Summer is obviously NOT the time to feel bloated. The warm cozy sweaters are taken off and we- and our bellies- are more exposed!
Bloating can be caused by differing things, including excess water retention and gas built up in you digestive tract. In a recent publication of Medical News Today it breaks down common causes and reinforces how water retention can really puff you up. The hot and humid summer months don’t help, when you can easily become more dehydrated and sensitive to the salt you are ingesting.
But there is much you CAN do to help! Without further ado…
Here are some tips to reduce bloating this summer:
1. Be Sure To Enjoy A Banana!
As you Beauties know, I love bananas and I eat them daily! One of the reasons I am obsessed with bananas is because they have potassium, which helps reduce bloating. Potassium helps balance the effects of sodium on your body, which in turn reduces bloating. I believe bananas are one of the perfect foods for humans. If you look down at your hands, you’ll see that your nimble fingers, pushing buttons on your computer to read this right now. Not only is it easy to fit a banana into your daily routine it tastes good too!
2. Parsley, Parsley, Parsley!
A simple way to fight bloating is to get into the habit of adding parsley into your life. I throw it into wraps and salad. I also try to throw it into my Glowing Green Smoothie from time to time as well. Studies have proven it is a natural diuretic and helps cleanse your blood, stimulating the movement of toxins out of your body through your kidneys. Parsley is an excellent digestion restorative remedy. It improves the digestion of proteins and fats, and because of its high enzyme content, parsley benefits digestive activity and elimination. It also helps cleanse the liver of toxins and rejuvenates it. When your body is properly expelling toxins you will feel lighter and less bloated.
3. Warming Ginger
Ginger is great in the summer. With the theme of reducing bloating, ginger can be a key player in your line up! Ginger helps promote detoxification, elevates metabolism and immunity, and is warming without being irritating. Many of my clients and readers want to incorporate ginger into their daily lives, but have held off on doing so simply because they don’t know quite what to do with it. One of the most simple ways to add ginger into your diet is to add a few pieces into your hot water with lemon in the morning!
4. Take Probiotics & Detoxy+
Constipation and digestive distress is one of the TOP reasons for chronic, long-term bloating. While there are a seemingly infinite number of supplements out there that can be taken, I generally recommend these primary supplements for bloating. Not surprisingly, they all have to do with optimizing digestion and elimination.
- The first is our Feel Good SBO Probiotics. And that’s because probiotics are literally the building blocks of a healthy digestive system. They help digest food, keep pathogens at bay, aid your immune system and so much more. Our SBO probiotic is especially powerful for reducing bloating, with many of the reviews noting change in the first month.
- The next one is Feel Good Detoxy — which is a powerful, magnesium-based non-laxative internal cleanser that helps remove unwanted waste and increase detoxification in your colon. Given that old, stagnant waste plays a big part in bloating, Detoxy is a very potent way to eliminate gas and shrink your tummy by reducing the bloat.
5. Reduce Soda Intake
It’s no surprise that fizzy drinks can make us bloated. Soda and other carbonated beverages are one of the worst culprits of bloating. In a study that supports why carbonated beverages cause more bloating it explains:
“The physiology of intestinal gas, which develops primarily from food and drinks that are ingested or swallowed. Large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) are produced in the small intestine as a byproduct of digestion, and much is reabsorbed in the small intestine”
This basically means, carbonated soft drinks have air bubbles that travel to the stomach and release carbon dioxide within the digestive tract, creating an uncomfortable bloating sensation. An easy way to stop this form of bloating is to cut out those beverages! Your body needs water more than anything to ensure you are keeping yourself hydrated and bloat free! You may be wondering is Kombucha okay? My thoughts are yes, in moderation, because the carbonation is naturally created and much milder.)
Graphic explaining process in study above. Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
6. Eat Fruit On A Empty Stomach
As I mentioned above fruit can be a cause of bloating. I do want to mention, I think fruit is an amazing Beauty Food loaded with fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. It’s cleansing and beautifying. Don’t be afraid of it. But, one thing many people are not aware of is that they should eat fruit on an empty stomach to avoid feeling bloated. Are you feeling bloated after eating fruit? Try to notice when you’re eating fruit during the day. Are you having it after eating heavier foods? Remember to practice our Beauty Food Pairing Rules and to have fruit on an empty stomach or just with leafy greens, such as in my Glowing Green Smoothie®.
Another critical point to remember is, do not eat fruit as a dessert. Because fruit is mostly made of a high percentage water, it digests quickly. If you eat it after heavier foods it can make you bloated (making it difficult to digest), and hinder your weight loss efforts. So at your summer cookouts this summer be sure to skip the fruit salad or watermelon after a big meal!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this post. We’ve covered 6 simple tips that can easily reduce bloating this summer- and I hope you put them to use!!
Following these steps along with the core principles of Beauty Detox will help ensure you have optimal digestion, minimum puffiness or bloating, and feel your best.
See you back here soon! Have a beautiful day.
Sending love,
Kimberly
Sharing some gratitude and magical feelings after making the epic hike to the Hanakapiai Falls in Kauai and then swimming underneath the falls to the other side (in the freezing water!). Ah!! Lots of love!! xo
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