Health

Five Quick Fix ways to Banish Bloat for the Beach

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We’ve all been there. That moment of utter panic when you realise you have a week left until you need to strut your stuff on the beach in your swimwear, and your tummy appears not to have got the memo. Stomach bloating occurs for a variety of reasons, from simply retaining water to more serious underlying conditions such as IBS. The good news is, there are some quick fix ways to tackle the look of a swollen stomach – just in time for your beach debut.

Cut Out the Fizz

One of the quickest fixes to get a flat tummy is to immediately cut out all carbonated drinks  – not just sodas, but sparkling water and wines as well. The little bubbles that these drinks contain can quickly cause even the flattest stomach to swell up. One way to combat the issue is by using ginger – either make fresh ginger tea, hot or chilled, or add grated ginger to a stir-fry or a honey and lemon drink. This magic little root has the power to calm your intestinal tract and take away excess gas, meaning your stomach doesn’t get as bloated.

Wave Bye Bye To Salt

They may seem harmless enough, but foods packed with sodium and adding salt to meals can really cause your tummy to expand. The reason for this is that sodium attracts water, meaning that it’s not flushed out of the body as efficiently. The end result? You look up to two dress sizes heavier! Avoid adding salt to your meals or eating things that are naturally high in them, such as some types of bread, soy sauce,  crisps and processed ready-meals. Instead, seek out foods that fight water retention. That generally means things with a high potassium content – bananas, melon, mango and avocado. Potassium acts as a diuretic, meaning it helps the body to flush out excess water and de-bloat.

Not All Veggies Are Friendly

When it comes to achieving that enviable flat tum in a hurry, you may assume that all fruits and vegetables are your friend – unfortunately, this isn’t so. Despite their other health benefits, some have the effect of making the body produce more gas, causing bloating. A lot of dark, cruciferous vegetables can make you swell up, including cauliflower, celery, broccoli, beans, onions and sprouts. So you may want to find substitutes in the short-term while you’re focusing on debloating!

Leave The Booze Behind

You may recall hearing that alcohol is a diuretic, so it shouldn’t be a problem, right? Actually, that’s wrong. Aside from the empty calories, and the high sugar content of some alcohol such as sweet spirits and wines, it can actually trigger the body to try and hold onto more water, thanks to it’s intensely dehydrating effect. So if you’re really serious, save the alcoholic drinks until you’re on holiday, and stick to flavoured waters and herbal teas instead.

Choose Wholegrains and Carb Substitutes

The body turns carbs into glycogen, a type of fuel. There’s nothing wrong with that, but each gram of glycogen in the body also means you store about three grams of water. So aim to control the carbs in your diet, either by opting for the whole grain alternatives (which also happen to be more filling in smaller portions) or by swapping them out for substitutes such as courtgetti and butternut squash noodles.

 

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