A dietitian has revealed the foods to add to your diet to beat bloating and sensitive stomach issues – and the ones you need to cut now.
Leanne Ward, from Brisbane, used to struggle with bloating as far back as 2014 when she was always on a diet.
The 31-year-old has since realised that the secret to a flat stomach isn’t down to eating endless diet foods and vegetables, but rather through enjoying small, frequent and balanced meals and opting for certain foods over others.
A dietitian has revealed the foods to add to your diet to beat bloating and sensitive stomach issues – and the ones you need to cut now (pictured in 2014 and 2020)
Leanne said there are some foods you need to boost in your diet to beat bloating, and some you need to cut now (pictured)
If you want to ditch bloating, the 31-year-old said you need to up foods like peppermint tea, paw paw, cooled potato, chia seeds and kiwi fruit.
On the flip side, you should restrict ‘windy’ vegetables like cabbage and cauliflower, alcohol, large meals and any artificial sweeteners.
‘Bloating occasionally is actually normal,’ Leanne posted on her Instagram page.
‘When you eat a large meal or a meal high in fibre, most of us get a little bloated.
‘That is totally normal – what’s not normal is having bloating which is constant, painful or associated with other conditions like chronic diarrhoea. If this sounds like you, pop to your doctor for a check up.’
Leanne (pictured) said bloating around your time of the month is completely normal, due to changes in your hormone levels
Leanne’s (pictured) tips for reducing bloating include eating smaller meals, looking at your fibre content and chewing your food properly
‘I have many easy tips to reduce bloating,’ Leanne said.
‘The biggest ones are eating smaller frequent meals, looking at the overall fibre content of your diet (as too little or too much fibre can make bloating worse) and chewing your food properly – it’s so helpful!’
Leanne also said you should reduce your overall consumption of carbonated or ‘bubbly’ drinks and sweeteners, whether through alcohol or other drinks.
‘Cut diet products, windy types of foods like beans, cabbage and cauliflower, and instead of going dairy-free trial low lactose,’ Leanne said.
Finally, she said you need to limit alcohol, processed foods and high fat foods as much as possible – as this will help with your overall gut health.
‘Cut diet products, windy types of foods like beans, cabbage and cauliflower, and instead of going dairy-free trial low lactose,’ Leanne (pictured) said
Leanne said gut problems are very normal, and they can be fixed with a bit of attention to your diet.
‘I think it’s important to also note that most women suffer from symptoms of bloating and other gut complaints before or during their period, which may result from hormone changes,’ she said.
‘Almost a week before a woman’s period starts, levels of the hormone progesterone fall. Reduced levels of progesterone actually cause the uterus to shed its lining, which is what causes our menstrual bleeding.
‘But, along with this, the changes in progesterone and estrogen levels actually cause the body to retain more water and salt which makes the body’s cells become swollen and this may cause bloating.’
Because of this, bloating around the time of your period is completely normal – and you should just wear loose-fitting clothes and focus on eating wholefoods as much as possible in the days leading up to it.
To find out more about Leanne Ward, you can visit her Instagram profile here.