Abdominal bloating is a manifestation of our times, incorrect diet or food associations , fizzy drinks , eating meals in a hurry , stress and anxiety are some of the most common causes.

Abdominal bloating is an excess of gas accumulated in the stomach or intestines . Sometimes it brings with it other discomforts such as headache, constant belching, a sense of nausea, flatulence and intestinal difficulties.

We can prevent or treat abdominal swelling using different strategies, always starting with proper nutrition.

Strategies against abdominal bloating

> Nutrition : as anticipated, those suffering from abdominal bloating must pay close attention to nutrition, especially food associations that can prevent the formation of gas in the digestive or intestinal phase. First of all it is better to drink between meals and prefer water not added with effervescent elements. 

Drinking water while we eat generally dilutes gastric acids, food bolus and food digestion times, if gassed it causes bloating and belching, even if sometimes the sensation is what helps to digest. Regarding the association of foods , it is advisable not to introject sugars together with animal proteins as a fermentative and putrefactive effect is created that generates abdominal swelling.

So let’s avoid eating carbohydrates and meat or meat followed by fruit. Also associated dairy products and vegetables can create acidity and digestive difficulties with gas formation: ham and melon or mozzarella and tomato for those suffering from food bloating are not recommended dishes. We also pay attention to certain legumes such as chickpeas, beans, which not all organisms tolerate and create swelling.

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> Chewing : food digestion begins in the mouth and chewing is the most important act for a correct transformation into a bolus and the activation of digestive enzymes contained in saliva. Chewing must be prolonged , careful, time must be devoted to it, in fact haste is a bad friend of digestion. Small mouthfuls and adequate chewing allow little air to be introjected and unwanted swelling to be controlled.

>  Carminative supplements : in the event that it is difficult to study a tailor-made diet for reasons of time, lunches outside the home, we can resort to some natural aids with a carminative effect , which absorb the gaseous formations , which relieve abdominal swelling. In case of excess gas in the stomach, remedies such as fennel, caraway, cumin facilitate digestion, in case of intestinal gas , vegetable charcoal can be useful , provided that you do not suffer from constipation.

> Pre and probiotics : sometimes intestinal swelling is due to phenomena of dysbiosis, bacterial infection, inflammation of the colon and in these cases it can be useful to work on the “reclamation” of the soil, that is, on re-establishing the correct balance of the intestinal bacterial flora . For this purpose, prebiotics and probiotics come into play, capable of strengthening and enriching the intestinal defenses.

> Habits after meal : after having eaten meals it would be advisable to stay away from sofas and armchairs and engage in mild physical activity, such as taking a walk in the open air . Walking and breathing more intensely are activities that stimulate the metabolism, help gas exchanges, facilitate digestion.