Ask anyone who has ever had it and he or she will tell you that bloating is no fun. After all, who wants to walk around feeling and looking puffy from water retention and gas? To reduce how often you end up suffering from bloating, use these tips to improve your digestive tract health.
Drink More Water
It is not uncommon for people that suffer from bloating and water retention to avoid drinking water. While this may seem like a good idea, often times, the body holds onto excess water to prevent dehydration. Instead of reducing the amount of water and clear fluids you drink, give your body more of what it wants and needs. Add a lemon to each glass of water you drink to help your body flush toxins and excess water from your system.
Eat Foods That Fight Bloat
When the balance between sodium and potassium in your body is off, your body will start to retain excess water. Incorporating foods that help to restore that balance will help to keep the bloat away. Popular bloat fighting foods include watermelon, lemon, rosemary, celery, and cucumber into your meals and drinks.
Eliminate Trigger Foods
Some foods such as cabbage, broccoli and certain dairy products are known to cause gassiness and water retention. Since everyone is different, you may or may not have any bloating problems when you eat those particular foods, but may suffer from bloating when you eat other offending foods. Pay attention to your body when you eat, and learn to identify which foods make you feel gassy and bloated and which ones do not. Only through the process of elimination will you be able to identify and eliminate the foods that trigger this condition.
Reduce Sodium Intake
The more sodium you eat, the more your body will draw in water. Eliminate the excess sodium from your diet and eliminate water retention bloating from your life. Many processed foods contain sodium, so try to eat more fresh foods and consider cooking your own meals from scratch to control the amount of sodium in your diet.
