Simple steps to BEAT THE BLOAT

Bulging tum? You need to uncover the culprit before you can fix it - for good!

- TANYA PEAREY

Hands up if you have to unbutton your waistband after a meal. You're not alone. Millions of us experience bloating and it's particularly common among women. It's not great for confidence - and it isn't comfortable, either.

'Bloating has many causes, few of which are serious,' says Woman's Weekly GP Dr Gill Jenkins. But that feeling of fullness and excess wind can interfere with your daily life. 'Most causes are related to gut issues,' adds Dr Gill. Here's how to help pinpoint the problem and do something about it.

Eating the wrong foods

Certain foods can cause havoc in our digestive systems.

And regularly overeating or chowing down on one large single meal can lead to bloating too.

DO YOU

Feel bloated after eating?

Also suffer from burping, wind and indigestion?

Feel worse after certain foods?

TRY TO

Keep a food diary to spot the triggers. 'Beans, onions and leafy vegetables, such as cabbage and broccoli, are well-known culprits,' says Dr Gill. 'But other foods may affect you individually.'

Reduce or eliminate these foods from your diet to see if it makes a difference. But be careful when removing food groups to replace any lost nutrients with other foods.

'Avoid eating large meals, which place a strain on the digestive system and can result in a build-up of gas as food lies in the gut,' says nutritional therapist Kerry Beeson.

Constipation

When our digestive process is slow, it can cause gases to accumulate, which then leads to bloating.

DO YOU

Find that you feel bloated most of the time?

Have trouble going to the loo?

Never seem to reach your five-a-day for fruit and veg?