How to banish bloat quickly
Belly bloat is uncomfortable and can be a total nuisance - especially when you are stuck at work and need to be relieved of it fast.
Here are some easy ways to banish bloat so you can feel better in two hours or less.
Go for a walk
A fast and fuss-free way to reduce bloating is to go for a quick walk right after eating.
Walking helps to stimulate the digestive system to encourage it to process food faster. It will also move gas along your digestive tract so you don't feel so uncomfortable all the time.
Sip warm water with cayenne pepper
This wonder tonic helps to de-bloat fast. Cayenne pepper has a compound called capsaicin that helps to increase the amount of digestive juices in your stomach, quickly reducing bloating caused by overeating. Mix a tiny pinch into your drink for quick relief.
Drink unsweetened green tea
Packed with antioxidants, green tea promotes digestion and releases gas from the digestive tract. The caffeine in green tea will also keep you awake if you are starting to feel sleepy from eating a heavy meal.
Snack on ginger
A potent digestive aid, ginger can alleviate bloating and gas in your belly and relieve your stomach lining of any inflammation too.
It contains digestive enzymes that boost your body's production of digestive fluids as well.
In a small study, participants who consumed a small amount of ginger powder before drinking soup cleared their stomachs 50 per cent faster than those who did not.
Try lemon water
Some people have raved about the benefits of drinking lemon water first thing in the morning.
While research has not backed these claims up, there certainly is no harm in trying, especially if you are not a fan of plain water.
Getting in more fluids will help flush out excess salt, a cause of bloat, and lemon helps give you a vitamin C boost.
Stretch it out
If you have got some space (or an empty meeting room), consider stretching to reduce the discomfort caused by bloating.
Some experts believe that certain yoga poses, such as happy baby and child's pose, can have a calming effect on different people.
This article first appeared in Shape (www.shape.com.sg)
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