If you read last weeks blog, and you were raising your hand to any of it saying “that’s me that’s me,” then I know you are also looking for some solutions. We have all been in a place of waking up and feeing puffy and swollen, AKA bloated. As I said last week that could be due to factors that are easily fixable. Below are a few things you can do to get rid of the temporary bloat you may be experiencing.

1. Hydration!! While it seems counterproductive…..I’m holding on to water so let me drink more…it really works! You may be holding on to extra water because your body doesn’t have enough to function at 100%…so when you give it more and it says “YESSS!! I’m no longer worrying about when and if I’ll get more water,” it will start to release what its holding. Plain water with lemon over diet drinks and even soda water will be best…bubbles can make you feel bloated too! Using an electrolyte supplement like NUUN or Skratch will also help the lethargy you may feel from being dehydrated by replacing electrolytes.
2. Get moving! Sometimes we can be bloated from constipation. The more we move, the more we get those juices flowing…go get a workout in at the gym or head out for a walk/hike. It’ll also help you sweat
3. Avoid high carb/processed foods for a few days. High carbohydrate foods tend to make us hold on to more water. Highly processed foods are full of sodium which will just make us feel more bloated.
4. Take a tbsp of apple cider vinegar with the “mother” per day for a few days. Mix it into water so it tastes better or just inhale it like a true champ. ACV balaces out the PH in our gut. Do this for temporary bloat and to help heal the gut (see below for more)
5. Take Dandelion root tea or capsules. It is a natural diuretic that will help to release extra fluid in a very gentle way!

But what if you are experiencing what I did 15 years ago…feeling pregnant all the time, when you aren’t. This could be a more serious issue. In my experience, it typically is related to a gut issue or food sensitivities (please talk to your PCP as I do not know your individual challenges or contact me HERE to talk more in depth about your unique situation). The below recommendations are general to keeping your gut healthy. Should you suspect you have a food sensitivity, please contact me HERE and we can talk about doing an elimination diet to get to the root cause of your challenges.

1. Avoid added sugar and processed food as much as possible
2. Take a daily probiotic. I use Purium and its super easy on the stomach!
3. Eat fermented foods daily: sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, kefir, grass fed plain yogurt
4. Limit gluten when possible: gluten can open the “pores” on your gut lining which can allow for more toxins to get in.
5. Make sure you have some tools in place for stress management (the mind and body are fully connected) try guided meditation, exercise, journaling etc.
6. Implement tools to make sure you are getting quality sleep: get the body ready for bed by turning off the tv/phone, stretch, take a bath, use Purium Apothecherry.

Happy de-bloating!!