How to Reduce Bloating

Poached asparagus

Thanks to Tom Corson-Knowles for submitting this guest post about ways to reduce bloating.

Feeling bloated?

Honestly, bloating has got to be one of the most uncomfortable feelings you can have, especially if it's chronic. Some people have been bloated for so long, they forget what it feels like to be normal!

But here's the deal - bloating is not normal. It's a sign that there's something going on with your body and it usually stems from poor digestion which, of course, is all about what you eat!

There are two categories of foods you need to know about to overcome bloating once and for all. First, there's the foods to avoid. These foods can cause bloating or make it worse. Second, there are the foods to add to your diet - these foods help aid good digestion and help your body rebalance the gut ecology, which is crucial to good digestion and getting rid of the symtoms.

Foods To Avoid

A lot of people who are chronically bloated have some kind of food intolerance. The most common are dairy and/or lactose intolerance, gluten sensitivity or celiac disease, and sensitivities to processed foods and artificial food additives.

The first thing I would do to get rid of bloating is to cut out all dairy products for two weeks. After 14 days, you'll be able to find out pretty quickly whether it's the dairy that's causing the problem or not. And, trust me, it's much better for your health to limit your intake of dairy products in the first place. In fact, cutting out dairy is one of the first things that anyone should do when trying to naturally treat digestive disorders.

If you cut out dairy and nothing's improved, it's time to cut out the second most common food intolerance - gluten. Gluten is a protein found in wheat and a few other grains that causes bad reactions for many peoples' immune systems, and one of those reactions happens to be bloating. Yes, I know, it's hard to go on a gluten free diet - at first. But trust me, it's worth it! Most people will notice a HUGE difference in their health and energy levels after just cutting out gluten from their diets for 3 or 4 days. Trust me, you will love how you feel!

Another big mistake people make is drinking soda pop and carbonated beverages. These can cause bloating as well as a myriad of other digestive and health issues. Other common foods that make bloating worse are things like processed foods - chips, crackers, cookies, etc. and foods with a lot of white table salt.

Foods To Eat

Now here's the good stuff - the foods to focus on eating. These foods help rebalance your body's digestive system and get rid of your digestive problems once and for all.

Foods loaded with probiotics and prebiotics are the best! Everyone's heard about yogurt, but I find cultured vegetables like sauerkraut or kimchi work best for probiotic enhancement. This is because your body not only needs the probiotics (the good bacteria) that help your immune and gut function, but these bacteria need the prebiotics (the roughage from vegetables and produce) to function properly. Just eating yogurt and taking probiotic supplements won't do much if those good germs don't have the right kind of food for them - which is plant roughage.

Asparagus can also be a great food to eat for bloating because it helps fight water retention. Bananas are also great as their high potassium content helps flush out excess sodium from the body.

About The Author: Tom Corson-Knowles is the founder of the Authentic Health Coaching show, the #1 Alternative Health Podcast show on Podomatic. Tom blogs regularly about healthy eating, natural weight loss and how to live a healthier lifestyle.