Do you feel bloated? Do you have a swollen abdomen? You’re not the only one! Don’t worry because the type of food you eat and how quickly you eat are factors which can cause this unpleasant, but common feeling.

The reality is that there are foods that provoke a swollen tummy. Regular, moderate exercise like tummy crunches can help relieve the feeling but we have more tips to help you out. Take note of our tips below!

1. Do you eat fast? Don’t! People who eat too quickly, without chewing, swallow more air and end up with trapped gases. This causes abdominal swelling. Take time to chew your food, studies show that if you eat more slowly, you may also end up eating less.

2. Fizzy drinks: Soft carbonated drinks swell the tummy as they are full of gas, and what’s worse is that they are full of empty calories and sugar, so contribute to weight gain. If you feel bloated, turn to water. Try warm water with a touch of lemon or a herbal tea like peppermint, which has been proven to help with gas and bloatedness.

3. Limit fried food: French fries and other fried and breaded food don’t help. Steam or bake food, rather than opting for greasy fast food, saturated in bad fats, that leave you feeling bloated and sluggish.

4. Fiber: Fiber is very beneficial to the body, however if we eat too much, we can become constipated, especially if we are not drinking enough water to flush the fiber out. This can lead to a swollen abdomen. Make sure to include fiber in your diet, but be careful not to consume too much.

Food allergies and intolerances can also lead to gas and bloating, for example lactose and wheat allergies. However, these need to be confirmed by your doctor before unnecessarily limiting or eliminating them from your diet.