How to treat gas and bloating

If you’ve ever experienced gas or bloating, you know it’s NOT fun. But also know that you’re not alone! This is a huge problem for many individuals. While some gas and bloating is normal, it can be very uncomfortable and make everyday tasks difficult. It can also be awkward to be around other people.

Today, we want to talk about everything you need to know about gas and bloating including how to reduce it if you’re finding this to be a problem in your everyday routine and life.

 

What causes gas and bloating and how to avoid it?

There are quite a few reasons why someone might experience gas or bloating.

Digestive issues. Digestive issues is one of the main culprits for gas and / or bloating. Digestive issues can range from diagnosed conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) to undiagnosed conditions such as food intolerances or allergies. Many times, our body is unable to tolerate or digest a certain food, causing bloating in the abdominal area. Typically, avoidance of the food triggers that causes the bloating is the best way to avoid bloating, in this case. If you’re curious if you are having digestive issues, contact your provider to investigate more. 

You’re eating too fast.  Another common reason for bloating or gas! When we eat too fast, we’re not giving our body enough time to digest nutrients. Oftentimes, we inhale food without putting our fork down in between bites or taking a breath. Take the time to slowwww down and enjoy the food. If you eat slowly, you’re less likely to have bloating.

You’re eating high fiber foods. Fiber is an indigestible carb that the body needs for optimal gut health. But seeing that it’s indigestible means that this can cause bloating and gas within our gut! While this isn’t necessarily the worst thing since it is temporary, we might recommend against a high fiber meal before a workout, big date, or before you lie down to sleep. High fiber foods include beans, nuts, veggies, fruit, and whole grains.

Carbonated beverages. Carbonated beverages increase stomach gas. This can be uncomfortable for some individuals so if you are extra sensitive, we recommend avoiding. Carbonated beverages include things like soda and beer.

 

What should I be eating for optimal gut health?

A reminder for you that most bloating and gas is temporary. It can be a normal part of our body’s every day process, although we understand that it can cause quite an annoyance!

To optimize your gut health, focus on lean proteins such as chicken, fish, or plant-based options like beans. Pure Plates meal delivery service offers plenty of lean protein options, such as our new tilapia dish. We also recommend consuming whole grains when eating carbs rather than eating refined carbs. Whole grains provide a variety of nutrients such as fiber and b vitamins. Whole grains include oats, quinoa, and brown rice. Refined carbs include foods such as desserts, white rice, or pasta. If you find that you have no control over your carb intake, Pure Plates offers keto meal delivery options so you can optimize your health. Focusing on veggies and fruits is another part of the equation for gut health. Veggies and fruits provide a variety of nutrients and do so with low to few calories. Lastly, we recommend consuming healthy fats as part of your everyday eating which may include olive oil, fatty fish, nuts, and seeds.

Choose Pure Plates to help you to optimize all aspects of your health, including your gut health, today! 

Have more questions about our meal prep service? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions page.