Bloating
You probably already know that menopause can commence and continue well into a womans late 40s. In addition to bad moods, insomnia and fatigue, a menopausal woman can experience abdominal bloating as an uncomfortable side effect.
Bloating makes ones abdomen feel tight and full, oftentimes causing pain. The causes of bloating vary - from poor nutrition to anxiety or stress. Like weight gain and fluid retention, bloating can also be a common side effect of hormone therapy.
Here are some tips to help reduce uncomfortable bloating:
- Chew your food slowly. Digestion starts in your mouth. If your teeth dont chew your food completely, your stomach will need to do extra work afterwards.
- Avoid eating too many gassy foods at one meal. Foods like cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, onions, beans, brussel spouts, corn, oats, potatoes, apples, pears, peaches, milk, soft cheese and fluffy wheat are difficult to digest.
- Instead, consume foods that minimize gas - such as bananas, grapes, eggs, rice, peanut butter, fruit juices or herbal teas, yogurt and hard cheese.
- Avoid eating sugary snacks and raw seafood. Desserts overload your stomach and raw seafood carries a high risk containing parasites; which can cause bloating.
- Natural herbs help. Herbs such as fennel, with its anti-gas and anti-spasmodic properties, is particularly helpful for bloating, and has no side effects. Drinking fennel tea can also ease both gas and bloating.
- Do yoga poses. Yoga provides you with a sense of control over your breathing and stress. Yoga postures help you relax and stretch - both your muscles and tendons - so that your body will get some activity and promote digestion.
Beware that constant bloating after meals can be related to more severe medical diseases - like ulcers, acid reflux, Crohns disease, colitis and even cancer. If bloating continues to bother you, seek advice from your physician as soon as possible.
