How To Bust Bloat: Tips And Recipes From Haute Beauty Ambassador Jillian Michaels

Photo Credit: Don Flood

I cannot tell you how often I hear people complain of feeling bloated and seeking any advice that might help relieve the discomfort that goes along with it. First, it’s critical to rule out irritable bowel disease, Crohn’s, or any medical condition linked to stomach problems. So naturally I must always recommend you speak with your doctor about any health issues you are having. In general though, the average bear struggles with feeling bloated for three different reasons: either they’re holding excess water weight, they’re constipated, or they have gas.Photo Credit: Jillian Michaels

Water retention is a different “feeling” than stomach bloating. It generally makes us feel puffy and “squishy” because excess fluid has built up in our body. To reduce excess water-weight we need to do some very basic things. First, drink more water. The more water you drink the less water your body will hold onto. Second, make sure you don’t eat too much sodium. No more than 2000mg a day unless you are working out like crazy and sweating often and profusely. Third, you want a good balance of electrolytes (other than salt) to help regulate your hydration as nerve and muscle function, amongst other things. So look for foods with calcium, magnesium, and potassium in particular. Fourth, avoid processed grains and excess alcohol as these things can make us retain fluid.

Next up, constipation and gas. While constipation and gas are different issues they can be related as constipation can cause gas. And, often what helps with constipation also helps with gas. So here’s the hit list to help manage both. One quick caveat – constipation can be a significant problem for many. If this is chronic for you I strongly recommend seeing a gastroenterologist to help you identify the cause of the issue and work out a safe solution to provide relief. Personally, I can troubleshoot the obvious for you here with some safe, common sense strategies to help you stay regular. Photo Credit: Don Flood

1. First, hydration is key. It literally helps to keep things flowing properly – pun intended. Now if you are gassy, then avoid carbonation / carbonated waters and just stick with flat water.
2. Make sure you are regularly taking in pro and pre-biotics. Probiotics make up your “microbiome”, which refers to the colony of microbes living in your gut. These little guys can help with everything from fending off disease, to regulating metabolism, and yes helping with gas and constipation. So be sure to eat plenty of fermented foods like yogurt, miso, kimchi etc. Plus, make sure to get plenty of prebiotic foods like onions, garlic, bananas, legumes, and artichokes or galacto-oligosaccharide rich foods. You should also consider taking a probiotic WITH pre biotics. Alaya Naturals symbiotic is my go to. Check it out if you are inclined. Even I do this for overall health and I don’t have any tummy issues.
3. Fiber has long been recommended, as it serves to be a platform for waste removal, but some results have been mixed. Regardless, as mentioned above, fiber is great for your microbiome and heart health so at the very least you will get some positive benefits. Aim to mix both soluble and insoluble fiber to your diet so consider supplementing with psyllium husks for the insoluble fiber and make sure to get plenty of fruits and veggies (banana and artichoke are a great source of prebiotics as well).
4. Consider a magnesium citrate supplement or foods high in this mineral. Magnesium not only helps to regulate hydration levels as I previously mentioned, but it also serves as a stool softener and can help with constipation. Bananas, almonds, wild salmon, avocado, and spinach are all magnesium rich foods.
5. Enzymes! Do you notice a difference after you eat certain foods? For example, if you have dairy do you feel bloated? Or, do certain foods like beans make you feel gassy? This is often because some of us simply don’t have the digestive enzymes to break these foods down. So, you have two options: the first is to avoid the food. If you are slightly lactose intolerant don’t have dairy OR consider a supplement like lactase before consuming it. If you can’t eat foods that have those good galacto-olgosaccharides because they make you gassy try an enzyme supplement like beano. And, try eating foods rich in digestive enzymes like pineapple, honey, mango, kiwi, kefir etc.
6. Organic Coffee! Coffee can stimulate the muscles in your digestive tract to contract helping with bowel movements. Just be sure that the coffee is organic. Coffee is one of the most heavily sprayed edible crops in the world – so to avoid all the pesticides, fungicides, herbicides etc. go organic.
7. Exercise!!! Exercise is one of the best ways to keep yourself regular. Exercise aids in proper digestions. And, exercise can also help alleviate fluid retention!

ABOUT JILLILAN MICHAELS

Photo Credit: Tinseltown/Shutterstock.com

Committed to helping people to be the best versions of themselves and live their happiest and healthiest lives, Jillian Michaels has dominated the health and wellness space in every realm of media – apps, podcasting, streaming, television, print, publishing, and social media with a collective community of over 100 million strong.

Jillian is an Emmy-nominated television talent having starred in multiple hit TV shows, whose successful fitness DVDs are the highest grossing, best-selling home workouts in history. She is the author of eight New York Times best-selling books, and host of the Apple award-winning podcast, “The Jillian Michaels Show.” Jillian is also a world renowned public speaker, having successfully completing two sold out global speaking tours and participating regularly in iconic events like Maria Shriver’s Women’s Conference and OZY Fest. Over the past decade, Empowered Media has become a monumental wellness empire dedicated to total-life solutions comprising of all aspects of living well, including nutrition, fitness, self-help and overall lifestyle. The company has invested in like-minded companies including Thrive Market, Lucky Jack Coffee, AQUAHydrate, Flywheel, Pop Chips, and Alaya Naturals.

Jillian’s overwhelming success and unique connection with her audience was born from her own personal journey toward health and happiness. Having been an overweight child, Jillian’s passion for fitness stems from its transformative powers. She trained for 12 years in the martial arts practice of Muay Thai and Akauri-Do, in which she holds a black belt, and holds four personal training certificates from the leading certification programs in the United States and Canada: the National Exercise Sports Trainers Association (NESTA), CanFitPro, and the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA), and Kettlebell Concepts. She is also a certified nutrition and wellness consultant with the American Fitness Professionals and Associates (AFPA).

Jillian’s current projects include the launch of her new fitness equipment line at retailers nationwide with partner iWorld. She is currently working on her next book set to release Summer 2021. The Fitness App, created by Jillian, is the top-rated diet and exercise app for women, having won best-of awards from both Google and Apple.

Furthering her commitment to help as many people as possible, Michaels is an avid activist who works closely with a variety of charities including the UNHCR to help raise awareness and funds for refugees around the globe. She’s also involved with the NFL’s Play 60, Stand Up to Cancer, Hope for Haiti, and Dress for Success. Jillian also devotes time to animal welfare causes, and is a PETA ambassador.
Most importantly, Jillian is the mom to two young kids, Phoneix (8) and Lukensia (10).