Don’t let the COVID-19 lockdown give you a belly bloat: 4 foods to go slow on, now

As you work from home amidst the COVID-19 lockdown, you are likely to get a bloated belly due to your sedentary lifestyle. While staying active at home is ideal to ward off the condition, limiting the intake of certain foods will also help.

The novel coronavirus has taken the world by storm over the last four months, impelling governments to shut down borders and impose complete lockdown. A lockdown ensures restricted movement and physical distance which seem to be the only ways to tame the alarming speed at which this virus is spreading. With 11,349 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and 377 deaths, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended its 21-day lockdown till 3^rd May. Starting from 25^th March, India was on a lockdown till 14^th April. While the necessity of this move is undeniable, we cannot undermine the set of other physical and mental health challenges that this phase has come with. One of them is a sedentary lifestyle. As you work from home, lack of movement not only makes you gain extra kilos, but also gives gut issues like belly bloating and indigestion.

SEDENTARY LIFESTYLY AND BELLY BLOATING: WHAT IS THE LINK?

Bloating is a condition characterised by a distended feeling in your belly. Your stomach feels swollen and enlarged after you eat. One of the reasons behind a bloated belly is sedentary lifestyle. As you sit through the day while working from home amidst the COVID-19 lockdown, it becomes tough for your food to move through your digestive tract, resulting in a bloated belly. People with constipation complain of a bloated belly more often and the condition worsens due to lack of movement and exercise, find experts.

GO SLOW ON THESE FOODS

Taking walk breaks and exercising regularly will definitely help you get rid of a bloated belly. However, if you can't manage to stay sufficiently active through the day as you work from home, go a little slow on certain foods. Well, many foods that cause belly bloating are packed with nutrients. So don't cut them off you palette completely, just make sure you limit the intake of these foods.

Beans and lentils

Beansand lentils are legumes high on protein, healthy carbs and fibre as well. But they also come with sugars called alpha-galactosides, belonging to a group of carbs termed as FODMAPs (fermentable oligo-, di-, mono-saccharides and polyols). These short-chain carbohydrates are fermented in the colon by your gut bacteria as they escape digestion. For people with irritable bowel syndrome, this process may lead to bloating and flatulence. Rely on black beans if you experience these symptoms. They are easy on your digestive systems. Choosing light-coloured lentils over the dark-coloured ones will also help as they are low in fibre count. Additionally, reducing the FODMAPs in beans and lentils by soaking and sprouting them will may help alleviate belly bloating.

Cabbage and cauliflower

Both these vegetables are a regular in your kitchen shelf. Belonging to the cruciferous family of vegetables, they offer crucial nutrients like fibre, vitamin C, vitamin K, iron and potassium. However, they come with FODMAPs, which are major culprits behind belly bloating. Cooking these vegetables well may make it a little easy for you to digest them. Rely more on cucumbers and potatoes instead of cabbage and cauliflowers.

Dairy Products

Rt There is debate about the fact that dairy products including milk, cream, cheese and yogurt among others, are power packed with nutrients. They are excellent sources of protein and calcium.

But all of them have lactose, a sugar which your digestive tract finds it tough to break down. Lactose becomes all the more difficult to digest if you are leading a sedentary life. Figure out if your departmental store can arrange for soy milk during this time, when there's limited stock for essentials. If you can't find this option, then limit your dairy product intake. Have them at an interval of one or two days.

Carbonated drinks

These are the other common culprits behind belly bloating, as they are high in carbon-di-oxide, a gas. While you gulp down these beverages, large amounts of this gas enters your digestive tract and get trapped. This is what causes bloating and even cramping. Ditch your bottle of cola and stick to good old water instead. Infusing your water with lime can make it healthier. Other healthy alternatives could be tea and coffee.