Beating Belly Bloat Naturally

1. Cut back on salt

Reduce the amount of salt you are eating to reduce water retention and bloating. Watch for hidden sources of sodium. “Over 80 percent of our daily sodium intake does not come from the salt shaker, but rather from processed and packaged foods.” 

2. Drink more water

Make sure you are drinking enough water. Water will help your body eliminate “extra” salt through your urine. Less salt in your body will help stop swelling and bloating. Go for eight 8-ounce glasses a day.

3. Try a homemade remedy

Stir a teaspoon of baking soda into a glass of water and drink it. This solution neutralizes stomach acid and helps relieve gas and bloating. Add a few drops of lemon to dispel some of the gas before it hits your stomach.

4. Eat less and more often

Eat smaller meals more frequently, perhaps five times a day. Sit down and relax at each meal. Eating your meal slowly will help you avoid stomach bloating and pressure.

5. Cook with anise

In ancient Rome, at the end of an indulgent feast, people would serve cakes made with anise to calm digestion and freshen the breath. Anise is an aromatic digestive, a group of remedies that calms digestive problems, and reduces nausea, gas and bloating.

Anise works well in vegetable soups: add seeds or whole star anise when sautéing onion and garlic. You can also make a tea by pouring boiling water over slightly crushed seeds. Drink a cup of this after dinner, or anytime you are feeling a bloated or gassy.

6. Drink more peppermint tea

Drinking peppermint tea to relieve the symptoms of abdominal gas and bloating. It’s also good for nausea (without vomiting) and for heating up the body and making it sweat.

Peppermint tea can also be made using fresh herbs from the garden—and it’s one of the easiest herbs to grow.

7. Control irritable bowel syndrome

Bloating is characteristic of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) along with, constipation, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Keep your IBS under control to reduce belly discomfort. To control these symptoms, doctors recommend staying away from dairy and fatty foods while including a high intake of fiber in your diet.