Bloating and water retention is usually completely normal and something that 16-30% of us experience regularly. The causes are usually lifestyle related issues such as poor sleep, poor diet, lack of exercise, stress and in women, hormonal changes.
There are certain measures we can take to prevent bloating and reduce the frequency of flare ups which can often be uncomfortable and painful, including:
- Eating slowly, which helps to reduce the amount of air we consume while we eat.
- Eating regular meals, for example, eating three balanced meals per day.
- Avoiding large meals and overeating.
- Avoid chewing gum and fizzy drinks.
- Avoiding excessive caffeine use.
- Increase water intake.
- Engage in regular exercise.
Water retention can also be managed and prevented by lifestyle changes such as:
- Reducing sodium intake.
- Ensuring you consume a portion of protein in each meal.
- Including foods which contain potassium and magnesium such as bananas, oranges, avocados, leafy greens, and sweet potatoes.
- Substitute simple carbohydrate foods such as white bread, pasta, and rice for whole meal alternatives. The fiber in whole meal foods can help reduce the amount of fluid circulating in the body due to less blood sugar spikes.
- Engaging in regular exercise.
- Reduce alcohol intake as alcohol causes increased water retention and bloating.
- Taking a dandelion supplement which helps to reduce water retention due to its diuretic properties.
While bloating and water retention can be eased with these lifestyle alterations, sometimes they are not always accessible for everyone, while others may require some additional help from supplements.
Sona AquaPlan is a natural remedy to help maintain water balance containing various herbs including, dandelion extract, burdock root extract, celery seed.
These herbs contain natural diuretic properties that may help eliminate excess water that can cause feelings of bloating and swelling.
References
Agrawal, A. and Whorwell, P.J., 2008. abdominal bloating and distension in functional gastrointestinal disorders–epidemiology and exploration of possible mechanisms. Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics, 27(1), pp.2-10.
Clare, B. A., et al. (2009). The diuretic effect in human subjects of an extract of Taraxacum officinale folium over a single day.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3155102/
Dandelion. (2016). https://nccih.nih.gov/health/dandelion
Hyams, J.S., 1983. Sorbitol intolerance: an unappreciated cause of functional gastrointestinal complaints. Gastroenterology, 84(1), pp.30-33.
Li, J., Zhang, N., Hu, L., Li, Z., Li, R., Li, C. and Wang, S., 2011. Improvement in chewing activity reduces energy intake in one meal and modulates plasma gut hormone concentrations in obese and lean young Chinese men–. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 94(3), pp.709-716.
Jiang, X., Locke, G.R., Choung, R.S., Zinsmeister, A.R., Schleck, C.D. and Talley, N.J., 2008. Prevalence and risk factors for abdominal bloating and visible distention: a population-based study. Gut, 57(6), pp.756-763.