5 Ways to Avoid Bloating After a Meal
Whether a daily occurrence or an unexpected visitor, bloating is never an enjoyable feeling after a meal. Sometimes bloating is due to WHAT we are eating, and other times HOW we eat also has a big impact.
The tips and tricks below are not an exhaustive list, but I have experienced their benefits in my own life and in the lives of my clients who struggle with frequent bloating.
Try these steps below to help aid digestion, and avoid bloating! We should spend more time enjoying our meals than dreading the aftermath.
1. Practice mindfulness.
There are many aspects to mindfulness around eating, but here are a few I’ve found to be most helpful:
Take a few deep breaths before you eat. Settle your mind, and let your body know it’s safe. When we eat in a state of stress, our bodies are actually more concerned with getting blood to our essential organs, not our digestive tract, which can result in bloating or stomach aches after eating.
When possible, eat undistracted. Many of us eat in front of a computer screen between calls or in front of the TV after a long day. But when we take a few minutes to share a meal with loved ones or even enjoy a quiet meal by ourselves, we’re able to increase satiety and decrease digestive distress.
Savor each bite and chew slowly. Especially for more hearty foods like meat or cruciferous veggies, make sure you’re chewing each bite at least 15-20 times. The more you break down food in your mouth, the less work your stomach has to do.
Put down your fork between bites - this will help slow down the pace of your meal and give your body more time to digest.
2. Wait on Water
While a common practice, drinking water with meals can actually dilute stomach acid and hinder the digestive process. Instead, drink water 30 minutes before a meal, and try to wait a few hours after eating before chugging from your water bottle. If you absolutely need something to drink with your meal, try some warm water with fresh lemon.
3. Get Moving
While a high-intensity workout may not feel good after a meal, going for a walk can do wonders! This not only supports digestion, but also helps to regulate blood sugar after a meal, so you can avoid the “food coma.”
After your heaviest meal of the day, try going for a walk around the block or engage in another type of light movement, to aid digestion & reduce bloating
4. Know Your Triggers
This one is huge! A lot of us don’t know what causes our bloating, but identifying these triggers can be both empowering & informative as you work on improving your digestion.
I work with every client who has digestive issues to track symptoms, find patterns, and connect the dots between what we eat and how we feel, so we can stop feeling anxious about whether a meal will leave us sick or satisfied.
5. Heal the Root
While the practices above can certainly be helpful tools for managing digestive issues, sometimes there’s deeper factors at play. Namely: in your gut. Correcting gut dysbiosis, repairing your intestinal walls, and nourishing your gut with healing pre- & probiotics will not only give short-term relief, but lasting results.
If you struggle with bloating and want to heal the root of what’s going on in your gut, send me a message to learn more about my gut health protocol. I'd love to help you feel your best!
