Help reduce the bloat!

There’s a lot of talk in the health world about looking in shape and looking healthy. That is definitely important, but what is more important is feeling healthy! One thing that can keep us from feeling our best is when our bodies are bloated. It’s that extra struggle to wiggle into your jeans after a weekend of junk food, or just feeling more sluggish than usual. We can’t always prevent bloating, but what we can do is be proactive. When you know you have a cheat day coming up or are just going about your regular week, load up on foods that will actually help your body flush toxins out and stay hydrated. Read on to find out which foods will help combat belly bloat, and you may be surprised to learn that you’re already eating many of the foods on this list! 1. Cucumber Cucumbers are often found in spas to be placed on the eyes because they are known for reducing puffiness around the eyes. It turns out, they have the same effect on your body if you eat them! Cucumbers have a special antioxidant called quercetin which helps the body reduce any swelling or bloating. After a cheat day, this veggie is a great place to start a healthy, new week. 2. Bananas Bananas are a great fruit to freeze or keep fresh and add them to your muffins or smoothies as a sweet treat for breakfast. They are packed with nutritional benefits – especially when it comes to cleaning your body! Potassium is the famous component of bananas that possess all the debloating powers we could ever want. Potassium regulates your sodium levels so that your body doesn’t hold on to extra water weight. The bonus is that this fruit is a very filling snack that can tide you over between meals. 3. Papaya Papaya may not be a fruit you have in your diet, but next time you go to the grocery store, pick one up! You can add it to a smoothie, eat it for a snack at work or add it to a fruit salad. Papaya has an enzyme in it called papain. It’s the superhero that helps break down proteins in your digestive system, making it easier for your body to digest food and absorb its nutrients. 4. Probiotic Yogurt When you’re in the grocery store, check the label on your yogurt and make sure it says somewhere on it that it’s probiotic. This will ensure you are maximizing the number of benefits you get from your daily snack. Probiotics are the healthy bacteria in yogurt that helps your body have a healthy digestive tract. They are present in your system by the tens of billions but are always fighting those bad bacterias. Eating foods like yogurt with probiotics help increase the number of good bacteria in your system, but when you also are eating prebiotics such as asparagus, your body will be an unstoppable force of good bacteria! 5. Beets Beets are not only beautiful in color, but they taste fantastic as well! Roasted beets are a favorite way of preparing for many and can be added to a salad of fresh greens with goat cheese. Beets really cut to the chase in terms of how they benefit your body. Thanks to the presence of fiber, beets are a diuretic, which means they help you go to the washroom and cleanse your body of any toxins from unhealthy foods you’ve eaten recently. 6. Fennel Seeds Fennel seeds are present in a lot of seasonings and rubs you probably already have in your cupboard. It has a sweet taste and can also be added to loose leaf teas. If you struggle with a gastro-intestinal spasms from time to time, fennel seeds can help you overcome that. They can actually help relax these spasms, allowing your body to eliminate bloat and digest your food properly and smoothly. 7. Cilantro Cilantro is something people either love or hate. Try your best to love it because, first of all, it’s in delicious Mexican food, and second of all it’s very beneficial for your digestive health. Cilantro is actually very powerful, it works on your digestive system in the same way that over the counter medications help relax overactive guts. There are two oils inside cilantro that assist with this which are linalool and geranyl acetate. Next time you eat Mexican food garnished with cilantro, you can now be aware of the benefits of what you are eating! 8. Ginger At this point, we should just address the fact that ginger is a super powerful food we all need to be consuming through our day. Whether you add it to your tea or grate some into a recipe you are making, ginger can help your body remain strong and healthy. A lot of times, protein is an absolute must in every meal. Keep that up because you need energy! However, there are times where the protein can cause bloating. Ginger contains an enzyme that will go in and absorb that protein, thus helping to reduce that extra belly chub that you are trying to eliminate. The kicker about ginger is that it is also extremely soothing to your body’s digestive system. 9. Peppermint Tea It’s rumored that Victoria Beckham drinks six cups of peppermint tea a day, so she must be onto something. It’s a tea that is easy to sip on and immediately makes you feel less bloated and a whole lot healthier. Peppermint tea assists with improving your digestion while soothing it, so it is clear that there are no toxins welcome in your body! It also helps your body stay hydrated which is an added bonus if you have a hard time drinking enough water every day. 10. Apple Cider Vinegar Apple cider vinegar has been getting a lot of attention in the media for its incredible benefits. Try drinking two tablespoons of it each day to optimize on some of its fantastic benefits. Apple cider vinegar not only cleanses your body of bad bacteria, but it can also lower your blood sugar levels, which can help with debloating your body. It also supports the good bacteria in your gut so that you can digest your meals in a healthy, smooth way.