It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Christmas is just around the corner, it’s the time to treat yourself and enjoy a tasty feast with loved ones. Between stuffing yourself with juicy turkey, fluffy potatoes, tender barbecue ribs and the sparkling wine can leave you with a monster food baby spilling over your jeans.
We want to feel our best whilst indulging in this festive season, here’s some great tips to BEAT the bloatedness this Christmas! Let’s avoid the dreaded post-meal bloat!
Drink up! - Don’t forget to hydrate yourself! Drink at least 8 glasses of water per day. Whether you had a little too much alcohol or had a giant meal, having plenty of water in our body helps to flush our system and reduce the puffiness, eliminating those extra fluids and sodium. Happen to have a lemon at home? Even better! Make yourself a glass of warm lemon water. Lemons are gentle laxatives and diuretics. Consuming lemon water can help reduce the amount of salt and water retained in the body.
Avoid eating a large volume of food in one sitting - Go in with a game plan! Don’t just fill your plates with everything that looks good on the table. Focus on what you really like to eat. A good rule of thumb is to eat until you’re about 90 percent full and then call it. Practice portion control and listen to your hunger cues. STOP when you’re full and satisfied. Prevention is better than cure, right?
Get off the couch and go for a walk - You may want to rest on the couch after a gigantic feast. Fight that urge! Get off the couch and start moving. Going for a simple 15-minute nighttime stroll can speed up digestion and aid bowel movements. Once things get moving down there, the food in your gut should take the gas along with it.
Cupping Therapy - Don’t have the willpower to get moving? Try cupping! Cupping is an excellent, non-invasive way to help your digestive system work more smoothly. It relaxes the stomach muscles and improves blood flow, eliminates toxins that may have been building up in your body. Get a BELLABACI silicone cup kit here and debloat yourself at the convenience of your own home.
Sip some hot tea - Swap your Christmas evening tipple for a cup of hot tea! When it comes to a quick fix for bloat, consuming natural diuretic such as green teas or ginger tea is a great way to encourage the digestive system to empty more quickly and efficiently and to get rid of excess fluid.
Consume natural diuretics - I’m sure you have heard of detox tea. It may sound like it does wonders to weight loss and bloating from the countless reviews you’ve read online by influential celebrities. BUT BUT BUT! If it’s too good to be true, it probably is. Some detox tea contains harmful ingredients such as strong herbs and high levels of caffeine that can cause irregular heartbeat and chest pain. Try GERARD’S SLIM ACTIVE DRINK. It is a powerful blend of natural plant extracts and gentle herbs from green tea, birch, grapefruit, pineapple and dandelion; containing a range of bloat relieving nutrients such as potassium and natural digestive enzymes that help to flush away excess fluids and sodium in your body.
Minimise intake of carbonated beverages and soda - We already know that the bubbles from carbonated beverages can temporarily inflate the stomach, leading to increased fluid retention and bloating. Even more potent than carbonation is the artificial sweeteners in soda. Certain sweeteners such as sugar alcohols, which can be found in some diet sodas can cause digestive issues such as gas and belly bloat. Bloating is common and often uncomfortable.
Hopefully after you follow a few of our tips on how to beat bloatedness, there will be minimal instances of trying to squeeze into your favourite pair of jeans after this Christmas.