Irregular eating habits and poor dietary choices during the Tet holiday can often lead to bloating and indigestion. Choosing the right foods can help minimize these issues.
During Tet, consuming excessive amounts of fried and fatty foods, along with alcohol, can easily trigger symptoms of bloating and indigestion. These symptoms may include a heavy feeling in the stomach, abdominal distension (below the rib cage), belching, sour burps, dull pain, and sometimes constipation, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and shortness of breath.
Causes of Bloating and Abdominal Distension
- Overeating is likely the most common cause of bloating. Eating smaller meals can alleviate pain and discomfort.
- Consuming high-fat foods can make you feel full and bloated. Fats take longer to digest than proteins or carbohydrates, thus keeping the stomach full for a longer time. To avoid bloating, limit fats in your daily diet.
- Eating too quickly increases the risk of post-meal bloating. A simple remedy is to slow down while eating. It can take up to 20 minutes for the fullness signals to reach the brain and curb your appetite. Many experts believe that eating slowly helps prevent overeating.
Participating in many festive gatherings during holiday breaks can lead to bloating and indigestion. (Photo: Sheknows).
Common Foods That Cause Bloating
Hard-to-digest foods can cause bloating and abdominal distension. Here are some familiar culprits:
- Beans and lentils are very healthy foods that contain hard-to-digest sugars called oligosaccharides. These sugars must be broken down by bacteria in the intestines.
- Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, prunes, and apricots contain sugars and starches that can cause bloating, although these foods are beneficial for the body.
- Sweeteners can also produce gas and bloating. Sorbitol—an artificial sweetener—is indigestible. Fructose, a natural sugar added to many processed foods, can be difficult for many people to digest. To avoid bloating, be mindful of these sweeteners in the foods you eat and limit your intake.
- Dairy products can irritate the intestines and cause bloating if you have trouble digesting lactose.
- Whole grains are healthy but can sometimes lead to bloating and belching. This is because whole grains are high in fiber, a type of carbohydrate that is hard to digest. A sudden increase in your fiber intake can lead to bloating, distension, and constipation.
Tips to Relieve Bloating and Abdominal Distension
Choose the Right Foods
According to WebMD, consuming a lot of fatty foods, sweets, and sugars such as meat, fish, and processed meats during Tet can not only lead to weight gain but also result in symptoms of indigestion, bloating, and acid reflux. Therefore, you need to have a reasonable eating plan, limiting unhealthy foods to reduce the workload on your digestive system.
Consuming many foods during Tet can lead to bloating and distension.
Eat Less, Chew Slowly
Eating too quickly or in large amounts is one of the causes of indigestion, heartburn, and acid reflux. You should eat smaller portions, slow down while eating, and chew thoroughly to ensure food is well-ground and easier to digest, while also curbing your appetite and helping you feel full longer.
Increase Vegetable and Fiber Intake
During Tet, there are many hard-to-digest foods like sticky rice cakes and fatty dishes, so you need to consume plenty of green vegetables in your meals to avoid bloating. Vegetables and fiber will help keep your digestive system functioning normally.
Drink Plenty of Water
You need to stay hydrated with pure water and fresh fruits to eliminate toxins from consuming unhealthy foods. Water is essential for life and helps reduce and prevent bloating. Everyone should aim to drink at least 2 liters of water daily or more if you consume a lot of alcohol, spicy foods, or greasy dishes. If you find plain water unappealing, you can add a little lemon juice for flavor.
Limit Alcohol Consumption
Excessive alcohol consumption can irritate the digestive tract and reduce the body’s immune response, increasing the likelihood of making poor, unhealthy food choices.
Stay Active
Physical activity also stimulates the digestive system. Instead of just sitting around, you can engage in simple activities like helping with cooking, setting the table, or moving around more. These activities help the stomach function better. Additionally, after a large meal, gentle movement can help prevent heartburn and acid reflux.
