Contents
We figure out what is better to exclude from your diet, and what, on the contrary, to start using.
The older we get, the slower our digestive system works. They ate something wrong, and that’s all – hello, bloating. But we have good news – getting back a flat stomach, improving digestion and deflating your stomach is quite easy if you follow the recommendations of nutritionists. Here is a detailed description of what should be included in the diet and what should be avoided.
Include: fiber
The best way to avoid constipation, and hence gas build-up and bloating, is to train yourself to consume fiber. In the morning, you need to have breakfast with oatmeal-based cereals or oatmeal, which contains all types of fiber. If you have no time for breakfast in the morning, then eat oatmeal at night.
Exclude: refined carbohydrates
Bread, pasta, pizza, sweet cakes are a direct path to bloating. “The body breaks down refined carbohydrates into glucose or sugar very quickly,” explains nutrition expert Amy Shapiro. – Some of this glucose is used for energy, but the rest is stored in the muscles and liver for later. Problem? With each glucose molecule, two water molecules are also stored. Flour is a recipe for water retention in the body. Puffiness is inevitable. ” Replace refined carbs with complex ones, such as whole grains or sweet potatoes. They contain more fiber and do not force the body to retain water, so they are less likely to cause bloating.
Include: potassium-rich foods
The high potassium content helps the body get rid of excess water. The tissues retain more water, and an excess of sodium is formed in the body. To restore sodium-potassium balance, you need to consume 2600 mg of potassium per day, and from food, not supplements. Which contains the most potassium: lentils, milk, orange juice, bananas, potatoes.
Exclude: sodium
Sodium forces you to retain water, turning the digestive system into a steam locomotive. On average, we consume twice as much sodium per day as the body needs, according to the CDC. Semi-finished products usually contain up to 2300% sodium. Use mint tea as an ambulance. Drink it after a hearty lunch or dinner. Peppermint speeds up digestion by contributing to the contraction of the intestinal muscles.
Include: more liquid
“Not much fluid means a lot of bloating,” warns Nutritionist Dr. Bonchi. “Foods in the lower intestines absorb fluid and relieve constipation.” Therefore, it is recommended to drink eight glasses of liquid a day: water, milk, juice, coffee, tea. Plus lots of liquid-rich foods like fruits and vegetables.
Exclude: alcohol
Alcohol is an inflammatory agent and produces gas. It is also super dehydration, which forces the body to retain as much water as possible. The fastest way to bloat. You can afford a glass of wine or tequila with lime juice. But you should drink a glass of water before and after alcohol to prevent dehydration.
Include: yogurt, dairy products
With muesli, berries, jam and whole grains. It is not only beautiful, but also very useful. An imbalance of bacteria in the gut leads to a slowdown in the digestive system and bloating. Yoghurts and fermented milk contain probiotics that are very helpful in maintaining balance.
Exclude: candy, gum, and sodas
They themselves bring gas into the body and contribute to the formation of new gas. Chewing gum, candy, drinking soda through a straw make us swallow extra air. Therefore, you need to chew with your mouth closed.
Include: sugar-free tea and healthy drinks
Sugar-free or low-sugar teas, green, black, chamomile, citrus, hot infusions of fennel, dill or ginger seeds, all stimulate digestion and relieve bloating. Cutting back on salt even further can help your stomach a lot.
Exclude: sweet coffee and milk drinks
We love cappuccino, it gives us a boost of energy in the morning and charges us with a good mood. But a sweet milk / coffee blend is very bloating. Some replace sugar with fructose or agave nectar, but they are even more difficult for our body to digest and lead to gas formation. You do not need to completely give up your favorite drink, but try to reduce the amount of sugar or drink coffee without sugar at all.
Include: oily fish
According to the latest research, eating salmon, tuna, mackerel or herring can help you lose fat, including belly fat. The omega-3 found in oily fish is very helpful in improving metabolism and metabolism.
Exclude: sugar alcohols
Our bodies do not completely digest these low calorie sweeteners, diabetic and sugar free foods. As a result, bacteria in the colon ferment them, causing gas, bloating, and even diarrhea. Check food labels for sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, and lacitol. If you want to use a sweetener, use a natural sweetener like honey, maple syrup, molasses, or coconut sugar.
Expert Tips
Eating Disorder Specialist, Nutrition Consultant, Psychodietology
– Bloating, feeling full, bloating is one of the symptoms of many diseases, the most popular among which irritable bowel syndrome иcertain forms of food intolerance. The organic cause of IBS has not yet been established, it is believed that it is stress and bacterial overgrowth, poor-quality nutrition, alcohol, consumption of large amounts of gas-forming foods, fatty foods, and most importantly, a lack of foods with a high dietary fiber content. As for the causes of allergies, it can be intolerance to lactose, gluten, fructose (fruits, honey), sensitivity to certain food additives, and so on.
Recommendations for enhancing the work of the digestive tract
Follow the diet: eat regularly, every 3-4 hours, add snacks. Let the night break be at least 10-12 hours.
Try to spend each meal slowly, in a pleasant, calm environment, with the TV off, without a phone in your hands, chewing food thoroughly.
Be sure to add whole grains, dietary fiber, vegetables, fruits in the dietslowing down the rate of food digestion. Adults are advised to consume at least 25 g of dietary fiber per day for proper bowel function. They should be included in the diet gradually, starting with a small amount. A lot of fiber is found in rye, wheat, oat bran, prunes, almonds, dried apricots, beans, lentils, dried dates, whole grain bread.
If, after consuming fermented milk products, you feel heaviness, then, most likely, your body simply does not have enough enzymes to assimilate them. Try to introduce them also little by little, after 3-5 days these sensations should go away. The same goes for any foods that make you feel uncomfortable. Do not exclude them altogether, let it be a temporary solution, add them to the diet gradually in small quantities.
Limit your intake of processed foods, salt, sugar, alcohol and, if possible, antibiotics.
It is ineffective to diagnose oneself without consulting a specialist, since a restrictive diet is one of the reasons for the development of polydeficiency states. For example, giving up dairy products, you can get a deficiency of calcium, phosphorus, A, D, B2, B5, B12, from wheat B1, B2, B3, iron. And it is better to get all the necessary micronutrients from a full meal, and not through dietary supplements.
Tatiana Salvoni, Daria Vertinskaya