One comment I get often from my clients who have overhauled their diets is that their stomachs are suddenly really rumbly. For the first few days (or sometimes weeks) after making a major diet change, a rumbly or occasionally bloated stomach is really common. I am super excited to share them with you today, thanks to Renew Life® Digest Smart Enzymes for sponsoring this post. As always, all options shared are my own.
The good news is it’s completely normal! In fact, I used to deal with bloat on a very regular basis. Embarrassing but true. I discovered four simple things that not only stopped occasional bloating for me, but allowed me to finally fit back into my favorite jeans.
When I first cut processed food from my diet, I felt terrible. I had no energy, my stomach was so bloated (I actually gained weight), I was emotional. Y’all – I was a mess!
But after a couple weeks, I started feeling so much better. I woke up one morning and rather than still feeling tired after a full night’s sleep, I felt refreshed. I no longer felt like I was on an emotional rollercoaster for no apparent reason.
Unfortunately, the thing that didn’t change was my bloated stomach.
Why the Bloat?
Occasional bloating is usually the result of not being able to properly digest foods. These not-so-digested foods end up just sitting around causing discomfort and a general feeling of being stuffed and bloated.
When we eat there are cells in our stomach that are supposed to release acid. This process is super important because it’s where your body begins breaking down foods and activating enzymes.
But when your diet has been less than optimal for a long time (as most American diets are), our stomach acid and other gut flora is often out of whack and unable to do an efficient job of digestion.
Unfortunately, this lack of proper digestion has long-ranging effects, which eventually results in bloating. Not fun. But, there’s good news. With just a few simple changes you can get rid of stomach bloat. Seriously.
Increase Your Fiber Intake
Sometimes our bodies become sensitive to the fiber found in certain fruits or veggies. If this is the culprit of your bloat, you’ll notice that you get a rumbly tummy when you eat them or experience bloating not long after as your body works to digest.
To help this, make sure that you’re fully chewing your vegetables (count to 30 while you chew slowly), and avoid eating lots of vegetables raw. You may need to gently steam your veggies to help your body along.
If a specific fruit or veggie seems to be consistently causing you to bloat, you can simply eliminate the culprit for a few weeks and see if your bloating decreases. If it does, try slowly reintroducing the offending food to see if it was related.
If you suspect the food causing you issues may be an allergy, contact your doctor for testing. Remember that allergies can develop at any age and symptoms can worsen with exposure. It’s best to get things checked to make sure!
Drink More Water
Water helps to flush your system…so if you’re bloated it’s a no brainer. Increase your water intake to help move thing through you system, and help your digestion.
The most common advice is to drink eight-ounce glasses of water a day, that equates to approximately 2 liters. While that’s a good place to start, how much water you need to drink is actually very individualized. Some sources say women should drink 9 glasses a day, while others say upward of 100 ounces.
I vote that you drink at least the standard recommendation (even if you’re not thirsty) and more if you feel you need it.
Add Digestive Enzymes
Sometimes, even for the healthiest among us, our digestive system just needs some help. If you’re going to be making a diet change, I recommend adding a digestive enzyme to your routine to get ahead and give your system the boost it needs.
Taking Renew Life Digest Smart Enzymes with your meals can help your body break down your food more easily to prevent gas and bloating.
Our bodies naturally make different enzymes to break down different types of food – protein, carbohydrates, fats, and fiber. Digest Smart Enzymes contain 25 plant-based enzymes that are specially formulated to target the different types of food you might eat.
Smalls had two birthday parties to attend last weekend, and I indulged in some party food. I mean, seriously, who can resist gluten free pizza?!
Thankfully, I had some Digest Smart Enzymes tucked away in my purse. I took one with my slice of pizza and was able to enjoy the rest of the party without the misery of bloating I would have had to endure.
The best part is, unlike some supplements that are hard to find, Digest Smart Enzymes can be found at most drugstores, grocery stores, and major retailers.
Exercise
It may seem like an obvious answer, but when you move your body, you help move your digestive system, and the food and waste that it is in charge of. Start with some gentle yoga or pilates if you haven’t exercised in awhile and limit it to 20 or so minutes until you build your stamina.
Even a short burst of gentle exercise is enough to help those digestive enzymes and all the water that you’re now drinking work even harder for you.
If you feel like your body needs it, you can even look into foam rolling for your belly (yup, that’s a thing).
Change Takes Time
If you’re like me and you’ve experienced occasional bloating, know that it takes time for your body to adjust to the healthy changes you make. While it would be great to eat healthy for a day and wake up the next morning energetic and at a healthy weight, it’s not reality.
Give your body some time. Small changes added up day after day equal big results in the long run. Stick with it!
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Renew Life Digest Smart Enzymes. * These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.