Beat the bloat! Lose up to 5lb in five days

With the party season just around the corner, get in shape by eating foods that help you beat the bloat and make you feel great

HOW IT WORKS

Bloating is the result of intestinal gas building up in the stomach and bowels, causing pain and making your belly swell. Tests prove that women don’t produce more than men, but tolerate the symptoms less well and, because we like to be able to show off a flat stomach, we’re more likely to be unhappy when we bloat.

Hormonal changes that happen just before a period or during the menopause make symptoms worse, as fluid retention contributes to skin’s puffy texture. The build-up to Christmas can also be a factor as stress constricts our bellies, making it harder for the body to digest food properly.

Nutritionist Lily Soutter ( lilysoutternutrition.com) says: ‘Fibre is your gut’s best friend and you should be eating 30g a day. Swap out white flour, rice and pasta for healthier alternatives and introduce slow-release carbs, such as oats, that help metabolise your digestion.’ Try Nairn’s Rye & Quinoa Oatcakes (£1.39, Waitrose).

Avoid veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage, as they contain enzymes that can cause bloating and flatulence. Live yogurt and kefir, the Middle Eastern fermented drink, are full of good bacteria that soothes an inflamed stomach. Or take a supplement such as Lepicol (£9.67 for 14 x 5g sachets, lepicol.com). It contains psyllium, a gentle fibre and five strains of live bacteria, to balance gut flora and keep you regular.

Drink still water, avoid carbonated fizzy drinks that fill your body with gas and eat slowly to stop you gulping down air that can make you bloat.

Nutritionist Suzie Sawyer says: ‘The herb milk thistle found in Thisilyn Milk Thistle (£9.99, schwabepharma.co.uk), helps regenerate liver cells and eases digestive comfort, especially after over-indulgence.’

Follow our beat-the-bloat plan and you could be 5lbs lighter in just five days.