7 Habits That Causes Bloating

Feeling bloated every time you eat a meal? It means your digestive system is asking for help. A quite common ailment, bloating is present in all age groups. It could be because of poor eating habits or because of other medical illnesses. Although it can be controlled with simple steps, most people tend to get lazy with their eating style and ruin their appetites. Bloating ends up making you feel lazy, sluggish and fatigued even when you’re not. Here are the top 7 bad eating habits are making you bloat.

# Not Chewing Enough

Chewing your food at least 20 times is important. Not chewing enough can aid in bloating and other digestive problems. Chewing basically does half the job of your digestive system by breaking down the food into easier bits and pieces. This will help your stomach to digest faster and process the food quicker preventing bloating.

# Drinking Less Water

The biggest problem of bloating is not drinking enough water. Constipation and slow bowel movements are caused by not enough water in your system to flush out the toxins. Stay hydrated between and during meals to help smoothen and quicken the digestive process daily.

# Eating Too Fast

Yes, eating too fast can make you feel bloated! Even if say you chew properly or drink enough water but if you eat super fast then all this goes to waste. A good way to slow down your eating is by putting your cutlery down after every bite before you start getting used to it. Eating slow will help you appreciate your food and your stomach will know that there’s no stress to digest it and will work smoothly.

# Midnight Cravings

Curb those midnight cravings! Eating at different times every day can mess up your body more than you realise. Due to our busy lives, we may end up pushing our meals till late in the night. This a bad habit that’s slowly ruining our appetites and adding unwanted strains on our body functions. The later you eat, the lesser time you have to digest your food in the night. Fasting (while sleeping) for long periods of time is actually beneficial to your health. So eat your dinner a couple of hours earlier and push your breakfast an hour or so later in the mornings.

# Distracted Eating Habits

With the onslaught of modern technology, eating habits are rapidly changing. From fast foods to eating your desk while working are ruining your appetite. Even binge eating while watching your favourite show can end up making you feel bloated. The process of eating food starts in the brain itself and if you aren’t paying attention to what you’re eating, then you’re body won’t appreciate it either. Focus on your meal and the textures, colors, and flavors as you eat it.

# Eating Intolerant Foods

A simple rule to follow – If you can’t handle it, then don’t eat it. Most people are tempted by foods that they are particularly intolerant or get sick after consumption. Not all foods cause bloating but if you are aware of the products or food groups that make you sick, stay away from those for the sake of your gut. If your stomach can’t stand the particular food, it’ll take longer to digest it thus affecting your entire system and leave you feeling lethargic and bloated.

# Hanging onto Stress

An obvious sign of bloating is stress. Although stress is seen as a mental state, the effects are seen on your body. From hair fall, rashes to other minor illnesses, stress messes up your body from within. When we’re stressed, our stomach acids production decreases thus affecting our good gut bacterias. Holding onto unnecessary stress from work or home can cause bloating and make you lose your appetite.