Woman's Own: Beat The Bloat Diet
Could a food intolerance be causing you problems? Nutritionist Monica Grenfell shows you how to beat your cravings, feel great and lose weight.
Monica says:
Do you feel like a bloated, flabby wreck with food cravings, feelings of fullness, tiredness without being able to sleep and constant gnawing hunger? If so, you could have a food intolerance! Most intolerances last a short time and are usually due to eating too much of the same food groups too often. In fact, most people eat the same 10 foods every day. One of the most common intolerances is to wheat, and while I don't advise you stop eating bread, it's amazing how much wheat we can consume in an average day. With my diet, you can feel great, lose 2-3lb a week and eventually start eating your favourite foods again.
Why do I binge on wheat products?
Bingeing on one food-type can cause a biochemical addiction to it. You'll crave it and, by over-indulging, will become addicted. This can lead to developing a food intolerance. When you eat something that triggers a reaction, the body makes stress hormones. If you do this constantly, you'll feel tired, weak and nervous. Your body allows toxins into the bloodstream, which lead to water retention and you start to feel sluggish and fat - and probably end up bingeing again.
Other causes which might not be wheat:
A poor digestion is one reason for bloating, wind, IBS and lethargy. Check these out:
- Are you busy all the time?
- Do you feel frustrated a lot?
- Are you always anxious?
- Do you eat/chew too quickly?
- Do you have an 'energy crash' after eating?
- Do you crave salt or sugar?
- Are you bloated within 30 minutes of eating a meal?
- After a good night's sleep, are you still tired?
- Do you feel dizzy if you stand up too quickly?
- Do you exercise too much?
All of these raise stress levels and impact on stomach acid. So:
1. Sit down to eat
2. Make sure you chew food well
3. Make times for meals and never eat at your desk or dashboard
4. Never eat on the go
5. Increase your variety of foods - at least 25 different foods a week
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