5 Natural Solutions for Bloating

Does your stomach feel uncomfortably full after you eat? Do your pants become progressively tighter throughout the day? If so, you may be one of the 30% of adults who experience bloating – a common digestive woe.^[1]

There are many different factors that contribute to bloating. Thankfully there are simple lifestyle changes that you can make to reduce your incidence of bloating, as well as natural products that can be used to reduce excess gas. Here are five natural solutions for bloating.

1. Chew food thoroughly

One of the simplest ways to improve digestion and reduce bloating is to chew your food more thoroughly. Chewing physically reduces food into smaller, easier-to-digest fragments and gives the digestive enzymes found in saliva time to chemically breakdown starch and lipids into simpler molecular structures.^[2] Eating quickly, gulping food, and not properly chewing food rushes this key digestive step, ultimately resulting in bloating and gas.

Chewing for longer also gives your brain more time to recognize when you are full, making you less apt to overeat.^[3]

2. Eat low-FODMAP foods

Food intolerance is a well-known trigger for abdominal bloating.^[4] If you’re unsure of which foods are the culprits, keeping a food journal can help you track them.

Some people have difficulty absorbing FODMAPs (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols), which are found in wheat, dairy, and certain fruits, vegetables, legumes, and cereals.

These types of carbohydrates can become rapidly fermented by bacteria present in the colon, leading to excess gas production and painful bloating.^[5] Increasing the amount of low-FODMAP fibre in the diet has been shown to reduce intestinal gas production in people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).^[6]

The Right Fibre 4™ is a great solution for anyone following a low FODMAP diet and those wanting to relieve minor gastrointestinal discomfort, such as gas and bloating. It is an all-natural soluble dietary fibre and prebiotic supplement that dissolves quickly in your favourite beverage, for convenient support of healthy gastrointestinal function.

3. Alleviate gas naturally

Carminative herbs and natural preparations, such as peppermint, help reduce gas formation in the digestive tract or alleviate existing gas. Additionally, herbs such as ginger and turmeric have anti-inflammatory activities and aid digestion by encouraging bile flow from the liver.^[7] Some great herbal options to keep on hand for unexpected gas and digestive distress include:

• Peppermint

• Ginger root

• Turmeric

• Aniseed

• Cinnamon

• Fennel

Webber Naturals’ range of digestive support products include traditional carminative herbs in addition to other scientifically researched ingredients for supporting digestive health.

4. Replenish gut microflora

Changes to your gut microflora can have a big impact on your digestive processes and the production of gas. Some species of microflora are responsible for the breakdown and fermentation of carbohydrates in your gut. Although this is an important part of digestion, imbalances in microflora populations may change the type and volume of gas produced – ultimately increasing symptoms of bloating.^[4]

A regular intake of probiotic-rich foods, such as natural yogurt, kefir, tempeh, and kimchi, can help you maintain a healthy microflora balance to support intestinal and gastrointestinal health. Daily supplementation with a probiotic formula for overall gastrointestinal health has also been shown to relieve symptoms of bloating.^[4] Probiotic 50 Billion features five lactobacilli strains and five bifidobacteria strains for relief from gas, bloating, and abdominal pain. With no refrigeration required!

5. Seek enzyme support

Enzymes are the proteins that help start and speed up chemical reactions in the body. They play important roles in the digestion of food and helping break it down into absorbable nutrients. Gas and bloating after you eat may be a sign that you’re lacking the enzymes needed to completely digest the proteins, fats, and carbohydrates in your food.

Supplementation with enzymes can help people with enzyme insufficiencies and food sensitivities relieve symptoms of incomplete digestion.^[8] Webber Naturals offers a range of digestive enzymes and enzyme formulas to support normal digestive processes for the maintenance of good health. This includes:

• Lactase to assist in the digestion of foods containing lactose from dairy products

• Amylase to help break down carbohydrates

• Papain from papaya to aid the digestion of proteins

• Bromelain from pineapple to help with breaking down protein

• Lipase to assist with digesting fats and oils

• Cellulase and hemicellulase for difficult to digest plant fibres

Beat the bloat

Don’t let the discomforts of bloating hold you back. In addition to these five natural solutions for bloating, be sure to fit in daily exercise to keep bowel function regular and help manage weight – two issues related to bloating.

With just a few small changes to your diet and eating habits, you’ll be on your way to beating the bloat and enjoying healthier, more efficient digestion.

Patience Lister, BSc

Patience Lister is a professional writer who helps to inspire healthier and more sustainable food and supplement choices.

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