Have you ever heard someone say they have a “food baby?” Well, that’s a sign of belly bloat!

Bloating is a common condition that makes your belly look larger than it really is and can also cause serious stomach aches. It’s a result of excess gas, foods, or liquids trapped in the digestive tract. Here’s some good news — bloating can usually be eliminated by making a few simple dietary changes. Check out the following seven tips to kiss belly bloat goodbye for good:

1) Cut Out Common Food Allergens and Intolerances 

There are certain types of food that are hard for people to digest and commonly cause bloat. They include lactose, gluten, wheat, and fructose. If you have trouble digesting any of these food groups, try cutting them out of your diet and see what happens. You should notice a difference in no time. 

2) Lay Off Fizzy Drinks

Carbonated drinks are terrible for your digestive health. The little bubbles may seem harmless, but they easily get trapped in your intestines. Once they build up your stomach may puff and cramp. So next time you’re craving a fizzy drink, try reaching for a detox water instead!

3) Quit Chewing Gum

Whenever you chew gum you swallow excess air. These air pockets then lead to abdominal pain and bloating. Chewing gum is an unnatural act for our bodies because the only other time we use our mouth to chew is when we eat. So once you start chewing, your brain signals your stomach that food is on the way and will soon need to be digested. Then as the chewing persists, the enzymes and acids that are activated become confused why there is no food for them to break down. This overproduction of stomach acid can create serious issues when you actually do eat food because the balance is now out-of-whack and can cause indigestion.

4) Cut Out Sugar Alcohols

Sugar alcohols are typically considered a safe alternative to refined sugar. We’ve even included them in our list of better-for-you natural sweeteners. There’s one problem with sugar alcohols, though. When consumed in large amounts, they can cause gas, bloating, and an upset stomach. For this reason, cut back on sugar alcohols like xylitol, sorbitol, and mannitol.

5) Don’t Eat Foods Known To Cause Gas

Beans, beans, they’re good for your heart. The more you eat, the more you …. well, you know how the saying goes. Some high-fiber foods are known to produce large amounts of gas. Eating too many of these foods can lead to belly bloat. Along with beans, some other culprits include legumes, lentils, and whole grains. 

6) Take Digestive Enzymes

Digestive enzymes help the body break down food and make sure waste moves through the intestines as it should. If you are one of the 16-30 percent of people who report regular bloating then digestive enzymes may offer you some relief. 

7) Take a Daily Probiotic Supplement

Researchers say that taking a high quality daily probiotic supplement can help reduce gas and improve overall digestive health. For this reason, it may help you beat belly bloat. With so many different probiotic supplements on the market today, though, make sure you do your homework before buying any old brand. 

Your overall health relies heavily on one very important organ … the gut.

Today, doctors and researchers alike say your gut is responsible for your digestive health, immunity, mood, weight, skin condition, and much more. That’s why it’s important to keep your gut in tip-top shape. 

So how the heck do you do that?!

First, you must know that your gut is filled with trillions of bacteria. Don’t worry — this isn’t a bad thing! About 80 percent of that bacteria is “good” and the remaining 20 percent is considered “bad.”

Let me rephrase that — 80 percent of your gut bacteria is supposed to be good and the remaining 20 percent is supposed to be bad. With our poor diets and high-stress lifestyles, however, many people have way more bad bacteria than they’re supposed to. To help keep your gut bacteria in proper balance (and your whole body healthy), adopt these five daily habits:

1) Cut Out Sugar

Here’s a scary fact for you —  the average American consumes about 400 calories a day from added sugars. That’s way more than we’re supposed to eat! While sugar may please our taste buds, our insides certainly don’t share the love. 

Sugar acts like fertilizer for bad gut bacteria and yeast. To make matters worse, when bad bacteria takes over, many of our good bacteria is killed. This can lead to:

• Leaky Gut Syndrome
• Candida overgrowth
• Inflammation
• Weakened immunity
• Autoimmune disease
• Weight gain
• Skin problems

The list goes on. 

Now, here’s some more bad news. Doctors say sugar is extremely addicting, similar to how people are addicted to drugs. So once you’re used to eating a high-sugar diet, cutting back on the sweet stuff may be tough. Check out our 7 tips to help you break up with sugar for good. 

2) Eat Fermented Foods

Fermented foods such as sauerkraut, pickles, kimchi, kombucha, kefir, natto, and tempeh are rich in probiotics. You may know by now that probiotics are beneficial bacteria that helps our gut health flourish. 

3) Take a Daily Probiotic

Don’t rely solely on probiotic-rich food to improve your gut health, though. In reality, the amount of probiotic-rich foods you would need to eat in order to get great and sustainable results is daunting. That is why doctors, medical professionals, and the Gut Health Project recommend taking a daily, high quality probiotic supplement, like Perfect Biotic.

Why do we recommend Perfect Biotic?

Research suggests up to 80% of probiotic brands are useless. The main reason probiotic supplements fail is because they’re weak. Typically, capsules and tablets can’t protect the sensitive cultures from harsh stomach acids. This means, the beneficial bacteria never reach your intestine, where they can benefit your health. Perfect Biotic comes in a liquid format.

If you want to learn more about how probiotics America will re-balance your gut and help cleanse your colon, click here.

4) Get Moving

A recent study showed exercise may promote a diverse gut microbiota (which is a good thing)! The study focused on rugby players who are regularly active. Researchers say the results showed a clear link between exercise and gut microbiota diversity.

5) Relax & Sleep

Stress impacts our health in many ways, including our gut bacteria. To help keep gut bacteria balanced, it’s important to keep stress at bay. I know this is harder said than done. After all, we have bosses to please, kids to tend to, and relationships to nourish. Plus, let’s not forget the laundry list of obligations we commit to on a regular basis. Despite the high-stress lifestyle we live, carve out some time for yourself. Dedicate 10 minutes in the morning to meditation. This can help silence the negativity in your mind. You can also take an hour to workout at the gym, spend some time walking outdoors, read a good book, or relax in a hot detox bath. Whatever it is that helps you de-stress, do that!