Natural Remedies to Relieve Bloating
The following article was written by Heinen’s Chief Dietitian, Melanie Jatsek RD, LD. Please consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new supplements.
When you can’t button your pants that normally fit like a glove, chances are you’re experiencing the uncomfortable bodily sensation of bloating.
While bloating can happen to anyone at any time, it’s extremely common during the holiday season when our daily diets stray from the norm.
If you’ve experienced holiday bloating before and don’t wish to again, it’s important to understand that the process of ironing out your digestive system doesn’t happen overnight. If you start taking simple steps today and remain consistent, I guarantee your holidays (and every day after) will be more physically enjoyable.
To combat bloating, you must first understand what causes it. Only then are you able to get in front of it and avoid the experience altogether.
Dietary Causes of Bloating
It’s amazing what you can learn about your body when you pay attention to it. How does your belly respond to these common causes of bloating?
- Carbonated Beverages: Soda and sparkling water are full of bubbles, and those bubbles are full of gas. Therefore, burping, gas, and bloating are very common when you sip these fizzy drinks.
- Excess Salt: Too much sodium can cause you to retain water, thus making you feel bloated. Even foods that don’t taste salty can be high in sodium. It all adds up!
- Dairy Products: People who are lactose intolerant are unable to properly digest the milk sugar called lactose. As a result, they can experience a range of side effects like bloating, gas, cramping, and diarrhea.
- Overeating: This is one of the biggest culprits of gas and bloating, especially around the holidays. Remember, your stomach is the size of your fist when empty and can expand to fit around four cups of food. Eat too much and your body will let you know!
Fx™ -Approved Food and Lifestyle Solutions to Prevent Bloating
Try a few of these preventative diet and lifestyle measures today to get ahead of holiday bloating. Please consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new supplements.
- Take a daily probiotic supplement. A great start to a healthy gut includes regular supplementation with a good quality probiotic to promote the growth of friendly bacteria. I recommend True Grace One Daily Probiotic because it delivers 12 strains and 90 billion live probiotic cultures per capsule.
- Don’t forget fermented foods. Heinen’s Sauerkraut and unsweetened plant-based yogurt or grass-fed yogurt are loaded with friendly bacteria called probiotics to support digestive health.
- Season your food with salt-free herbs and spices. My favorites are Heinen’s Organic Spices and Bragg 24 Herbs and Spices Organic Seasoning.
- Try A2 milk and cheese products. They contain A2 protein, a type of protein from the milk of goats and heritage breed cows that is easier for humans to digest than the A1 protein in traditional dairy products. Heinen’s has their own assortment of organic A2 cheeses in the Specialty Cheese and Deli Departments that are delicious in dishes or on cheeseboards. If you’re lactose free, plant-based milks and cheeses can easily replace cow’s milk dairy.
- Start your meal with a serving of raw produce. The abundance of enzymes in fresh fruits and vegetables can help minimize bloating and improve digestive health.
- Enjoy a serving of bitter fruits and veggies. Dandelion greens, Heinen’s arugula, broccoli rabe, cranberries, grapefruit, kale, radicchio, and Brussels sprouts stimulate your digestive system and improve the absorption of food.
- Sip on a mug of warm bone broth. This gelatin and collagen-containing beverage supports overall gut health and digestion when consumed regularly.
- Drink digestive enzymes. Mix one tablespoon of Heinen’s raw apple cider vinegar into 8 ounces of water and drink before meals to provide your body with digestive enzymes.
- Add a quarter cup of fresh chopped parsley to your dinner. Parsley is extremely high in fiber, which makes it a great natural digestive aid.
- Eat at a slow pace to avoid overeating. It takes 20-30 minutes for your brain to receive the signal that you’ve had enough to eat. Set your fork down between bites and allow yourself time to enjoy the meal in front of you.
Fx™-Approved Supplements and Teas to Aid in Digestion and Prevent Bloating
Show up to any holiday dinner with one of these digestive supplements or teas from your local Heinen’s and your family will surely be thankful! Please consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new supplements.
- Digestive Enzymes: Heinen’s Wellness Department carries a variety of enzyme supplements to meet your digestive needs. To help your body process different types of nutrients, choose a supplement that provides multiple enzymes and take as directed, preferably ten minutes before a meal. Digest Spectrum by Enzymedica is a great choice!
- Heinen’s Papaya Enzyme: Natural fruit sources of enzymes include pineapple, kiwi, mango, and papaya. Heinen’s papaya enzyme is a convenient chewable supplement you can take after meals to promote better digestion and absorption of food.
- Wonderbelly Antacids: A new clean-ingredient, vegan, non-GMO chewable supplement providing maximum strength, fast relief from heartburn, acid indigestion, and upset stomach.
- Ginger: Ginger is a functional food known to relieve nausea and help aid digestion. Try it fresh or in one of these convenient forms:
- The Ginger People Gin Gins are a delightfully spiced, individually wrapped candy that can easily be added to each place setting at your holiday table.
- Heinen’s Turmeric and Ginger Shots or Suja Digestion Shots with Ginger and Probiotics are convenient 2-ounce shots to take after dinner to prevent bloating.
- New Chapter Ginger Force can help support overall intestinal health.
- Digestive Aid Teas
- Traditional Medicinals Organic Ginger and Chamomile Tea works wonders for digestion and relaxation.
- Traditional Medicinals Organic Belly Comfort Tea is a digestive aid created to relieve stomach distress after eating. Peppermint, ginger, bitter fennel fruit, papaya, and cinnamon are among its most powerful functional ingredients.
Key Takeaway
Your body is brilliant! It’s so smart that when you overeat or eat the wrong foods, it sends you obvious signs, like a distended, uncomfortable stomach, to communicate its displeasure.
In this way, bloating is like a gift because it prompts you to make a change for the better! What steps are you inspired to take to get in front of holiday bloating?
Please consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new supplements.
