We all know – and dread – the Christmas bloat. Caused by overindulgence on festive food and drinks, it's an uncomfortable feeling. But there are ways to avoid it.
Here are 25 handy hints and tips from three experts: Celebrity personal trainer Romana Braganza, who is best known for sculpting some of Hollywood's hottest bodies, including Jessica Alba and Scarlett Johansson; registered nutritionist Angela Dowden and etiquette expert Liz Brewer, who has enjoyed huge success with her TV series Ladette to Lady.
Romana's tips:
- 1. Get moving, by walking or doing toe-touch stretches. Gravity will work to get the gas out of your body.
- 2. Try an antacid, such as Maalox Plus, to aid recovery from trapped wind and bloating.
- 3. Twisting exercises help push air out of digestive system, this can be done in a chair or on the ground. Sit feet facing forward then rotate torso to the right and reach around to hold back of the chair, then repeat in the other direction.
- 4. A yoga pose called child’s pose is a great way tocompress your intestinal tract and can help push gases through the digestive system. Kneel on all fours, then lower your hips back and down until they are resting on your feet bend forward to rest torso on legs as you reach arms forward on the ground.
- 5. Have a herbal tea after your meal such as ginger or peppermint.
Angela's tips:
- 6. Up your intake of magnesium, found in the likes of bananas, brazil nuts and almonds, pulses and green veg.
- 7. Slash salt – too much salt causes your body to retain excess fluid and cutting down can rapidly rid you of a couple of pounds. Food to cut down on include pizza, sauces, seasonings, bacon, cheese, ham, stock cubes, anchovies and pickles.
- 8. Try a daily priobotic yoghurt or supplement – there's some evidence that good bacteria can help ease bloating.
- 9. Eat little and often. Small, regular meals are less taxing on the gut, minimising the chance of indigestion-related bloating.
- 10. Constipation is a common cause of bloating so ditch white bread and pasta and go for the higher fibre whole grain varieties instead.
- 11. Kir, not Kir Royale - those champagne bubbles can bloat your tum, so stick with drinks (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) that don’t contain fizz.
Liz's tips:
- 12. Don’t eat and drink at the same time, or swallow your food with liquid. Liquids will pass straight into the intestine and can inhibit digestion.
- 13. Make sure you chew 30 times for each mouthful. Digestion begins in the mouth and you can decrease your chance of bloating by simply chewing your food more thoroughly before swallowing.
- 14. Don’t talk with your mouth full. Not only is it rude, but it will also cause you to swallow more air leaving you feeling bloated.
- 15. Make sure you pick the right food combinations. Cranberry sauce might taste good on your turkey, but fruit and meat is not a great idea! Fruit’s simple sugars require no digestion, so if combined with other foods that do it will stay in the stomach and ferment.
- 16. Choose loose fitting clothing to wear on Christmas day. Tight belts and jeans will make you feel uncomfortable and you’ll only end up having to unbutton them!
