Nobody likes feeling bloated…especially when thoughts of prancing around in a bikini come to mind! It can be quite a tricky subject as everyone reacts differently to foods, so what may work for your friend, might not work for you. Of course there are some classic culprits that, more often than not, make you feel bloated, like fizzy, sugary drinks, refined carbs like white bread or pasta and even salt. This week, Hip & Healthy want to share some of our tips to reduce bloating and to get your tummy feeling lean and lovely this summer!

Slow down at meal times
Are you a culprit of gulping down your food at the speed of lightening? Well it’s time to slow down and learn the art of enjoying food at a leisurely pace. Taking your time when eating allows your digestive system to not feel overwhelmed. It will also affect how full you feel as eating slowly allows your brain to accurately register when you are full.

Eat little and often
This tip kind of connects to the last one…usually when you shovel in your meals it’s because you’re starving! This can indicate that you are going to long without eating during the day. If your feeling bloated, try and eat little and often rather than 3 big meals a day. This keeps your digestive system functioning and moving and it will also keep your metabolism fired up.

Exercise
Exercise is really helpful when it comes to moving those “unwanted gasses” down and out! It’s great for stimulating muscles in the abdominal region and it can also help trapped air bubbles in your digestive system move along their merry way!

Water
Staying hydrated is super important for keeping a bloat-free belly. I know one tends to feel a bit jelly-belly after lots of water but research has shown that when we limited our water intake, it causes our body to hold on to excess water leaving us feeling puffy and bloated.

Peppermint Tea
H&H Editor, Sadie, swears by peppermint tea as a delicious cure for bloating. Peppermint has relaxant and antispasmodic properties, helping to calm and relax the digestive system. We love Teapigs Peppermint Tea!

Pineapple
It does feel a bit out of place to put this seemly acidic fruit in our list, but pineapple is actually a flat tummy friendly food! The pineapple has long been used to treat tummy troubles such as constipation and menstrual disorders as well as containing anti-inflammatory properties. Pineapple ceviche anyone?

Probiotics
Last but certainly not least, is probiotics. A healthy gut plays a huge role in preventing bloating so get some healthy bacteria in you! Usually after a bout of food poisoning or a stomach virus, the healthy bacteria in our stomachs are seriously depleted and our tummies can suffer a lot because of it. Introduce some probiotics in to your daily regime for a flatter, happier tummy. Editorial assistant, Molly, puts her flat tummy down to Symprove!

image: Beach Cafe