In India, celebrations are not complete without food, or we can say sweets, and festivals are all about having a good time with family and indulging in delicious food. We enthusiastically wait for the time we get to spend with our loved ones, prepare special festival delights, dine out together, stay up late, and snack more than usual. As a result, we often overeat and don’t exercise. Even though it’s a lot of fun, our bodies endure the consequences.
Festival provides an excuse to eat a lot of namkeens, ladoos, sweets, and so on, but too much festive happiness can leave most of us feeling bloated and puffy.
Don’t stress over the bloated effects of heavy feasting post-festival. Here are eight simple eating habits by Lavleen Kaur, Head Dietitian and Founder, Diet Insight and Aman Puri, Founder, Steadfast Nutrition that will help you reduce the bloating effects
Consume a glass of ginger water pre-meal to prepare yourself
One of the many health advantages of ginger, a magical plant, is that it relieves indigestion and bloating. Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties which promote the production of digestive fluids, which helps with digestion.
You might prepare ahead of time and boil some fresh ginger or add one inch of ground ginger to 200ml of hot water and drink it 30 minutes before a meal to prevent feeling bloated after a heavy meal.
Jaggery with saunf or ghee to reduce bloating effects post-meal
Yes, due to its high potassium and low salt concentration, jaggery may help relieve bloating. It helps maintain the acid balance in the body cells, thereby providing relief from bloating. You could have an inch of jaggery with one teaspoon of saunf or with one teaspoon of ghee post-meal to help reduce bloating.
Alternatively, you could also use elachi by boiling it in 200ml of water to help promote digestion, assist metabolism, and reduces bloating.
Say goodbye to bloating with the help of Vajrasana
Even if you eat healthily and keep active, some foods can upset your stomach. Our intestines might get overwhelmed by stress on occasion and hence result in bloating. In such cases, adding certain yoga poses to your routine will ensure the smooth functioning of the digestive system and help provide instant relief from bloating.
Vajrasana is a simple sitting yoga posture. It gets its name from the Sanskrit word vajra, which means “thunderbolt” or “diamond”. For this posture, you kneel, and then you sit back on your legs to take the weight off your knees. After feasting, sitting in this Vajrayana pose for even 5-10 minutes would significantly help reduce bloating and aid digestion.
Sleep well and engage in breathing exercises
Believe it or not, bloating isn’t always a result of what you consume. Your body may experience a variety of symptoms, including bloating, as a result of cortisol, often known as the stress hormone. According to studies, stress has an immediate effect on the digestive system, which can cause bloating. Hence, getting a good night’s sleep and practicing proper breathing techniques before hitting the bed can help your body unwind, which will lower stress levels, enable the GI system to work more efficiently, and lessen bloating.
Stay hydrated
Keep your hydration game strong and have at least 3-4 litres of water every day. You can also take a glass of lemon water on an empty stomach since it improves digestion and alkalises the body’s pH.
Maintain portion size
Deviating from our regular diet is common during festivals. However, be mindful of portion sizes and avoid over-eating, which can lead to bloating and heaviness.
Have probiotics
Probiotics are good bacteria that improve gut function and help control bloating, gas, and flatulence. Foods that contain healthy probiotics include yoghurt, buttermilk, tempeh, kombucha, sauerkraut, kefir, pickles, and kimchi.
Include these spices
Spices such as cumin, fennel, carom seeds, clove, black pepper, and cardamom have carminative properties and help prevent gas and flatulence by allowing a better digestion of food. These spices are traditionally used in the Indian cooking. Even if you chew fennel seeds after meals, it can help ease bloating.
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