Bloating or Bloated Belly is no fun. It makes you feel like you have a balloon in your belly that’s about to pop. There are many reasons why you might get bloated, such as eating too much, swallowing air, or having a digestive problem.
But did you know
that some of your habits can also make you more Bloated Belly or make it harder for you to get rid of the gas in your stomach? Here
are five habits that you should ditch if you want to have a flatter and happier
tummy.
Five Habits You Should Not Do If You Don't Want a Bloated Belly
Eating too fast
Eating too fast is
a bad habit that can make you feel bloated and uncomfortable. When you gulp
down your food, you also swallow a lot of air. This air gets trapped in your
stomach and intestines, causing gas and pressure.
Eating too fast can also make you eat more than you need, which can stretch your stomach and make you feel full and heavy. To avoid this, try to slow down and enjoy your food. Chew each bite well and savor the flavors. This will help your food digest better and make you feel more satisfied with less food.
Drinking carbonated beverages
Carbonated drinks,
like soda, beer, and sparkling water, have bubbles of gas in them. When you
drink them, some of the gas can stay in your stomach and intestines, making you
feel bloated and gassy.
Carbonated drinks can also make your stomach acid go up your throat, which is called acid reflux or GERD. This can make you swallow more air and make your bloating worse. To avoid this, drink less carbonated drinks and choose plain water or herbal tea instead. They are better for your stomach and your health.
Chewing gum or sucking on hard candies
Chewing gum or sucking on hard candies is a bad idea if you don’t want to feel bloated. When you do that, you also take in a lot of air. This air can make you feel gassy and swollen. Also, some gums and candies have fake sweeteners, like sorbitol, xylitol, or mannitol, that can make some people have diarrhea and gas. To avoid this, don’t chew gum or suck on hard candies, especially if they have sugar alcohols in them. If you want to have fresh breath, use a mouthwash or brush your teeth instead.
Eating foods that cause gas
Certain foods
possess the potential to induce greater bloating compared to others. These
specific foods contain elements that your colon struggles to digest
effectively, such as fiber, sugar alcohols, and FODMAPs. The term
"FODMAPs" stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides,
monosaccharides, and polyols, which collectively represent types of sugars
posing absorption challenges for certain individuals.
When these foods
get to your colon, they start to ferment, which means they make gas and
bubbles. This can make your stomach puff up and hurt. Some examples of foods
that have these things are beans, peas, lentils, cabbage, onions, broccoli,
cauliflower, whole-grain foods, mushrooms, certain fruits, and dairy products.
If you want to
avoid bloating, you should try to eat less of these foods or cut them out
completely. You can also try taking some supplements that can help you digest these
foods better, like digestive enzymes or probiotics.
Digestive enzymes are substances that help break down the food in your stomach and intestines. Probiotics are good bacteria that live in your gut and help balance your digestion. These supplements can help you reduce gas and bloating and improve your gut health.
Being sedentary
Being lazy can also
make you bloated and constipated. When you don’t move much, your digestion
slows down and your poop gets stuck in your colon. This can make you have a lot
of waste and gas in your belly. This can make you feel uncomfortable and dissapointed.
To avoid this, you should exercise more often to improve your digestion and help prevent bloating. Exercise can also help you lose weight, which can make your belly less tight and more relaxed.
Social Impact that Occurs When Experiencing a Distended Stomach
Bloating is when your belly feels swollen and icky. It can happen for many reasons, like eating too much, swallowing air, having a tummy problem, or not being able to handle some foods. Bloating can make you feel bad about yourself and your life. Here are some of the things that can happen when you have a bloated belly:
A. You may feel bad or insecure about how you look.
You may think that
people will stare at your big belly and make fun of you. You may not want to
wear tight clothes or show your belly in public. You may also feel less pretty
or sure of yourself.
B. You may feel
uncomfortable or hurt in your body.
A bloated belly can
make you feel stuffed, heavy, or squeezed. It can also cause cramps, gas, or
nausea. These things can make it hard for you to do your daily stuff and make
you feel awful. You may have trouble sleeping, working, exercising, or having
fun.
C. You may have
trouble hanging out or eating with others.
Experiencing
abdominal bloating might trigger feelings of unease or apprehension regarding
eating in a group setting. Concerns could revolve around potential overeating,
inadvertent air swallowing, or the likelihood of developing gas.
Consequently, you
might opt to avoid certain bloating-inducing foods, such as beans, dairy items,
or carbonated beverages. This avoidance could result in reduced food intake and
potentially cause you to miss out on social gatherings or celebratory
occasions.
Conclusion
Bloating is not a
small problem that you should just ignore. It can affect your health and
happiness in a big way. If you have bloating all the time or very badly, you
should go to the doctor to find out what’s wrong and get the right treatment.
You should also try
to do things that can help you avoid or reduce bloating, like exercising often,
eating slowly and carefully, drinking lots of water, and staying away from
foods that make you gassy. By taking care of your belly and yourself, you can
make your social life and well-being better.