Published: November 3, 2023, 12:00 PM IST
The end-of-year festivities are a joyful time with lots of outings, lots of food and, with it, a lot of bloating. Bloating is a problem we all face, especially after a heavy meal. This is a bigger problem than usual during the holidays, when there are many delicious meals. Bloating can ruin many outings, especially if you have an outfit sewn especially for the occasion. As annoying as it can be, bloating is easy to prevent. Here are my go-to tips for beating festive bloat.
Tips to Reduce Festive Bloating
1. Hydrate sufficiently
There’s a lot of talk about hydration for good health, and rightly so. However, it is important to hydrate properly to avoid bloating. Start your day with a glass of warm water or start your day with a squeeze of lemon juice to give your digestive system a boost. Drink water before or after each meal, but not during it. You can also drink tea throughout the day to stay hydrated while nourishing your body. Carbonated drinks are the biggest culprit, so swap these for juices or flavored water.
2. Eat well
Bloating is a sign that your body hasn’t digested food properly, so pay attention to what you eat and how you eat. The path to a bloat-free existence starts with the way you approach your meals. When you eat, take the time to chew your food thoroughly for optimal digestion. Eat fiber-rich foods to control bloating, and consider incorporating plenty of gut-friendly probiotics into your diet. Chana dal and beans are notorious gas producers and are most likely the reason behind your bloating!
Also read: How to stop bloating? Make a note of these 9 ultimate tips to reduce it
3. Try these yoga poses
Before you start yoga, make sure that your posture in your daily life is correct – proud chest with your shoulders pushed back.
* Viparita Karani or legs up, wall pose stretches your torso. Try it when you wake up and before you go to bed.
* Cat and cow pose stretches your abdominal muscles and relieves tension in your stomach, relieving bloating.
* Pavan Muktasana is THE yoga pose to get rid of bloating. It’s the easiest and fastest way to release gas and reduce bloating.
* Ardha Matsyendrasana or the Spinal Twist and Supta Matsyendrasana or the Supine Spinal Twist are also great ways to relieve bloating. Any asana that involves twisting stretches your core and abdominal muscles.
* Bhujangasana or Cobra Pose opens the chest and stretches the abdomen to reduce bloating.
Make it a daily ritual to spend just 5 minutes practicing these anti-bloating yoga poses, and don’t forget to supplement them with deep breathing exercises. A full inhale and exhale will work wonders in stretching your stomach and help you maintain bloating while staying active.
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PERSONALIZE NOW
It’s important to pay attention to your body and listen to what it’s telling you to avoid festive bloating. The holidays can be hectic, so it’s important to pay extra attention to your body and mind. Yoga can help balance the stress by giving you a moment of peaceful relaxation and releasing those much-needed endorphins to beat the stress and bloat at the same time!
(Anshuka Parwani is a wellness columnist for Health Shots. She writes an exclusive bi-weekly column for the women’s health platform. Anshuka is a leading yoga and holistic wellness expert in India and trains celebrities like Kareena Kapoor Khan, Deepika Padukone and Alia Bhatt. A former pilot, she is the power behind Mumbai-based yoga studio Anshuka Yoga.)