5 ways to beat bloat
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Feeling puffy? Bloating caused by gas, irregularity, or water retention can make even a tiny tummy become anything but. Here’s how to nix the problem.
1. Increase potassium
The more salt you consume on a given day, the more potassium-rich foods—asparagus, citrus fruits, melon, tomatoes—you should eat, says Tammy Lakatos Shames, RD, the author of The Secret to Skinny.
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2. Get off the couch
"In many people, exercise stimulates the bowels, ending constipation," says Dr. Jacqueline Wolf, associate professor of medicine at Harvard University and author of A Woman’s Guide to a Healthy Stomach.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}3. Down 8 glasses of liquids each day
Fluids help flush waste out of your system and reduce water retention. Coffee can have the added bonus of contracting the colon, helping you to go.
4. Sip peppermint tea
It alleviates gas by relaxing the digestive tract and boosting normal peristalsis, says Dr. Wolf. Research suggests that enteric-coated peppermint-oil capsules also help with stomach pain.
5. Stop it before it starts
Before a little-snug-dress event, take a cue from red-carpet vets: Cut out excess salt and drink two to three liters of water a day, says Carrie Wiatt, nutritionist to Fergie and Sela Ward.