6 Natural Remedies To Treat & Prevent Bloating

Bloating is referred to the feeling of fullness you feel in your belly.

It is one of the most common indigestion problems that people face. Not chewing food properly, eating too quickly and overeating are some of the most common causes of bloating.

What Causes Gas To Build Up

Gas pain, bloating, and flatus frequency can be exacerbated by anything that causes diarrhoea or constipation. Gas can also be caused by:

• Overeating (Eating too much, eating too fast)

• Swallowing air while you eat or drink

• Smoking cigarettes

• Eating spicy and oily foods

• Excessive alcohol intake

• Caffeine

• Stress, fatigue and anxiety

1.Chew On Fennel Seeds Or Drink Fennel Tea

Fennel seeds, scientifically known as Foeniculum vulgare, are quite popular for their digestive properties. They contain compounds called estragole, fenchone, and anethole that exhibit antispasmodic properties, which can help relieve stomach gas and bloat.

Eat a pinch of fennel seeds at the end of a meal to benefit from its gas-reducing oils, This can be particularly helpful if you’ve eaten your fair share of cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, and you can already feel the belly-bloating a little bit, (something which is completely natural, by the way). It’s also a nice way to wrap up a big plate of carbs.

For those of you who don’t want to munch on fennel seeds like a chipmunk (though they are kind of delicious), you’ve got options.

You Will Need

• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of crushed fennel seeds

• 1 cup of water

• Honey (optional)

What You Have To Do

1. Add the crushed fennel seeds to a cup of steaming water.

2. Let it steep for 5 to 10 minutes.

3. Strain and add honey for flavour.

4. Consume this tea daily.

5. Alternatively, you can also chew about half a teaspoon of fennel seeds daily.

2.Sip On Water With Freshly-Squeezed Lemon Juice

Lemons are natural diuretics that exhibit mild laxative properties when mixed with warm water. This can be helpful in the treatment of salt-induced bloating as they reduce the amount of salt inside your body.

The citric acid that gives lemons their puckery taste can help break up or prevent kidney stones, which is one abdominal ailment they can help with. Lemons also are a source of soluble fiber, but to get this benefit.

You Will Need

• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice

• 1 glass of warm water

What You Have To Do

1. Add one teaspoon of lemon juice to a glass of warm water.

2. Consume this solution daily to get relief from stomach bloating.

3. You can also add honey for flavour.

3.Eat Ginger Or Drink Ginger Tea

Ginger has been used for centuries to cure all kinds of basic ailments. Ginger possesses carminative properties that can help to expel gas and relieve cramps and indigestion. This shows the efficiency of ginger in treating stomach bloating along with its symptoms.

There are a few different ways to effectively get ginger in your system, but unfortunately, those sugary ginger chews aren’t one of them.

Instead, You Will Need

• 1 inch of ginger

• 1 cup of water

• Honey (optional)

What You Have To Do

1. Add ginger to a cup of water in a saucepan.

2. Bring the water to a boil and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.

3. Strain and consume this daily.

4. You can also add honey to this for flavour.

4.Peppermint Tea

Peppermint tea is considered a great remedy to treat a bloated stomach. This herb aids digestion as its ingredients like menthol and menthone have digestive and antispasmodic properties. Peppermint also helps in stimulating the secretion of gastric juice, which in turn, expels gas.

You Will Need

• 1 teaspoon of dry peppermint leaves OR a handful of fresh peppermint leaves

• 1 cup of water

• Honey (optional)

What You Have To Do

1. Add the peppermint leaves to a cup of hot water and bring it to a boil in a saucepan.

2. Simmer for 5 minutes and strain.

3. Add honey for flavour and consume the peppermint tea before it turns cold.

5.Snack On A Banana

Bananas are rich in fiber and also contain high levels of potassium. This makes them a great remedy for salt-induced stomach bloating as the high potassium content in them will regulate the sodium levels in your body.

Ripe bananas are known to aid with digestion and bowel movements, and the potassium found in this fruit manages the fluid levels in your body that are causing the bloating.

You Will Need

1-2 bananas

What You Have To Do

Include one or two bananas in your daily diet.

Also read: How To Eat A Banana For Weight Loss

6.Yogurt

Yoghurt is a natural probiotic that increases the levels of healthy bacteria in your body. These bacteria can accelerate your digestion, which can also help in reducing abdominal bloating.

Yoghurt has always been considered a cooling food for hyperacidity. It contains natural probiotics which replace the bad bacteria in the bowel and improve digestion. Similarly, the calcium and other components that are present in yoghurt can bind to the acid in the stomach and relieve hyperacidity and stomach bloating. If you wish to take charge of your stomach bloating issues, make sure you have a cup full of yoghurt after your lunch and dinner.

Also read: Top 7 Unique Fermented Indian Superfoods

Probiotics are also present in kombucha and sauerkraut. These foods are readily available in our country and are popular in the Western world.

You Will Need

1 cup of plain yoghurt

What You Have To Do

Consume one cup of plain yoghurt.

Also read: 10 Creative Yogurt Based Healthy Snacks

All the remedies listed in this article can be used to cure stomach bloating. You can try these remedies either individually or in combination for faster recovery. Additionally, taking a few precautions can help you avoid the recurrence of this condition.

