4 tips to contrast abdominal bloating

Since I started my studies in the field of nutrition, my friends always ask for advice. The first thing they say is they want to lose weight 😂, the second is that they suffer from abdominal bloating.

My first piece of advice is to eat slowly, sitting at the table, dedicating at least 20 minutes to each meal. This implies the most important remedy: chewing well and for long (at least 30 times for each bite). This last thing to do is really the most difficult, yet, we can try. You need to be aware while eating so I recommend, for example, not to use your mobile while eating (when I eat on my own, to avoid this distraction, I put it in a different room).

Another very important thing to do is to try to eat at the same time of the day. However, I’m sure these are suggestions you’ve heard of so many times in your life… What if I told you that abdominal bloating depends on your liver and pancreas? The meridians of these organs (that is, their energy channels) pass right along our belly, and when they are tense, the energy flow is altered causing several problems, among which, abdominal bloating.

Let’s focus on our liver now: the liver-caused bloating is the one that increases in the evening. When you wake up in the morning your belly is flat and during the day, it begins to bloat, reaching its peak in the evening. What can you do to feel better?

1. avoid food of animal origin (except some white fish if you want) and baked products (e.g. biscuits, focaccia, pizza, sandwiches, crackers, etc.) because they cause tension in your liver (and also in your pancreas). They should be avoided or consumed with moderation, as a general rule, even after the problem is solved.

2. eat moderately and with balance: do not overeat and try to make a balanced meal: cereals, vegetables, vegetable proteins (they are listed in descending order based on quantity) and if possible, start the meal with a soup. If you can’t prepare a soup or you don’t like it, try to drink some tea before and after the meal: tea is very digestive.

3. drink chlorophyll broth as an "aperitif”: the liver loves green leafy vegetables and this broth relaxes it. Just take a cup of green leafy vegetables (any) and make them boil for a minute in 2 cups of water. Filter the broth and drink it, eat the vegetables during a meal. The broth should not be taken during meals. Your liver will go “woooow!”

4. take a warm footbath for 10 minutes (not too hot) and, if you want, add some fresh ginger (grate ginger on a napkin and then squeeze the napkin in the water) making sure the water reaches up to your ankles. This remedy is also excellent in case of insomnia (it’s not a chance that in some cases, insomnia is caused by liver and pancreas), but I’ll tell you about insomnia another time 😊

These are the 4 main suggestions, but always remember that the best thing to do is to eat a balanced diet, which can give a great benefit to your whole body.