Bloating can be uncomfortable and disruptive, but small lifestyle changes can make a big difference. From staying hydrated and chewing your food well to avoiding carbonated drinks and eating smaller meals, these ten practical tips will help you manage and prevent bloating, supporting better digestive health and overall well-being.
1. Don’t skip meals
Leaving long gaps between meals can make bloating worse. If you are going more than 4 hours between meals, try and have a healthy snack in between.
2. Drink plenty of water
Staying hydrated is important for our digestive systems. Aim for 2 litres per day.
3. Try have smaller portions
Eating large portions at meals can sometime be too much for our system to digest. Try having smaller meals more frequently.
4. Chew your food well
The process of digestion actually starts in our mouths. By chewing food well, this makes less work for our stomach. Aim for 10-20 chews per bite.
5. Avoid carbonated drinks
Carbonated drinks can introduce gas into the gut and include any drinks which have a fizz such as sparkling water, soda’s, prosecco, lager and tonic water.
6. Reduce fatty and ultra-processed foods
Frequent consumption of high fat and ultra-processed foods can hinder our gut health. Try and stick to a balanced diet with plenty of fruit and veg.
7. Soluble fibre
Some types of fibre can make bloating worse, however soluble fibre is gentle on the gut and can help to ease bloating. Sources include oats, flaxseed, avocado and apples.
8. Limit alcohol
Excess alcohol can have bad effects on our gut and general health so best to avoid as much as possible.
9. Don’t rush meal times
We lead such busy lives these days that many of us eat on the go, which is not good news for our digestion! Avoid eating on the go and try to sit down and take some time to enjoy your meal.
10. Try peppermint tea
Peppermint tea can help to sooth bloating and also counts towards hydration!
