Bloating 8 tips to cure it

 1- Fibre is generally very good for health and it is advisable to consume it throughout the year. There are two classes of fibre: soluble and insoluble. Insoluble fibre, if not consumed in excess, stimulates intestinal transit and limits constipation, which is often accompanied by bloating. Insoluble fibre is found in whole grains, wheat bran, almonds, nuts, fruits and vegetables or flaxseed, for example.

2 - Fennel

Fennel is very effective in the fight against digestive disorders. It should preferably be eaten between meals:

• in the form of seeds: 1 to 2 g of fennel, 3 times a day;
• in infusion: 1 to 3 g of dried seeds infused in boiling water for 5 to 10 minutes, 3 times a day ;
• in tincture: 5 to 15 ml 3 times a day;
• as essential oil: 0.1 to 0.6 ml per day.

3 - Avoid certain foods or drinks

Certain foods are directly responsible for bloating. Chewing gum and soft drinks are among them. Bloating is related to an accumulation of air or gas in the intestines, causing swelling. Soft drinks release gas into the digestive tract and contribute to this feeling of bloating. Chewing gum should also be avoided because it causes the digestive system to run "empty".  This causes air to build up in the digestive tract, which leads to bloating.

Vegetable charcoal, or activated carbon, is a black powder obtained from the high-temperature calcination of wood, coconut shells or olive pits. The purpose of this carbonization is to purify the vegetable matter and increase its porosity, these pores having the ability to contain gases. Vegetable charcoal therefore has many therapeutic virtues on the digestive system. It can, among other things, absorb up to 100 times its volume in gas, and thus eliminate gases due to fermentation to relieve bloating.

5 - Eat gently and chew well

It is important to take at least 20 minutes to eat. Eating too quickly and not chewing enough will tend to cause stomach aches and bloating. Chewing food properly helps digestion and reduces the risk of aerophagia (= ingestion of air in the stomach and oesophagus).

Also try to reduce your stress level because when you are nervous you tend to eat faster which makes digestion more difficult and the risk of bloating greater.

 

6 - Using homeopathy

In case of bloating, homeopathy also offers solutions. The Carbo Vegetalis 5CH, or vegetable charcoal, gives good results at a rate of 3 homeopathic granules 30min to 1h before the meal. 

China Rubra 9H is recommended in case of bloated and tense belly, at a rate of 5 granules 2 to 3 times a day. Nux Vomica or Vomic Nut is recommended in case of abdominal pain due to bloating, at a rate of 5 granules 2 to 3 times a day.

Bloating can be caused by intolerance to certain foods and in particular to FODMAP (= so-called fermentable foods, oligosaccharides (fructans), disaccharides (lactose), monosaccharides (fructose) and polyols). If you suffer from chronic bloating, it is advisable to reduce these food classes for a month and gradually reintroduce them to identify which ones may cause bloating.

• Foods with a high fructan content: asparagus, garlic (in large quantities), leek, onion, wheat (in large quantities)
• Foods with a high lactose content: milk and certain dairy products, margarine, unrefined soft cheeses (= ricotta, cottage, mascarpone)
• Foods with a high oligosaccharide content: legumes, lentils, chickpeas
• Foods with high fructose content: honey, apple, mango, pear
• Foods with high polyol content: apple, apricot, avocado, cherry, nectarine, pear, plum, mushrooms, sorbitol, xylitol.

8 - Limit the foods that can ferment

Some foods that contain a large amount of carbohydrates, such as polysaccharides or oligosaccharides, can cause symptoms similar to those of irritable bowel syndrome, including bloating and gas production caused by the fermentation of these carbohydrates. If you have identified these foods as the cause of your bloating, it is advisable to avoid broccoli, cabbage, turnip, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, lentils, peas and dried beans, among others.