Bloating is any abnormal general swelling, or increase in diameter of the abdominal area. There's nothing like bloating to make you feel sluggish and uncomfortable. However, as uncomfortable as the feeling is, it is a universally common problem, which affects almost everyone. Because bloating can have several causes, we often don’t know where to start to avoid discomfort.
Bloating is a feeling of fullness in the abdomen that is often associated with some distension and tightness in the abdominal area. This feeling can be quite uncomfortable. If Bloating is the result of excessive intestinal gas the symptoms of burping and flatulence or wind may also be experienced.
Causes of Bloating:
• Air swallowing (a nervous habit)
• Constipation
• Gastroesophageal refluxGastroesophageal reflux
• Irritable bowel syndromeIrritable bowel syndrome
• Lactose intoleranceLactose intolerance and other food intolerances
• Overeating
• Small bowel bacterial overgrowthSmall bowel bacterial overgrowth
• Weight gain
Bloating Symptoms:
The most common symptoms associated with bloating include pain in the abdominal cavity, chest pain, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, and bloody or darkened stools. Others include difficulty swallowing or burping, abdominal fullness or indigestion, and excessive gas after eating or drinking.
Remedies for Bloating:
* Be careful of the types of food you eat together. Some foods eaten at the same time can make it difficult for your digestive system to work properly.
* Green salads are great to eat in combination of any of these two groups since green vegetables are digested very quickly. This is so because their high content of water.
* Eat slowly and chew your food properly. Your stomach doesn't have teeth, so it needs all the help it can get to break your food down before it gets into your intestines. Chewing properly also releases saliva, which contains digestive enzymes which get to work on your food right away.
* Drinking little fluids during or right after a meal is important because the fluids tend to dissolve the strength of the enzymes used to process the food. Of course, when this happens, the food stays longer in your stomach and you feel the bloating feeling.
* Don't swallow too much air. Be aware of how much gulping and talking you do when eating. Too much air intake and you'll be swelling up faster than you know it.
* Taking regular exercise is a great way to keep your digestive system in great shape. It strengthens the muscles responsible, and gets your system moving so you avoid issues like constipation which often makes bloating even worse.
* Avoid gassy food. Some food, unfortunately, just loves to make you produce gas. It's like it's its job. If your stomach bloats like a balloon, try to avoid beans (a major culprit!), cabbage, onions, artichokes, asparagus, brussel sprouts and broccoli.
* Avoid some gassy fruits Apples, peaches and pears are known trouble makers, try dropping them for a while and see how it goes.
* Avoid too much sugar and salt.
* Wheat contains gluten which many of us have an intolerance towards.