4 Ways To Instantly Cure Bloating

Feeling bloated? Use these instant bloating relief remedies to feel less full and flatten your stomach back to its usual shape in as little as 5 minutes.

During holidays and the long summer evenings, it is all too easy to find yourself enjoying food and drinks later in the day than your body is used to. If you do overindulge, you may find yourself waking up with indigestion and a belly that you don’t recognise.

But there's no need for this kind of bloating to ruin your day. Try the following almost instant cures in the morning and you could be sunbathing in your swimwear again before noon!

Stomach self massage

Massaging the stomach has lots of health benefits and a DIY stomach massage is really easy to learn. It can help relieve bloating and built up gas in as little as five minutes. NOTE: If you're pregnant, it’s best not to do a stomach massage on yourself - read this instead.

How to massage your own stomach to relieve bloating

• Lie down on a bed or the floor facing up. Uncover the whole of your abdomen area.
   
• Place both hands, side by side, at the bottom left of your rib cage.
   
• The centre of your palms should be resting gently against the lowest ribs. Your fingers should be extended, pointing towards your feet, so that they are positioned at the top of your abdomen.
   
• Using very light pressure, slightly press your fingers into your abdomen. Then gradually move your hands down towards your hip in a straight line.
   
• As the tips of your fingers reach the top of the left hip, pause.
   
• Now, with your fingers still pointing towards your feet, change the direction of movement by 90 degrees. You hands should now move sideways across the lower part of your abdomen, towards the right hip.
   
• If you are doing it right, your palms will pass over your belly button and the tips of your fingers just above your pelvis.
   
• Once you reach the right hip, pause again.
   
• Then pull your hands slowly up the right side of your abdomen, towards the lowest ribs on the right of your body.
   
• Pause once again when you reach your ribs. Then calmly glide your hands back to the starting point, moving your fingers across the top of your abdomen.
   
• Repeat this slow, clockwise circular movement all the way around your abdomen several times.
   
• On each repetition, increase the pressure as far as feels comfortable. Use both the base of your palms and the tips of your fingers to push a little deeper into any areas that feel particularly bloated or gassy.
   
• Never push very hard. If you do feel any significant pain at any time, you should stop.

This kind of massage can be done without any oil or creams, but if you can try an essential oil such as peppermint added to your standard massage oil and you might enjoy even quicker results.

Finally, you may want to do this self-massage in private! Why? Because it often helps the release of excess gas, a key component in causing us to feel bloated. So whilst a stomach massage might do wonders for reducing bloating and relieving built up gas, those around you may not appreciate the results as much!

If you do not feel like massaging yourself, you can also book a qualified massage therapist nearby to visit and perform a stomach massage for you. And remember, there is no need to be embarrassed if you do unexpectedly release gas! The masseuses and masseurs available via this platform are trained and experienced professionals who understand the medical consequences of certain treatments, so will take it in their stride. That's part of what you are paying them for after all. 

Remember: rub your tummy in a clockwise motion to follow the natural path of food through your intestines. 

Stomach massage during pregnancy

If you are pregnant, it is safest not to perform stomach massage on yourself. Massage can be safe during pregnancy as long as appropriately applied, so consider booking a pregnancy massage with a suitably qualified professional instead.

Exercise

If you are overweight, you may find you experience indigestion or bloating more than others. Regular exercise together with targeted massage therapy can help weight loss.

But sometimes all it takes to cure bloating is a 15 minute walk. So the next time you wake up the morning after a big night feeling a bit full and swollen, instead of sulking on the sofa with a croissant, go for a short walk instead.

Although most bloating related discomfort does pass naturally after several hours, doing a bit of light exercise can definitely speed up the process so much that you could be feeling better again almost instantly.

Start off with a slow stroll, taking in fresh air through your nostrils. After a few minutes pick up your pace slightly so that it becomes a brisk walk. Continue at this slightly faster pace for several minutes before turning back towards home. As you return towards home, reduce your speed so that you spend the last 10 minutes walking calmly and arrive back feeling refreshed rather than exhausted. Following good breathing techniques also helps cure bloating.

You might be surprised at how quickly your tummy feels flatter again from doing something as simple as a walk.

Over The Counter Cures

From activated charcoal supplements to friendly bacteria yoghurt drinks, there are cures aplenty available at your supermarket and local chemist that claim to help reduce indigestion and the discomfort of bloating.

Whether or not these pills work work instantly to alleviate bloating largely depends on how relevant the ingredients are for combatting your own particular causes. However, there is probably no harm in taking a suitable natural supplement just before following the exercise and self massage tips outlined above to further improve the speed at which you feel better.

And Finally, Prevention is the Best Medicine

The most common cause for bloating is what (and how) you ate and drank most recently.

Sometimes the cause is as simple as just having too much too quickly. Pace yourself. Slow down your ingestion to improve your digestion. If you have a habit of gulping down food, try chewing each bite a little longer before swallowing.

Or just simply chat to those around you more whilst you eat. Having a natter will give you a natural break in between mouthfuls. This in turn allows your digestive system to cope better and reduces the chances of indigestion and bloating later on.

If you find yourself suffering from bloating on a regular basis, even when you have not indulged in excess or eaten too quickly, then it might be worth considering whether you have an allergy to certain kinds of food.

Dairy and gluten are two of the most common causes of bloating. Aside from blood tests through your doctor, you can also quite easily test your own tolerance to certain foods. If for example you have a hunch that you often feel bloated after eating pizza, try avoiding gluten for a few days and see if you experience less bloating. If it makes no difference, reintroduce the gluten and exclude dairy products for the next few days. Continuing in this trial and error manner for a few weeks can help identify food intolerances that cause bloating much quicker than waiting months for medical appointments and tests.