Bloat is no joke. That swollen sensation seems to pop up morning, noon, and night with no regard for the fact that we have jobs to do, people to see, and lives to live. Good news: Even though it may sometimes seem like you're doomed to feel like a puffer fish for all of eternity, you definitely don't have to. There are a handful of ways to effectively reduce your bloat, but first you have to pinpoint the cause.
Feeling bloated has become kind of a catchall way of saying you're swollen or gassy, and Michelle Cohen, M.D., a gastroenterologist at Mount Sinai Hospital in Brooklyn, specifically defines it as "the sensation of feeling full of gas and air or fluids." She explains that it is also often associated with distention, which is when you physically look bigger. Basically, if it seems like you magically gained weight in a matter of hours or you feel like you're going to pop, it's safe to say you're probably bloated.
Cohen tells SELF that "a lot of the ways to treat [bloating] have to do with how, when, and what we eat," so uncovering the source of your swell is the key to reducing it. These are the most likely reasons you're feeling all puffed up and some easy ways to resolve your problem.
Waking up on the wrong side of the bed is one thing. Waking up bloated, Cohen explains, is actually pretty normal. "Some people wake up feeling bloated and then they go to the bathroom, expel everything, and feel better." If you're having a little trouble actually getting things to move down there right when you wake up, whip up one of these debloating breakfasts or have a cup of coffee to activate your digestive system.
You may know fiber as the essential nutrient for digestive health. But if you suddenly start eating a bunch of fiber like there's no tomorrow (maybe because you're constipated?) it may actually backfire, cause you more GI stress, and, yep, gassy bloating. If you're intentionally trying to eat more fiber, Cohen recommends upping your intake slowly while also making sure to drink lots of water. And if you accidentally ate too much fiber (sometimes dried fruit is just too good!), again, you're gonna want to reach for lots of water and hold off on fibrous foods for a little bit.
This one is a little trickier to spot than others. If you've been lactose- or gluten-intolerant your whole life, then by now you know that dairy or wheat will probably puff you up. Unfortunately, certain food intolerances or allergies can appear later in life (lactose-intolerance being one such example). If your eating habits haven't changed, but you're suddenly bloated every single day, Cohen says there’s a good chance you could be reacting to FODMAPs, small-chain carbohydrates—things like lactose and fructose—that are found in a bunch of healthy foods and can be hard for our GI tracts to handle. She recommends asking your doctor about trying a strict low-FODMAP diet to determine what exactly might be ailing you.
If your go-to coffee order comes with two packets of Splenda and you're bloated by the time you get to the office, artificial sweeteners may be your problem. Like those FODMAP foods, Cohen explains that, "we don't have the capability to absorb those sugars, so they will stay in the gut, draw fluid in, and cause gas."
If your fingers swell up after you eat a bag of chips, all that salt is the likely culprit behind your bloat. As SELF has previously reported, consuming high amounts of sodium can cause your body to retain water. A quick fix for this problem? Lay off the salty foods for a bit and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! The more water you put into your system, the less your body will feel the need to hold onto it.
According to Cohen, eating too fast can cause bloating for a couple of reasons. Firstly, your stomach can only accommodate so much, so if you're eating a lot in a little amount of time, Cohen says you'll be "overloading your system." Additionally, she explains that when you inhale your food you're also inhaling extra air. All that air can become trapped in your stomach which can lead to, you guessed it, bloating. The lesson? Try to slow down and enjoy your food a bit more mindfully.
Cohen tells her bloated patients to avoid drinking seltzer because, "you're basically drinking gas," and more gas = more bloat. Don't get us wrong, we love the bubbs, but if you're already pretty gassy, you're probably better off opting for a glass of the still stuff.
You know how you're pretty much always bloated after a long flight or a road trip? Well that might be because you haven't moved in a few hours. "Being stationary might not cause bloating, but it definitely won't help it,” Cohen says. When you’re puffed up, getting moving can help things, you know, get moving. That's why she encourages her clients to exercise regularly. "The colon benefits from not being stationary all day." Even while traveling or sitting at your desk, getting up every hour or so will help your whole body stay active—and that includes your digestive system.
