Bloated belly? 5 Tips to manage bloating this holiday season

Christmas dinner: The jolly season of the year is here!  We all are prepared to celebrate in style with our friends and family after another busy year. Along with decorating the house and Christmas tree, the holiday season is all about sharing yummy meals with your loved ones. Yes, food is necessary for the celebration of Christmas to be complete. After all, a celebration feast is incomplete.

However, dealing with a bloated belly is the last thing on our Christmas to-do lists because we want to feel fantastic while indulging in the holiday festivities. Weak, swollen bellies can be caused by fatty holiday foods, alcohol, stress, and extra time spent sitting down inside.

Hanah Mills is a dietitian at Ideal Nutrition in Australia, she recently took to Instagram to share tips to manage bloating during the holiday season. Check out the tips here,

TIP 1- Chew well

Make sure to chew your food at least 20 times per mouthful and do not over-stuff your mouth with food you cannot hold in your mouth at once.

TIP 2- Ginger juice/ peppermint oil

Squeeze in some juice from a small piece of ginger and add a bit of lemon juice to it or take a peppermint oil capsule and consume either of the two before eating.

TIP 3- Avoid carbonated drinks

Carbonated drinks are the worst drinks when it comes to big dinners or when heading out to eat. Carbonated drinks have a high amount of sugar content which can cause bloating even if you choose to eat less.

TIP 4- Chewing gum

Chewing gum causes you to swallow more air, which doubles your risk of bloating. Additionally, sweeteners like xylitol and sorbitol included in sugar-free chewing gum have the potential to ferment in the gut, releasing gas and possibly causing bloating.

TIP 5- Low FODMAP diet

FODMAP stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols, which are short-chain carbohydrates (sugars) that the small intestine absorbs poorly. 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Hanah Mills | Dietitian (@hanahmills)

Always talk to a dietician before taking up any diet or eliminating things from your diet.

(Disclaimer: The information in this article is based on social media posts by the said expert. Zee News does not confirm this.)