Do you ever experience stomach bloating, gas and distention and start to wonder what the best belly bloat detox is? If so, keep reading as we have all the answers to how you can decrease these feelings of discomfort and feel your absolute best! Why do we bloat in the first place? The reason why you may experience bloating is highly dependent on the underlying cause. Most of the time, bloating and distention occurs due to digestive issues, intolerances, food sensitivities, allergies, hormonal and gut microbiome imbalances as well as eating habits. Good news is, lifestyle changes and certain treatments can resolve these issues! How to reduce stomach bloating fast? As much as we hate to admit it, there is no magic pill or detox that will reduce stomach bloating fast, in a healthy way. It may take hours, days or even weeks for you to feel long term relief after you make the necessary lifestyle and dietary changes. A lot of supplements, pills and cleanses claim to decrease bloating in stomach and distention quickly, but these are often ineffective, unsustainable and don’t fix the underlying issues to prevent it from happening again. What can help relieve stomach bloating? 1. Go for a walk You can reduce bloated stomach discomfort through low intensity physical activity, such as going for a walk. Exercise helps to eliminate gas from your bowels, with previous studies showing that a 10–15-minute walk was effective in relieving abdominal bloating symptoms (1) 2. Take a warm bath or apply a heat pack Heat can often provide relief for a bloated stomach. The relaxation of a bath can also reduce stress and allow the GI tract to function effectively, reducing bloating and distention. 3. Try an abdominal massage A massage that follows the path of the large intestine can help to get the bowels moving. Start by placings your hands above the right hip bone and apply light pressure while you rub in a circular motion towards the right side of your ribcage. Then, slowly move this motion across the upper abdomen towards the left rib cage and back down towards the left hip bone. You can repeat this motion but stop immediately if it causes you any pain. 4. Keep hydrated Dehydration leads to constipation, which often leads to bloating. When your body gets the hydration it needs, it helps to keep everything moving along smoothly in your digestive tract, which is essential for regular bowel movements. Always aim for at least 8 glasses of water per day! What can prevent stomach bloating? 1. Identify your trigger foods The initial step to decrease stomach bloating is to figure out what caused you to bloat in the first place, and prevent it from happening again in the future. You may have underlying intolerances or allergies that you are unaware of. Many people also experience bloating after eating certain foods which are not easily absorbed by the body, such as sugar alcohols and fructose. Additionally, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common digestive condition characterized by symptoms including abdominal pain, distention, diarrhea, bloating and constipation. Limiting certain carbs called fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols (FODMAPs) often reduces bloating and other symptoms for those who suffer from IBS. If you find that you experience bloating after meals, keep track of what you are eating and drinking daily over a couple of weeks to determine whether specific foods are causing you discomfort. 2. Use supplements to your advantage Blessed Booster Debloat Gut Fix is the perfect addition to your daily routine to help debloat, detox, and improve digestion. This natural formulation gently helps the body with detoxification processes to reduce bloating and help you feel your best! Dandelion Leaf and Uva Ursi are powerful debloating herbal extracts that help eliminate excess fluid from the body to reduce fluid retention and bloating. Vegan probiotic strain, Lactobacillus Rhamnosus, exerts its de-bloating effects by improving the gut microbiome. This also helps to reduce digestive complaints such as abdominal discomfort. Aloe Vera Leaf and Apple Cider Vinegar act as digestion enhancers due to their anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and healing properties. Liver function is supported with the mineral Selenium, which is a potent antioxidant that can help promote effective detoxification. Taking your daily dose of these gut-loving nutrients could help ease your bloating and discomfort over the long term! 3. Avoid eating too quickly Eating your meals too quickly can often cause discomfort and indigestion, leading to bloating. This is because swallowing food quickly can trap air into the digestive tract. Drinking from a straw and chewing gum can also lead to people swallowing more air, leading to bloating and gas. 4. Exercise regularly Regular physical activity such as; walking, jogging, bicycling or swimming for 30 minutes each day is not only beneficial for your overall health, but it also helps keep your bowels moving more regularly. Numerous studies have associated physical activities like walking and cycling with long term digestive and bloating improvements (2). Exercise also aids psychological symptoms including; stress, fatigue, and depression, which themselves are often linked to digestive symptoms through brain-gut interactions. 5. Gradually increase your fiber intake Fiber helps to prevent constipation and bloating by improving bowel regularity. Most Americans do not eat enough fiber, with reports showing that only 5 percent of the population meet their recommended daily fiber intake of 25g for females and 38g for males. With that said, it is important to keep in mind that eating too much fiber or increasing fiber intake too quickly can often lead to more gas and bloating. Those who eat more than 70g of fiber per day, can sometimes notice adverse effects. Therefore, it is important to gradually increase fiber intake over several weeks and allow your body to adjust to new diet changes. 6. Eat at regular intervals and limit salty and fatty foods Many people experience bloating after consuming a big meal. To avoid this from happening, it’s recommended to eat several smaller meals throughout the day to help keep the digestive system moving regularly. A high salt intake has also been found to contribute to water retention in the gut, causing bloating and discomfort. Additionally, high amounts of fats in the intestine may cause excess gas and increase bloating. This may be why people often feel bloated after fast food meals due to their high salt and fat intake. To avoid this from happening, aim to include a thumb sized amount of fats in your meal and limit your intake of highly processed foods such as; fried foods, fast food, chips and confectionaries. 7. Seek medical advice when necessary Although it is less common, bloating and distention can also signify a medical condition. Liver disease, inflammatory bowel disease, heart failure, kidney problems, and some types of cancer can also cause bloating. If you experience bloating that continues for days or weeks and nothing seems to bring you relief, it’s advisable to speak to a doctor or a health professional for guidance and treatment.