Everyone wants a flat stomach not just to look good on the beach but also for health reasons. Carrying excess weight around your stomach increases your risk of heart disease and cancer. This is dangerous because it’s packed with ‘bad fat’ that accumulates around your organs. At The Slimming Clinic we tried to find the best tips to help you banish your belly bulge fast. We found incredible advice from nutritional therapist Natalie Lamb:
1. Eat more fibre ‘The build-up of waste materials in the colon can cause serious bloating,’ says Lamb. To get things moving along smoothly (and get rid of a swollen tummy), she recommends upping your fibre intake. Fibre foods include:
- Cereals
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Beans
- Nuts
- Lentils
- Rolled oats, linseeds, ripe fruits and non-starchy vegetables (like carrots, celery, bok choy and lettuce)
Natalie Lamb suggests trying a psyllium husk fibre supplement to help support healthy bowel movements to beat that belly fat.
2. Say no to sugar Sugar does not just give you mood swings and add pounds to your waistline but it also causes bloating. ‘Simple sugars and refined carbohydrates can cause more gas by preferred pathogenic bacteria fermentation and encourage the growth of fungi like candida.’ What to avoid:
- Processed products
- White pasta
- White breads
- Baked goods
3. Try a probiotic Lamb believes bloating is frequently caused by an imbalance of gut microflora. ‘Probiotics have been shown in studies to rebalance the gut flora, support the efficient digestion of food and regular healthy bowel movements.’ Lamb therefore recommends taking a multi-strain probiotic every day.
4. Relax ‘Stress is known to reduce the levels of beneficial bacteria in the gut and can occur in many ways such as a busy lifestyle or lack of sleep,’ says Lamb. Destress by:
- Reading a book
- Try yoga
- Try meditation
- Enjoy a steaming hot bath with lavender oil
- Holidays
Nathalie Lamb is a qualified nutritional therapist and nutritional advisor at Bio-Kult Probiotics. If you want to read more fabulous tips log on to: http://www.womenshealthmag.co.uk/weight-loss/stay-slim-forever/1600/4-tips-to-beat-the-bloat#ixzz3ApVGzcyk
