Will exercise help beat the bloat?

Feeling bloated isn’t uncommon, and for most people, symptoms will be quite short-lived. For others, bloating can have a big impact on their quality of life, especially if they feel swollen and uncomfortable regularly. More often than not, feeling bloated is diet-related and the result of either eating too much or consuming foods that our body has a reaction to. Most of the advice we’re given to alleviate the physical symptoms of bloating are diet related, such as cutting out fizzy drinks, eating slowly and increasing the amount of roughage in our meals. But will exercise help to beat the bloat?

So will exercise help to beat the bloat?

There’s no denying that looking at the type of food we eat is an excellent place to start if you want a swollen tummy to be a thing of the past. Still, certain types of exercise are also effective in helping to beat the bloat while simultaneously improving other aspects of our health.

Will exercise help to beat the bloat? Try cardio

If you want to soothe your bloating, doing some low-intensity cardio exercise can help. A nice long walk, a bike ride or a gentle jog are all great for deflating a swollen tummy as they will help to expel built-up gas that causes pain and discomfort. While cardio won’t necessarily cure your bloating, it can improve your digestion and reduce the intensity of your symptoms. Although any amount of exercise is better than nothing, around 30 minutes of mild to moderate exertion is ideal for bloat busting and should help to ease any abdominal discomfort.

Do Yoga poses to promote digestion

Along with cardio, exercises that strengthen the abdominal muscles are also good for reducing bloating, with certain yoga positions being particularly effective. Torso twists and extended poses are great for increasing your blood flow and giving your digestive system a boost, while relaxing positions such as the downward dog will help by stretching and compressing your intestines. As well as promoting digestion and alleviating the symptoms of bloating, yoga is excellent for reducing tension and relieving stress, which is often associated with digestive issues. Even practising for a few minutes per day can improve your mental health and positively affect your physical wellbeing.

Rule out a food intolerance

Bloating and other digestive issues, such as stomach cramps, are common symptoms of food intolerance. If you suffer from abdominal discomfort after eating regularly, it could be worth taking a food intolerance test to rule out any sensitivities you have to a particular ingredient. Intolerance tests are easy to do and will help you identify any changes you need to make to improve your health and quality of life. If you find out you’re intolerant to lactose, for example, you can begin to look at dairy-free alternatives and plan your diet accordingly.

Try a food intolerance test to remove bloating

Suppose you’re concerned about feeling bloated or your symptoms don’t improve. In that case, it’s always best to speak to a medical professional who will advise accordingly and help to rule out any underlying conditions. There is no obvious answer to whether exercise will help beat the bloat. If you’d like to learn more about food intolerance tests or have any questions, please email [email protected] or send a message through the contact form on our website.