7 Ways To Beat The Bloat
Special For eDiets  - 6/1/2005
By Sheri Strykowski

Beach parties, picnics, weddings... are you ready for hot fun in the summertime? All winter long, you watched what you ate and worked out regularly, but you wake up one sunshiny day and you feel puffy. It could be that time of the month or the result of a weekend of barbeques, but what's a girl to do?

We sought safe and healthy "emergency measures" you can take right now to make you look five pounds thinner in two weeks from multiple best-selling author Anne Louise Gittleman. Recently back from a country-wide tour promoting her latest book, The Fast Track One-Day Detox Diet (Morgan Road Books, 2005), Gittleman provided these surprisingly simple belly-flattening tips. Common causes of bloating, says the nutritionist, are too much salt, food allergies, lack of elimination, and monthly hormonal fluctuations.

So whether you're planning on hitting the summer sands, standing radiant at the altar, holding court as the glowing mother of the bride -- or just savoring every moment of life outside the cabin, here are seven bloat-blasting tips to get you to sleek status fast. Bring on the sunshine!

Tip#1 -- Up your H20 intake. Water flushes waste out of your system and gets your digestive track moving. We've heard it before, but it bears repeating: "People believe they are hungry when they are really thirsty," Gittleman says.

Keep hydrated! Make sure you're getting 8-10 glasses of water per day -- and more if you exercise outdoors during hot weather.

Reach for yummy in-season water-and-fiber-rich fruits and veggies instead of commercially prepared, trans-fat-filled treats at snack time. Cantaloupe or honeydew melon, watermelon, cucumbers, and asparagus are great summer options. As a bonus, fruits and veggies naturally purify and detoxify your body.

Tip#2 -– Fix the fiber shortage. Most women consume only 12-15 grams of fiber per day, says the health expert. We need to get at least 25-35 grams to get the system flowing on a daily basis. Fiber prevents constipation by adding bulk, which helps everything move through the intestines quickly and more efficiently. Incorporate high-fiber food choices into your menu plan: toss chickpeas, lentils, and kidney beans into salads; add celery to chicken and egg salad; prepare stir-fries with broccoli; add two tablespoons of omega-3-rich ground flax seed to your morning oatmeal or use it as breading for fish or chicken dishes.

Tip#3 –- Shake the salt habit. Hold the salt or at least cut down, especially the week before your period. Too much salt –- from hot dogs, chips, popcorn, pickles, pepperoni pizza -- makes your body retain fluids. And that's pretty much a surefire way to bring on the bloat. Instead of shaking on the table salt or consuming high-sodium commercially prepared foods, experiment with flavorful spices and herbs such as cumin, cayenne, and lemon and lime zest, says the author.

Tip#4 –- Move it and lose it. When you feel puffy, you feel sluggish. This is the time to force yourself off the couch. You can flush that bloat right out of your system with exercise. If you can't manage your regular hour-long workout, zip up a sluggish system quickly with a 5-10 minute session on a mini-trampoline. Even a brisk, arm-swinging 10-minute walk will invigorate your entire system, says Gittleman. Studies also show exercise may be helpful in relieving PMS symptoms.

Tip#5 -– Think Zen. Be mindful of your eating habits. Chew slowly and don't bite off more than you can chew. Gulping fast food and downing soda on the run causes you to swallow too much air, which can cause bloating. Listen to your body's timeless wisdom and choose healthful, nourishing foods you enjoy for meals and snacks; then savor every bite. Digestion begins in the mouth. If you chew slowly, it helps your digestive system operate more effectively, allowing your body to get the proper nutrients and energy it needs from the food you eat.

Tip#6 –- Natural does it. Peppermint and papaya supplements are two refreshing bloat-busters recommended by the author. Soothing peppermint relaxes the muscles that allow the body to rid itself of painful digestive gas, and the menthol in this aromatic herb aids digestion by stimulating the flow of natural digestive juices and bile, making it a safe and natural de-bloater. The luscious, exotic tropical fruit papaya contains papain, a digestive enzyme that encourages proper digestion and absorption of foods, Gittleman says, which helps reduce bloating.

Tip#7 –- Eliminate food triggers. Wheat, dairy products, sugar, and yeast account for up to 80 percent of food reactions, says Gittleman. If you suffer from bloating, try to identify foods that may be causing the problem. It is likely that the offending food is one you eat often, so make a list of these foods, and one by one leave each item out of your diet for two weeks. If you find you are bloat-free, reintroduce that particular food. If you suddenly puff up again, you can be confident that particular food is causing the bloating. Then cut down or remove it from your diet.

Gittleman believes use of artificial sweeteners and some prescription medications also cause bloating. She recommends avoiding or cutting down on consumption of artificial sweeteners, limiting or cutting out refined sugar and/or yeast products if you have recurring yeast infections, and talking with your doctor if you suspect your meds may be contributing to bloating.

Sheri Strykowski is a freelance journalist who specializes in health, fitness and lifestyle. Her articles have appeared in The Chicago Tribune, Lerner newspapers and National Safety Council publications. She is also a content expert who has built over 40 websites for a Fortune 100 company.