Flatulence and Weight Gain Go Hand in Hand: See How to Get Rid of Both

Did you know that flatulence and weight gain go hand in hand? It’s true, and in many cases these two can even be symptoms of serious conditions, like constipation, lactose intolerance, or a thyroid problem. However, more commonly they are just side effects of bad eating habits. Find out what these habits are and how to kick them.

1. Chew more and eat slower – One of the most common reasons for flatulence (and weight gain) is slow digestion. This happens when we eat too fast and leave no time for the preparation of the food for digestion. It is necessary to chew food as much as you can so that the digestion process happens faster and easier. Also, if you eat standing up, you may swallow some portions of air together with food, which also makes you feel bloated. Not to mention that it can cause stomach aches. When you eat in this manner and speed, it often happens that you lose track of what you ate and how much you had, so you can even overeat and not know it. Do your body a favor, when you eat, do it slowly and chew as much as you can.

2. Avoid carbonated drinks – Everything that is carbonated is bad for your body, your weight, and your gas problems, because with these drinks you insert air into the stomach which slows down digestion. Aside from that, these drinks are usually filled with unhealthy sugars and sweeteners. Yes, even the diet ones. Especially those.

3. Don’t eat canned food and snacks – Sodium that you may take in excessive amounts is very bad, not only for your stomach, but for your entire body, too. And canned foods contain lots and lots of sodium. Actually, everything that comes in plastic or aluminum packages usually contains large amounts of sodium, thus you should avoid it. Instead, turn to fresh vegetables, fruits, and healthy snacks such as flax or barley tiles. The whole grains that these snacks contain take a lot more time to dissolve since they are oil based, so you won’t feel the need to eat that often.

4. Your last meal should not be immediately before you go to bed – If you tend to eat late and enjoy a midnight snack, know that you will wake up bloated. When you lie down, especially during sleep, your metabolism slows down, so the food gets digested a lot slower. Other than feeling bloated, your sleep will suffer too. You’ll sleep restlessly and the overall quality of your sleep will be poor. The calories that you have taken in will have nowhere to go, since surely you don’t go jogging during the night, so they will stick to your stomach and thighs. If, however, you can’t fall asleep with an empty stomach, eat something that is low in fat and fiber, so it doesn’t take long to be digested. Suitable foods include – fruits (apples, oranges, grapes, etc) low fat yogurt, or vegetables such as tomato or paprika. You can also drink a smoothie. Again, be careful not to eat too much of it before you go to bed, because all you are doing is tricking your stomach into thinking you are full, when in fact you just ate a piece or two. Believe it or not, a glass of warm water will do the trick too.

These changes in your everyday life will not only make you feel less bloated and stop excessive weight gain, but will also improve your sleep and the quality of your skin, hair and nails. So, try these seemingly unimportant tricks and see how your life changes for the better.