutting back on bloat and keeping your body healthier.
Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
Eating fresh fruits and veggies is a great way to get your digestion moving. A lot of fruit contains high amounts of water, which is also good for eliminating bloat. Vegetables provide your body with a blast of vitamins without a lot of the additional flavors that often cause the body and belly to swell. If possible, stay away from the canned fruits and veggies, as they have high amounts of preservatives that can contribute to bloat.
Water
As mentioned above, water is a great tool in eliminating bloat. It cleans out the digestive tract and flushes cells of excess toxins. It may be one of the single most beneficial tools for staying healthy in general. Just keep in mind that drinking more water may make you feel more bloated in the beginning. Don’t worry this is normal! Your body and cells will fill up with water, and then they will flush fast and furiously, losing the bloat and many toxins along with it.
Cranberry Juice
Cranberry is really good for cleansing the kidneys. The kidneys are responsible for clearing toxins from the blood and the body, so you are really giving your body a good helpful cleaning agent when you drink cranberry. The key is to get the REAL JUICE. The cocktail is full of sugars and preservatives that can have the opposite effect. You’ll know it’s the real stuff if it is bitter to taste, so get ready to get used to the tough flavor.
Bloat may still haunt you from time to time, but these foods and drinks will definitely help. Get rid of bloat and get a tight and flat belly by adding these to your regular menu.
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Used under Creative Commons Licensing courtesy of Mike Steinhoff