The Best Foods to Alleviate Bloating

Living with endometriosis can make your stomach feel like it’s constantly in a “muffin top” state. Getting dressed can be an extremely frustrating experience. Your favorite pants rarely fit. Jeans are just uncomfortable all around. And even dresses are a bit risky because it feels like it’ll be a day/evening of constantly holding in your stomach.

That’s what had me dive into what I could do to help best manage bloating. Here’s what I found, perhaps it could help you too. And if I’ve missed any strategies that you’ve found helpful, make sure to share below.

Eliminate allergens

One of the best ways to identify if you’re experiencing any negative side effects from food is to give an elimination diet a try. During a 30-day period, you avoid the most allergenic foods. You can make this as restrictive as you want. I would at least try taking out gluten and dairy.

They were game changers for me in terms of alleviating bloating. Dairy, specifically, was the worst, and caught me by complete surprise. I truly didn’t think I had a sensitivity to it until I realized how I could feel when I didn’t have milk with my breakfast or yogurt for lunch or, sadly, ice cream in the evening. It was definitely a bummer to eliminate some of these foods, but the payoff was 100% worth it.

I find that when I’m able to make the direct connection with how a food will feel in my body, it’s a lot easier to eliminate it for good. This is also a great opportunity to increase your body awareness in general too.

Stop the pop

Carbonated beverages directly cause gas to get trapped in your stomach. Um, I think that makes this one a no-brainer. Of course, it includes more than just soda, but even everyone’s favorite La Croix. If you’re out for a special occasion, try to find a different beverage to raise your glass with rather than champagne.

Slow down on the sodium

Sodium causes the body to retain water causing you to feel more bloated. When we’re talking high sodium, it’s rarely referencing the amount of salt one sprinkles on their food at the dinner table. Instead, the high sodium foods are the frozen meals, Chinese food, lots of soy sauce with your sushi, and even condiments like ketchup (which is high in both sodium and sugar).

It’s best to cook food at home or order food plain and then you can season to your liking. Using herbs and spices can increase flavor without increasing the sodium.

Be mindful

Did you know that the digestive process starts in your mouth? You have enzymes in your salvia that help to begin the digestive process before it even arrives in your stomach. So slowing down as you eat can improve your chances of properly digesting your food and therefore reducing the risk of bloating.

So, were these helpful? What did I leave out? Please share your tips below.