1)Chewing Gum
When you chew gum you swallow excess air, which leads to a puffed up tum. The very act of chewing also primes your salivary glands to expect food, which sparks a release off enzymes and an overproduction of stomach acid. Cue bloating and pain.
Beat digestive woes by avoiding these mistakes.
8) Yoghurt
We're talking natural Greek yoghurt, not the flavoured stuff. Natural yoghurt is a source of probiotics, which help to keep your tummy happy by increasing levels of good bacteria. Various studies also show that eating dairy helps to reduce visceral fat - that's the dangerous fat that lies in between organs.
10 fabulous foods for weight loss
Good digestion is one of the main players in the slim-down game and shedding the pounds is as much about eating well as it is fine-tuning your digestive system so that your body is able to absorb all the nourishment that different foods have to offer.
If you suffer uncomfortable side effects after eating such as bloating, gas, nausea, diarrhoea, constipation and the scale just isn't budging, your gut probably needs a kick-start to get it running like clockwork again.
The digestive tract is a complex piece of the body that needs to be understood and nurtured to make sure it's working at it's best. One of the biggest diet myths around is that achieving your dream body lies with meticulous calorie counting. You can count all the calories in the world, but if your digestion isn't up to scratch you won't be able to shift those pounds. An efficiently working gut is the number one secret weapon you need to win the war against the muffin top. If your digestive system is absorbing nutrients properly and eliminating waste you'll look and feel fab.
The digestive process actually begins long before food touches your lips. The very sight and smell of food causes saliva to form in your mouth. Special gastric juices start to flow in your stomach and digestive enzymes are released to help break down food into a liquid paste, which travels to the small intestine. Here nutrients are absorbed and enzymes further break down the liquid with the help of bile. From there, it moves into the large intestine where waste, left over from the digestive process, is turned into a bowel movement and eliminated from the body. If you are not taking a trip to the loo at least once a day, you probably need a diet revamp.
In a healthy digestive tract, beneficial bacteria aid the digestive process. This microflorahelps to break down food, prevent infection and safeguard your body against toxins, but often, levels of bad bacteria trump the good. Why? Our lifestyle plays a big part. Culprits such as stress, anxiety and a heavily processed diet alter or diminish the type of bacteria that lives in your gut. Some foods, (eg. apples, oats, almonds) help to replenish levels of good bacteria - these are called prebiotics, and other foods (eg. yoghurt) promote the growth of good bacteria - these are probiotics.
Eliminate the Belly
2)Drinking Water with Meals
It's important to stay hydrated but keep meals and beverages strictly separate as combining the two can interrupt digestion. Keep water intake to 30 minutes before and after meals and choose still over sparkling.
5)Gas producing vegetables
Although full of nutrients, cruciferous veg (broccoli, cauliflower and kale) and pulses can make you feel gassy. To avoid this, steam them thoroughly and if using dried lentils and beans, soak them overnight or opt for low-salt tinned versions.
9) Coconut
When you're trying to beat the scale, adding coconut to your diet is the way forward. The white flesh is rich in special fats called triglycerides, which help to speed up your body's metabolism.
6) Eggs
From the yolk to the white, eggs are a powerhouse of vitamins, minerals and much needed protein, which prevents cravings for sugary pick-me-ups and helps keep the excess pounds a bay.
2) Blueberries
Blueberries contain anthocyanins - antioxidants that are thought to help to change gene activity in fat cells, so you're less inclined to pile on the pounds.
7) Salmon
Essential fatty acids like those found in salmon help your body to burn fat at a faster rate while lowering the production of stress hormones, which cause your body to store fat around the middle. They also reduce inflammation in the body, which helps you recover from your workouts quicker.
3) Apples
Containing a special type of fibre called pectin, which has appetite-curbing properties, apples are an easy way to get your five a day. Apples are also a wonderful prebiotic that help support a healthy environment for beneficial bacteria to flourish.
1) Drink Peppermint tea.
Peppermint is an anti-spasmodic that helps soothe inflammation in the gut and a cuppa post-meal could really help any tummy trouble. Drink 30 minutes after meals.
1) Cinnamon
Flavouring food with cinnamon has been shown to help even out blood sugar levels, curb cravings and improve your weight-loss results. Sprinkle some into smoothies, soups and breakfast cereals for a big boost and a super-flat tum.
4)Loading up on sweeteners
Low-fat, low-sugar food is often sweetened with sugar alcohols like sorbitol and mannitol, which are classed as FODMAPs, (also known as Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols). FODMAPs ferment in your tummy causing poor digestion and IBS symptoms like diarrhoea, gas and abdominal pain.
3 ways to improve your digestion.
5 Digestion Mistakes
3) Have some quiet time
Take time out before meals to sit quietly and breathe deeply in order to calm a stressed-out gut. Spend five minutes of mindful time, letting negative thoughts drift away and replace them with positive feelings.
5) Oats
Nothing is quite as satisfying and virtuous in the morning as a piping hot bowl of oats. This breakfast staple helps to regulate blood sugar levels, filling you up for longer, they are also a great source of tummy taming prebiotics.
10) Turkey
Skipping on sleep can really stall your weight-loss efforts by raising levels of the appetite-stimulating hormone ghrelin. Get a better night's sleep by eating turkey - this lean meat is high in the amino-acid tryptophan, a component needed to form melatonin, the sleep-inducing hormone required for a good kip.
3) Consuming too much salt.
Pouring on the salt prompts your body to retain water, so shun the shaker and season food with herbs and spices if you want to avoid a ballooned belly.
2) Don't rush meals
Set aside 20-30 minutes to enjoy a full meal. Eating on the run is the worse way to refuel as you're likely to overeat as your body misses fullness signals from your brain. Eating quickly also lets more air into the body making you feel uncomfortably bloated.
4) Chickpeas
The humble chickpea is a super-versatile yet cheap vegetarian protein source. Whether transformed into houmous and enjoyed with crudités or added to stews and curries, these nutrient-filled gems are a must-have pantry staple.