3 SURPRISING WAYS TO REDUCE BELLY BLOAT
Article by Isabel Barjaktarevic
Photo Credit: Karena & Katrina of Tone It Up
3 Surprising Ways to Reduce Belly Bloat
Having a bloated belly is an uncomfortable feeling and to be honest, I have been bloated a few times lately myself, whether it’s during my woman’s cycle or after eating an oversized plate of pasta. Hey, don’t judge…I’m human too! The thing that I have learned over the years is to be able to know what’s going on within the body and realize why it has happened.
Right now you could be feeling as though you’re carrying a ball in front of you and it’s uncomfortable. You may even be experiencing some abdominal pains and you know you haven’t been doing any sit ups lately! Feeling gassy and bloated is so damn embarrassing and you wish you knew what to do.
I’m going to break a few things down for you in the following 3 tips, so that you can see whether it’s something you can incorporate into your daily life. I encourage you to give them a go and see whether they work for your body, as different things work for different beings!
1 || Be mindful of what you put into your body
Being mindful can mean a whole array of things, however I want to break this down simply for you. When you eat, are you sitting quietly and focusing on the nourishing foods you are putting into your body? Are you savouring the flavours and textures? Are you doing a million things at the same time while eating? Any of these things can contribute to major stomach issues and can cause indigestion and gas. Being mindful can be as simple as taking the time out to eat and focusing on the very act of eating. In a rushed city environment, we can feel so overwhelmed with tasks that we forget to step back and nourish our body the way nature intended. Next time you’re ready for lunch, take time away from that desk, put yourself in a calm, relaxed space and enjoy the very act of eating. Feel the textures, taste the flavours and give gratitude for that time to nourish your body.
2 || Rephrase those thoughts
What are the thoughts that run through your head on a daily basis? You may not even be consciously aware of them as studies have shown that we have around 70,000 thoughts, running through our heads every single day! Crazy I know, right? Now, what some of those thoughts could be saying either consciously or subconsciously, is something along the lines of “This cake will make me feel like crap, but I love it so I’m going to eat it anyway” or “I shouldn’t eat more of this pasta as I’m feeling full, but I don’t want to waste any”. Now, if these are some of the thoughts that you seem to recognise yourself saying, it’s time to dig deep, acknowledge them and reframe them into something else that actually makes you feel good. In other words, if you catch yourself thinking along the lines of the first thought I mentioned, acknowledge to yourself that you have recognised the thought and then rephrase it and say “This cake is delicious and I will eat a piece of it mindfully, while savouring every single mouthful. I will thoroughly enjoy it.” And for the second phrase, you can acknowledge the old thought and rephrase it to “I would love to eat more of this pasta, however my body is fully nourished and I will save the rest to enjoy tomorrow for lunch”. They sound so simple, however you would be surprised at how many of us just go along with our everyday rushed lives and not realise the many thoughts going through our minds. Try it, you may be pleasantly surprised!
3 || Essential oils are essential!
Now you may have heard that essential oils are beautiful to smell and that lavender is great for sleep, but they are so much more than that. They have been used for centuries and the reason being is that they are potent plant extracts with natural benefits that are abundant. It’s really important that you research the company before choosing an essential oil as they’re not all created in the same way. The oils I use are from a reputable company known for their potency and purity, and are organic. The best essential oils for the stomach include peppermint, ginger and fennel. There’s a reason why they give out fennel seeds at an Indian restaurant after the meal is over. It’s a great digestive aid! Well, when these are extracted into the oil form, it’s much more potent and naturally sweet and can help support healthy digestion when taken internally in a veggie capsule or glass of water. Please make sure the oils you take are safe for internal use. Peppermint is excellent also used internally (caution recommended once again) and when diluted with fractionated coconut oil and massaged on the stomach area. It can relieve feelings of discomfort and be soothing. Ginger is also a well-known remedy for nausea and can be used topically, diluted with a carrier oil over the stomach, or aromatically either straight from the bottle or a few drops on your hands and inhaled.
Make sure you take the time to try out these tips and see whether it feels right for you. Your body, mind and spirit deserve that loving care.
