How to deal with that bloated feeling
Flatulence, stomach rumbling, belching, halitosis, difficult gas evacuation, abdominal distention, and bloating and abdominal pressure affect 89 percent of adults daily. Most folks report experiencing three or more symptoms a day — and stomach woes aren’t all that’s unleashed. Such gastro-woes are associated with anxiety, depression and nongastrointestinal symptoms such as headache and fatigue. That is the conclusion of researchers from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, who interviewed 5,978 adults in the U.S., the U.K. and Mexico ages 18 to 99.
Potential causes range from diet (too much saturated fat, not enough fiber or eating indigestible fiber), microbiome dysfunction (caused by inflammatory foods like red meats, added sugars/syrups or medications), food sensitivities (lactose intolerance, for example), autoimmune conditions (celiac disease), Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis, diabetes (gastroparesis is a complication), or eating fructose or sorbitol and drinking carbonated beverages.
To reveal possible causes, keep a log of what you eat and your gastro-symptoms. Then consider seeing a gastroenterologist.
Big benefits from microgreens
Whether you live in an area without easy access to fresh veggies, are housebound or grocery-store reluctant or simply like their sassy look and vivid flavors, microgreens can provide you with super-nutrition — right from your kitchen counter.
One University of Maryland study found that sprouts of cilantro, celery, red cabbage, green basil and arugula contained four to 40 times more nutrients than their mature counterparts. Specifically, the research looked at ascorbic acid (vitamin C); carotenoids, precursors of vitamin A; phylloquinone (a K vitamin); and tocopherols (vitamin E).
If you’re growing micro-radishes, mini-salad greens or broccoli, for example, they’re cultivated in a growing medium (potting soil, coconut coir, peat or peat-vermiculite mixture). You trim them at the base when they’re a couple of weeks old and have developed their first set of leaves. You can add them to veggie, chicken or tuna salads and use them as uncooked garnishes.
How to grow: There are loads of instructions online — from a super-detailed free book at microgreenify. org to a simple six-step outline from Gardener’s Supply Company (gardeners.com) and videos on Youtube.