The swollen belly is a problem that grips many people. Especially in the summer, that feeling of swelling can become persistent, also due to the change in temperature that compromises the balance of the intestinal bacterial flora. A disorder that besides being annoying can create you some embarrassment, because in summer your belly is “in the spotlight”, especially on the beach. Let’s see what can trigger abdominal bloating and how to fight it at the table.
Swollen belly: What it depends on?
Generally, the swollen belly is not linked to being overweight, but is the result of air accumulation, a sign that the intestine is not working in the best way. What does it mean? That when we eat, the food is not absorbed and digested optimally because the intestine does not perform its function at its best. Swelling is the “fault” of harmful bacteria that, when food is not properly digested, produce a waste of gas metabolism that causes our stomach to swell.
The swollen belly may depend on several factors and may also have organic causes such as pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, for example irritable bowel syndrome. But, in the absence of pathologies, to trigger the swelling is first of all the bad diet, that is what we eat, but also how we eat it.
There are indeed some bad habits that hinder the digestive process. Here are the main ones …
- Eat too fast
- Don’t chew enough
- Do not take a correct position at the table
- Lie down immediately after eating.
Even seasonal factors, however, can contribute to “disturbing” our intestines. The change of temperatures, for example, can alter the balance of the intestinal bacterial flora and lead to a dysbiosis, which is manifested, by swelling and heaviness. Summer, that is the season in which our stomach tends to be more visible, is paradoxically one of the periods in which swelling can increase due to the heat: another reason to try to counter it!
Since unregulated food is the primary cause of a swollen belly, making the right choices at the table can help us solve the problem. That’s how.
Swollen belly, the foods that help you fight it
Food can be an important tool to deflate the belly. In fact, while some foods increase the abdominal swelling , for example those rich in substances that tend to ferment with great ease and therefore to produce air (among these, artichokes, cauliflower, fresh cheeses, legumes, potatoes, pizza), others they turn out to be real belly deflates . So find out what foods help you fight your swollen belly.
1 – For the aperitif, no for cocktails and carbonated drinks: Try tomato juice
Do you want to celebrate summer with an aperitif by the sea? Okay, but, to contain calories and fight a swollen belly, avoid fizzy drinks, which are rich in substances and can therefore heighten the sense of swelling, but also alcohol or high-calorie cocktails . An iced tea or coffee can be a viable alternative. Here are some ideas with our smoothies or our tomato juice!
2 – Cucumbers, lettuce and radishes to cleanse you
Cucumbers, radishes, lettuce, all very rich in water and with very little sodium, play a strong diuretic action that can help eliminate toxins. You can eat them in salads, use them to stuff a sandwich or a piadina, or munch on cucumbers and raw radishes as a snack, which will also help you satisfy yourself and avoid overdoing it at the table. Try them also to prepare a tasty centrifuge or flavored water to sip during the day. Radishes, in particular, are also very rich in fiber, perfect to promote bowel regularity … and a healthy and balanced intestine means less swelling and a flatter belly!
3 – No to salt against water retention
If you want to deflate your stomach, don’t overdo it with salt. In fact, too much salt promotes water retention and can increase swelling.
When you eat at home, limit the salt when you cook and do not abuse preserved or canned products, in which salt is often present to promote conservation. If you eat out and you can’t have full control over the amount of salt you ingest, run for cover by eating a banana. In fact, foods rich in potassium help restore hydro-saline balance, and therefore lower the sodium level in the body and facilitate drainage.
Also remember to always drink lots of water. It is the first real secret to counteract water retention and swelling.
4 – No to sweets, yes to watermelon
Does the sea make you hungry? In mid-afternoon or mid-morning, do not be tempted by the desire for dessert. If you want to keep your line perfect and fight the swollen belly, bring some sliced watermelon or melon. They are rich in water, therefore diuretics, and contain enough sugar to restore your energy and satisfy your sweet tooth.
5 – Yes to yogurt and milk enzymes
The yogurt, thanks to lactic acid bacteria that contains, can help to preserve the natural balance of intestinal flora, or to restore it during episodes of dysbiosis, compensating with good bacteria the natural prevalence of bad bacteria that occurs in these periods.
In the event of significant intestinal imbalance that causes belly swelling, supplementation may be helpful, because feeding alone would not be enough to get you the amount of lactic acid bacteria needed to re-balance your bowel. In that case, cycles of 15, 20 or 30 days of targeted milk enzymes can help, of course, always taking them under the advice of the doctor , who will be able to suggest which ones are most suitable and for how long to take them.
Active life and yoga against swelling
An active life helps keep the bowel healthy, promotes regularity, improves digestion and avoids episodes of constipation: a poker of benefits that help keep away the abdominal swelling. If you can, do sports with consistency and regularity. But if you can’t make it, just a quick half-hour walk every day is enough, even just to go to work or do the shopping. The secret is to take advantage of every moment of the day to keep yourself active, taking the stairs instead of using the elevator and moving on foot whenever you can.
Even practicing yoga, every day, in addition to having enormous benefits on the body and mind, can help you reduce the discomfort caused by poor digestion and therefore find a flat stomach. The yoga can free yourself from bloating, largely due to stress and poor eating habits, for example, that eating too quickly.