March 17, 2021March 18, 2021 by Priyanshi Bhatnagar, Founder of Detoxpri

8 Things Most People Don’t Know About Water Retention (Oedema)

So, I have more of weight loss clients. And I had a LARGE number of people with persistent bloating issues.

This makes me go to their daily lifestyle and certain nutrients intake to bring out the solution”

The solution was related to their symptoms toward water retention.

What is water retention?

Water retention is one of the most common problems found in men and women and is a recurring health problem if not treated well. When the body fails to eliminate excess water, and starts retaining more water than required, it leads to oedema or water retention. It is also known as fluid retention.

Water retention is often temporary and is easily treated, however, it can sometimes be an indication of a serious medical condition.

Signs of Water Retention

So how does one recognize water retention in the body? Symptoms of water retention can include:

•bloating, especially in the abdominal area

•swelling of extremities like swollen legs, feet, and ankles

•puffiness of the abdomen, face, and hips

•stiff joints

•weight fluctuations or unexplained weight gain over a short period of time

• indentations in the skin, similar to what you see on your fingers when you’ve been in the bath or shower a long time

• feeling heavier than normal, less active

Causes of Water Retention

A number of factors can cause water retention, including:

•Sedentary lifestyle: Standing or Sitting too long periods of time causes fluids to pool in the legs, thus increasing water retention. As Gravity keeps blood in your lower extremities. It’s important to get up and move around often to keep blood circulating.

•Weather Change: Hot weather can also lead to fluid retention because the body is less efficient at removing fluid from the body.

•Women Hormonal changes: Because of varying hormone levels. Menopausal and premenstrual oedema is caused by the effect of hormones on fluid balance. The hormonal changes for women before the menstrual period also cause retention and may result in symptoms such as breast tenderness and menstrual changes.

•Too Much Sodium: You may get too much sodium by using a lot of table salt or ingesting processed foods and soft drinks.

•Medical Condition: Some medications have water retention as a side effect. When an area of the body is not functioning properly, involving organs such as the liver, heart, or kidneys the body tends to retain fluid in that area of the body. The body becomes unable to eliminate fluid properly. Certain medications can cause water retention as well, especially high blood pressure and steroid medications.

•Dietary Deficiencies: Water retention is also linked to protein deficiency, iron, and high requirement for vitamins and minerals intake. There is a specific kind of diet that is recommended for water retention which forces the body to eliminate excess fluid.

•Quick Weight Loss: When you restrict energy intake suddenly in order to lose weight, the body is forced to store carbohydrates and break down protein in the muscles. Because both protein and carbohydrates hold water in their cells, a loss of these nutrients results in water loss during a rapid weight loss diet. People who lose weight quickly often regain weight within a few weeks because the body is replenishing itself with water.

•Weak Heart: A weak heart that can’t pump blood well can cause the body to retain water.

Simple Ways to Reduce Water Retention

1. Increasing potassium intake: Eating food high in potassium is recommended rather than taking potassium supplements. Foods such as orange, watermelon, apricot, pomegranate, papaya, mango, banana, avocado, tomato contain nutrients that help prevent blood vessels from leaking fluid in the tissue spaces and reduce water retention by increasing the production of urine and decreasing the amount of sodium in your body.

2.Decrease sodium intake: Sodium binds to water in the body and helps maintain the balance of fluids both inside and outside of cells. Reducing the consumption of high sodium foods is important because too much sodium in the blood can affect the tissues causing them to retain water.

3. Increasing Magnesium intake: Being an important mineral, increasing your magnesium intake may help reduce water retention. Good natural sources include nuts, whole grains, dark chocolate and leafy green vegetables.

4. Consume Diuretic foods: Diuretics ( sometimes tagged as water pills ) makes one urinate more in order to help in the removal of fluid, help the body to get rid of water and sodium. Certain foods and herbs can act as diuretics like lemon juice, Cranberry juice, dandelion leaf extract, horsetail herb, parsley, Hibiscus, garlic, fennel, Nettle and Caffeine,

5. Regular movement is also necessary: Any form of exercise increases sweat, which means you will lose water, as it actually aids in the widening of the blood vessels. During exercise, your body also shifts a lot of water into your muscles.

6. Avoid Refined Carbs: Eating refined carbs can increase insulin levels in your body, which, in turn, increases the reabsorption of sodium in the kidneys, leading to a higher fluid volume.

7. Eat your protein: Protein attracts water and keeps your body balanced. A special protein called albumin keeps fluid in the bloodstream and prevents it from leaking out and causing swelling.

8. Drink More Water: Interestingly, being well-hydrated can actually reduce water retention. Drink 8-12 glasses of fluids (water, fruit juices, milk). Dehydration or over-hydration can lead to water retention. Make sure to drink balanced amounts of water each day.

Some simple dietary and lifestyle changes may help reduce water retention.

However, if water retention persists or causes a lot of problems in your life, then you may want to see a nutritionist as for a healthy diet which is key to prevent water retention.

By Priyanshi Bhatnagar

June 3, 2020July 5, 2021 by Priyanshi Bhatnagar, Founder of Detoxpri