If, no matter how much physical activity you do, you still have a bloated stomach, review your eating habits, follow a healthy and balanced diet and rule out possible gastric problems.
This is a reality for many people. They do not find an apparent reason for their problem: no matter how much they do, they always have a swollen belly.
Why does it swell and how can we reduce it?
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Swollen belly: discomfort and dissatisfaction
Having a belly like a balloon is really uncomfortable.
It makes us feel bad in summer when we want to wear bathing suit or wear clothes that are tighter to the body.
And worst of all is not knowing the reasons for the swelling in order to avoid or reduce them.
Basically, those responsible are the diet, poor digestion and the accumulation of gases.
Pay attention to the causes of a swollen belly:
1. Eat quickly
When eating (at any time of the day): do you chew each bite well, or do you basically swallow without breathing?
Those who eat quickly and stop when they feel full multiply their risk of being overweight.
In part, this is because it takes the brain about 20 minutes to signal the stomach that it is full.
When you eat too fast, hunger continues even after several bites or servings.
On the other hand, this habit causes us to swallow more air, which accumulates in the belly and, therefore, swells.
When we do not chew well, foods full of carbohydrates reach the stomach almost intact and do not contain the necessary saliva to be predigested.
Thus, stomach fermentation results in inflammation and gas.
2. Consume fried foods
Junk food is the number one cause of many current problems and illnesses. The fried, battered and breaded produce the feeling of a bloated belly (among other pathologies).
The way we cook food has a lot to do with how we feel after eating.
When the food has absorbed oil, it goes to the stomach and slows down the digestion process.
Therefore, after frying, we can feel bloated or with little capacity to carry out our activities.
3. Drink carbonated soft drinks
The bubbles swell the belly. That is not new. So why do we continue to consume sodas or carbonated waters?
If in addition to gas we take into account sugar, all those empty calories contribute to weight gain.
If these drinks are taken during meals, the feeling of a bloated belly will be greater. Even with light drinks.
4. Eating fibers the wrong way
Both the excess and the lack of fibers makes us show off a swollen belly.
If we do not eat enough, we will suffer constipation. Not going to the bathroom periodically results in a swollen abdomen.
Many people make the mistake of eating too many fibers, which is also bad for your health.
Why? Because it causes diarrhea that, in addition to being annoying, also causes bloating.
5. Digestive problems
Some say “lack of enzymatic or digestive strength” and it means that the stomach does not have the ability to digest food properly.
Perhaps it could be due to an innate health problem of the person but, in most cases, it is caused by the food we eat.
If our diet is based on refined foods such as flour (bread, cookies, pasta) and sugar, enzymes have to work too hard to digest them.
This overload reduces not only the efficiency, but also the number of elements in charge of digestion.
If we do not fully digest food, it breaks down inside us and can lead to gas, dyspepsia and, of course, bloating.
6. Eat always cooked vegetables
By cooking food, we can remove all the nutrients and enzymes.
The heat kills the vitamins and proteins in the vegetables, and when they reach the stomach, the gastric juices must work much harder to break them down.
7. Intolerances to certain foods
Perhaps we are intolerant to a particular food and do not know it, and its intake causes us to swell in the belly.
Celiac disease and lactose intolerance are the two most common, but there are more.
They cause slow digestion, diarrhea or constipation, nausea, gastritis, and vomiting.
8. Bad posture
If we spend all day with the body bent forward, not only will our back and neck ache, but we will also wear a bulging belly.
Why? Because the natural girdle of the body is “weakening” and the belly expanding.
9. Fluid retention
The cause of having a bloated belly is not only due to solid food, but also to the liquids that accumulate in the body.
A clear example happens with women during the menstrual period.
Hormones retain fluids and, if we add to that little or no water intake and the consumption of salty foods (or a lot of any food), the situation worsens.
10. Sedentary lifestyle
It is true that many times we exercise and lose weight in other parts of the body and not the abdomen.
However, it is worse to stay at home lying on the couch.
The fat in the abdomen weakens the muscles in the area and it is increasingly difficult for us to “keep them afloat.”
Keys to reducing a swollen belly
These tips can be of vital use if you want to eliminate stomach bloating:
- Eat small portions.
- Eat fresh salads and raw fruits.
- Rule out intolerances to certain foods.
- Avoid sodas and drink lots of water.
- Try a low-carbohydrate diet and cut down on sugars.
- Avoid constipation.
- Exercise 3 times a week.