Easy Ways to Live Well: Steph McGovern discusses bloating
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Nutrition specialist Kyle Crowley recommends boosting your probiotic intake to help ease a troublesome gut – and the easiest way to achieve this is to “eat more yoghurt”. Another natural solution provided by Crowley is to “regularly drink fluids to aid the digestive system”. If you suffer from stomach pains, heartburn, or indigestion, you are better off avoiding fatty foods.
“Cut out fried foods and eat leaner, grilled meats,” Crowley suggested to those who want to improve their digestion.
The NHS recommends a “tummy-friendly” diet, which involves filling up on fibre to prevent constipation.
For a healthy bowel, you need to get your fibre from a variety of sources, such as:
- Wholemeal bread
- Brown rice
- Fruit and vegetables
- Beans
- Oats.
If cereals and grains bring on bouts of bloating, you are recommended to get your fibre from fruit and vegetables instead.
Agreeing with Crowley, the NHS encourages people hoping to improve their digestion to drink plenty of fluids.
“It’s important to keep drinking, especially water,” the NHS said.
“It encourages the passage of waste through your digestive system and helps soften poo.”
The NHS elaborated: “Fibre acts like a sponge, absorbing water. Without fluid, the fibre cannot do its job and you’ll get constipation.”
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In terms of fluid consumption, it is best to avoid caffeine as this can lead to heartburn.
In regards to increasing probiotic intake, as suggested by Crowley, the NHS added that “you can take probiotics as supplements available from health food shops”.
Whether you increase your probiotic intake from yoghurt or supplements, you need to consume it daily for at least four weeks to see any beneficial effect.
What are probiotics?
Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that can restore the natural balance of bacteria in your gut.
It also pays to be mindful if any foods trigger an upset stomach for you.
For example, some people find that spicy food can trigger heartburn, stomach pain, or diarrhoea.
In such cases, it is best to avoid spicy food in your diet – and also be aware that garlic and onion can cause issues for some people too.
“If you already have a problem like heartburn or an irritable bowel, avoid them completely,” the NHS said.
Surprisingly, healthy foods may trigger an unpleasant stomach, such as tomatoes and citrus fruits.
This is because of its acidic nature, and so other triggers can include salad dressings and fizzy drinks.
The best drinks for a smooth digestive system, aside from water, include herbal teas and milk.
“If you cannot do without your coffee or tea, limit your intake to one or two cups a day,” the NHS said.
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