Good Habits to Reduce Bloating during Menopause

Bloating is a very common problem, especially for women going through menopause. Fortunately, there are ways that you can reduce bloating in a natural manner. One of the methods of doing this is by practicing some good habits to get into that lower your risk of experiencing a bloated stomach.

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Regular Exercise

Maintaining a regular exercise regime is essential to relieving a bloated stomach. Cardiovascular exercise aids digestion, therefore decreasing the sensation and appearance of bloating. Some of the best cardio work outs you can do to calm a bloated stomach are jogging, cycling, and swimming. There are also several exercises that specifically target abdominal muscles and tackle bloating. These include sit-ups, crunches, push-ups, and shoulder stands. Making daily exercise a regular habit can have significantly positive effects on menopausal symptoms like bloating.

Maintain Good Posture

Getting into the habit of keeping good posture is a great way to reduce the negative effects of bloating for a number of reasons. Standing up properly can not only increase your height by up to as much as an inch and a half, it can also prevent your stomach from pushing forward and feeling uncomfortable. Arching your back or slouching can cause your stomach to move forward just below your ribcage, worsening the feeling and appearance of bloating.

Eat in the Right Order

One of the lesser-known ways to reducing stomach bloating is to eat your food in a specific order, with the aim of ensuring a more efficient digestive process. The body produces hydrochloric acid when you eat, which is used to break down protein. When you eat carbohydrates before protein, your body uses up the hydrochloric acid before the protein gets into your system. This can cause the protein to be under-digested, and it can then ferment and lead to gas and bloating.

Chew Food Well

It's important to chew your food properly in order to aid the digestive system as much as possible. Larger pieces of food are more difficult and time-consuming for the body to digest. The easier it is for your body to digest food, the less chance you will have of feeling gassy or bloated.

Stay Hydrated

Dehydration can actually cause your body to retain fluid, which in turn causes bloating. Drinking the equivalent of eight glasses of water each day is the best way to ensure your body receives all the liquids it needs. Other drinks, such as soft drinks, can exacerbate the problem.

Having a bloated stomach can be irritating and uncomfortable. The best way to tackle this common symptom of menopause is by equipping yourself with ample knowledge about its causes and prevention strategies. Knowing which habits can trigger bloating, and which ones can reduce it, can go far in helping you to overcome this problem.