Bloating. Let’s talk about it.
I always feel silly + vain when I complain about bloating (because, hello, there are MUCH bigger concerns in our world than me having a pregnancy-like bloat baby), but I can’t help but just hate those times—when I just feel a bit puffy, backed up, full of retained fluid, and juuuust sort of uncomfortable in my skin. Do you know what I mean? Because let’s face it, we all want to look and feel our best.
Now, when it comes to bloating, no matter what the cause is (period symptoms, excess sodium, digestion, etc.) feeling puffy, heavy, and balloon-y just doesn’t feel fabulous.
The good news? You’re not alone. Everyone bloats.
The bad news? Everyone bloats. Ha!
And since we ALL get the occasional water-retaining, puffy skin kinda ~LeWk~ I think we should have a little bloating “toolkit” for a quick fix to help remedy the situation and get back to feeling our best. Please note: this post isn’t about the long-term fixes for bloating and inflammation (eating nutrient-dense food, staying hydrated, managing stress, etc.) That could be a post allllll on its own.
Instead, we are going to focus on some super simple, quick ways to beat the bloat—let’s do this!
#1 dry brush:
Okay, I know I should save the best for last, buuuuut I couldn’t resist telling you one of my favorite bloat beaters: dry brushing. I was personally introduced to this holistic habit by my naturopath after I complained I was frequently bloated—especially in the morning.
Well, Kate, what is it and how does it work? Dry brushing is using a—you guessed it—dry brush (like this $12 one) and brushing all over your body to help detoxify, exfoliate, and help displace extra, stagnant fluid.
Dry brushing helps quickly increase your blood circulation and “wake up” your lymph system by promoting lymphatic movement (the lymph system doesn’t have a “pump” like the circulatory system so things like brushing help to moooove the fluid along). This helps reduce the water-retaining and “puffy” aspect of bloating. I take about 2–3 minutes each morning to do this and it has made such a difference for my infamous morning bloat. Not to mention, it feels SO GOOD. It is truly one of the most sacred aspects of my morning routine. (For my full guide on dry brushing, check out this oldie but goodie blog post!)
Source link: https://thefoundationblog.com/blog/all-natural-ways-to-reduce-bloating by Kate Eskuri at thefoundationblog.com