By Gayatri Kamat

Just a few weeks back I attended a beautiful wedding. Delicious, authentic traditional food was served throughout the wedding festivities. There was a time I ate so much that I ended up being bloated – it was a feeling of my belly being full and very tight. I guess everyone experiences bloating differently. But what exactly is bloating and why does is occur? Can dietary habits cause frequent bloating?

Bloating is a common symptom experienced by people of all age groups. It is that uncomfortable, tight, gassy, swollen and sometimes painful sensation that you experience when your digestive system gets backed up with extra gas or air. We often deal with it every now and then usually after big, heavy meals but sometimes it can also be a sign that your gut is struggling with conditions like constipation, food intolerance or IBS! So do get yourself checked if you are experiencing it often!

There are certain foods which can cause bloating; let us take a look at them one by one:

1. Legumes and Pulses: Yes! Those rajma, chole, tur/moong dals that we consume in huge amounts for achieving the “protein target” eventually end up fermenting in the gut thereby creating gas.
2. Cruciferous Veggies: Be it cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli or radish…they give you that puffed-up feeling since they contain raffinose, a sugar that stays intact until it hits the lower intestine.
3. Dairy products: We tend to put paneer/cream/milk in most our food preparations, but some people can be a bit lactose intolerant and they are not even aware of it…that random stomach rumbling after drinking a glass of lassi or cold coffee is a clear sign!
4. Fatty foods: Foods which are high in fat for example, the go-to snacks like vada pav, samosas, pakoras, etc. slow down your digestion process giving the gas more time to build up and get trapped.
5. Spicy foods: Those chilly heavy gravies, that teekha laal tadka may irritate the gut lining, leading to discomfort and swelling.

So, here are my few favorite home remedies to manage and treat bloating! Do try these sometime…

• Buttermilk: Makes you feel instantly cool and light on the inside. It contains lactic acid which helps in the digestion process.
• Ajwain: This is that most effective “daadi hack” which gives instant relief since it relaxes the smooth muscles in your digestive tract and also triggers the stomach to release gastric juices!
• Ginger tea: Helps to move food along by stimulating the digestive enzymes; so there is a less chance for fermentation. It helps reduce inflammation.

These quick fixes are just temporary. Mindful lifestyle changes should be adopted to permanently avoid bloating.

– Consume small, frequent meals in your diet for smoother digestion. This will prevent over eating too.

– Consume fiber, protein, carbs in a balanced amount so that you don’t overload your stomach and put unnecessary pressure on it.

– Exercising regularly; it helps prevent the gas from getting trapped inside. The smooth muscles in gut work more efficiently to process the waste. Take a 10-15 min walk after every meal.

– Keep yourself hydrated throughout the day.

– Avoid midnight snacking and consume meals at fixed timings.

Try these the next time you feel bloated!