By Victoria Moorhouse, InStyle
File this under things you never thought you’d read: There
is a bright side to bloating. You can get rid of it. While it’s easy to
sit back and complain about it, there are some things you can do to nix
the problem for yourself. While avoiding things that cause it can help
(like ditching soda or lowering your sodium intake), there are a few
other tricks out there. Here, two nutrition experts gave us the lowdown
on a few of the best and the easiest ways to de-bloat.
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Chew on Celery
Nutritionist and founder of NAO Nutrition Nikki Ostrower
says this veggie effective as both a diuretic, a laxative, and even
relieves liver congestion. Drank too many beers at happy hour? She even
says it’s great for bloating from hangovers. You can chow down on it
with peanut butter, or add it into a smoothie with some of the other
de-boating foods below.
Cut Up Some Cucumbers and Carrots
"Carrots are diuretic and help prevent constipation,” explains
Ostrower. “[They are] helpful for purifying blood and treating
indigestion/bloat. Carrot juice is excellent for liver cleansing and
rejuvenation. Cucumbers are also a diuretic," she says. Her suggestion?
"Use a juicer to juice a combination of celery, carrot, parsley,
cucumber. Drink 1-2 cups per day.”
For lunch, you could also opt for a salad of romaine letter and filled with sliced cucumbers and shredded carrots, she notes.
Pour Yourself a Cup of Tea
Paula Simpson, a Holistic Beauty
Nutritionist and the Co-Founder of Zea Skin Solutions, recommends
drinking herbal teas like peppermint, ginger, and even dandelion after
and between meals to support digestion and reduce bloating. She says
that peppermint, specifically, is a natural digestive enzyme-rich food.
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These will help you give your stomach some TLC. "Detoxify and
rebalance gut flora with prebiotic rich foods such as dandelion greens,
asparagus, artichokes, leeks, apples,” says Simpson.
Eat Asparagus Root
Not only is asparagus rich in prebiotics, but Ostrower says it can
ease constipation, soothes bloating, reduces phlegm and mucus, and is
even useful for kidney problems. "Cut off tough ends and cut into 1-inch
pieces,” says Ostrower on how to prepare it. "Put 1-2 cups water into
skillet. Boil water. Add asparagus and cook for 2-3 minutes, until
tender and bright green. Or, place on baking sheet, sprinkle with salt
and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Use fingers to coat asparagus with oil.
Roast at 350 for 15-20 minutes, or until tender and slightly browned.
Try to eat ½ bunch asparagus per day.”
Eat Smaller Meals
So this is a little obvious, but to avoid the type of bloat you deal
with post Thanksgiving dinner, Simpson says that smaller “more frequent”
meals can help prevent those bloating symptoms. Another key trick?
"Limiting spicy, fried, or fatty foods may also reduce the risk of
indigestion,” she adds.
