Are you feeling embarrassed with a big tummy? You might say that you have a fat tummy which is giving you so much of displeasure in terms of appearance and feelings! But you need to think a little deeper! Are you experiencing other problems like abdominal pain, feeling of fullness, vomiting tendencies, diarrhea, constipation, poor appetite, breathing troubles, stomach cramping, indigestion and hiccups? If this is the case, then you might be suffering from bloating which refers to an abnormal swelling in the abdominal region due to the accumulation of gas and water.
What Causes Bloating?
- Obstruction of Bowel as in the case of Crohn's Disease
- Dumping Syndrome / Irritable Bowel Syndrome (Change in the bowel habits in the absence of any detectable cause)
- Food Intolerance / Lactose Intolerance or Food Allergy
- Overeating
- Constipation
- Obesity
- Menstruation and dysmenorrhea (pain during menstruation which affects daily activities)
- Intra-abdominal tumors in organs like ovary / stomach / liver / uterus / colon
- Aerophagia or the gulping of air
Is there any Relation Between Improper Dieting and Bloating?
An individual who is on an improper dietary regime might experience bloating. It is mainly due to inadequate intake of fiber and water. This can also lead to the formation of gases in the intestine, thereby giving the individual a feeling of discomfort. Too much fiber in the diet can also lead to similar problems. Hence the diet should be planned accordingly. Appropriate amounts of vegetables, fruits, whole cereals and oats can be added to the diet to avoid such situations.
How to Treat Bloating Naturally?
Although there are several medicines available in the market to overcome bloating, you can still afford to depend on natural cures like:
- Go for small walks for 5 to 10 minutes after each meal and perform regular exercises. Physical activities stimulate bowel movement. Exercises aid in the process of digestion and help to overcome the problem of bloating and gas formation.
- Consume easily digestible foods, especially if you regularly experience episodes of bloating. Avoid coffee, tea or other stimulants and special fried foods. These foods would only make the situation worse.
- Avoid all fizzy drinks as they add up to flatulence, a condition characterized by excessive gas in the stomach or in the intestines.
- Avoid extreme temperature foods since these foods can draw air while you swallow them up.
- Reduce your intake of salt. It binds water in the cells and increases bloating.
- Add asafoetida (hing), carom seeds (ajwain), ginger (adrak), or fennel (saunf) to your vegetable preparations. These items also help in getting rid of bloating.
- Drink green tea. This helps to flush out excess water from the body.
- Consider consuming other diuretic foods like banana stem, oats, cabbage, carrot, tomato, lettuce, radish, fennel, dandelion and brussel sprouts.
Bloating can be avoided or cured by the natural methods mentioned above. Bloating does not simply denote a big tummy that affects the way you look, but it involves internal health issues and inner feelings of discomfort. A little bit of dietary control and some degrees of physical activity are the easiest ways to get relief from bloating.
