Say goodbye to a bloated belly with our "deflator"
Everyone knows it: after a fatty and high-calorie meal, the typical bloated belly becomes noticeable. The stomach rumbles, gurgles and you fight against bloating. This is very unpleasant, especially in the office or when going out. In today's blog post, we'll show you how you can avoid a bloated belly, what helps you to prevent a bloated belly and what our new product, the Ventilator, is all about.
Table of contents:
- What is a bloated belly anyway?
- Causes of a bloated belly
- Plant-based substances: Help with a bloated belly
- Chamomile, ginger and co have a relaxing and calming effect
- Extracts instead of tea
- Nutri-Plus deflators - herbal gastrointestinal capsules
- 7 tips to avoid a bloated belly
What exactly is a bloated belly?
A bloated belly (in medical parlance meteorism) is caused by excessive accumulation of air or gas in the digestive tract, in most cases in the stomach or large intestine. This is mainly caused by food. The accompanying symptoms of meteorism are lower and upper abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, bloating, bowel and stomach noises, stool irregularities and flatulence. The abdomen is hard and sensitive to pressure. Meteorism should not be confused with air swallowing (aerophagia) or flatulence (bloating).
Causes of a bloated stomach
A high-fibre diet leads to increased gas production in the large intestine. This is because undigested food components are broken down by microorganisms in the large intestine. This leads to the formation of hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, methane and sulphur compounds. The resulting gas mixture can either enter the bloodstream via the intestinal wall and be exhaled or escape as flatus (bloating).
There are many causes of bloating. In addition to foods that are difficult to digest, functional disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome (you can find out all about irritable bowel syndrome here), intolerances, chronic intestinal inflammation, but also impaired intestinal flora, stress, pregnancy, constipation and eating too hastily can be responsible for meteorism.
A bloated stomach is not a bad thing. However, if it occurs frequently, you should have functional disorders investigated and, for example, check whether you have lactose or fructose intolerance.
Plant-based substances: Help with bloating
Healing plants have been used for thousands of years to treat pain and physical complaints. Medicinal plants such as aniseed, fennel, caraway, camomile, ginger or peppermint have a positive effect on the gastrointestinal tract by having an antispasmodic and calming effect. This is why they are also part of our deflator.
Chamomile, ginger and co have a relaxing and calming effect
Chamomile is the world's most widely used medicinal plant. It contains essential oils such as matricin, chamazulene, alpha-bisabolol and flavonoids. Chamomile has an antispasmodic effect on the stomach and intestinal muscles. Studies have shown that the anti-inflammatory components in chamomile have positive effects on gastritis and stomach ulcers.
.Peppermint also has an antispasmodic and calming effect. One study shows that peppermint oil reduces the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. The test subjects took one capsule of peppermint oil 3-4 times a day for a month. The symptoms improved after one week. This is also confirmed by a clinical study with the active ingredient turmeric. Patients suffering from indigestion were given turmeric capsules for 4 weeks. The symptoms improved within a week. You can find more information about turmeric here.
Ginger has been cultivated and used in East Asia for thousands of years. The main ingredients in ginger, which also give the root its typical spiciness, are primarily the gingerols it contains. Ginger aids digestion and has a stimulating effect on the production of gastric juice and bile. Studies also show that ginger inhibits the growth of Heliobacter pylori. A bacterium that colonizes the human gastrointestinal tract. It is held responsible for the development of gastric ulcers and chronic gastritis, for example. Almost half of the world's population is said to be infected with Heliobacter pylori. The pungent taste of pepper due to the piperine it contains also stimulates the secretion of saliva and gastric juices as well as the release of digestive enzymes. Pepper, like ginger, therefore has an appetite-stimulating and digestive effect.
Cumin inhibits the growth of gas-producing intestinal bacteria
Fennel and caraway also have positive effects on gastrointestinal complaints. Caraway has a growth-inhibiting effect on gas-forming bacteria in the intestinal tract. A study at the Rostock University Children's and Youth Hospital investigated the effects of fennel and caraway on gastrointestinal complaints such as meteorism and flatulence. The hydrogen content was measured by means of a hydrogen breath test. The test participants were given a flatulence-causing, indigestible carbohydrate and three different tea preparations (fennel tea and caraway tea made from ground fruit, fennel tea granules) on three test days. The change in the exhaled amount of total hydrogen was then measured. In addition, the test subjects' stool samples were examined in vitro. The fennel tea made from ground fruits led to the best symptom treatment in the participants, while the fennel tea granules performed best in vitro.
Extracts instead of tea
It is now known that the optimal effectiveness of medicinal plants is based on the water-soluble and fat-soluble ingredients. In tea preparations, valuable fat-soluble ingredients are therefore only transferred to the tea in insufficient quantities. It is therefore advantageous to use extracts, as is the case in our product.
Nutri-Plus Deaerator - herbal gastrointestinal capsules
Our new product, the Nutri-Plus Deflator, has been specially developed by us to reduce the typical bloated stomach and feeling of fullness after eating. The medicinal plants and spices contained, such as black cumin, ginger, aniseed, fennel, camomile blossom, peppermint and cinnamon bark extract, have a calming effect on the gastrointestinal tract and help to dissolve the accumulated air in the stomach. Our capsules are 100% plant-based, gluten-free and well tolerated.
7 tips to avoid a bloated belly
- More frequent small meals: It is better to eat several small meals throughout the day than one large portion three times a day. This puts less strain on the digestive tract. Eat slowly and chew thoroughly: Eating hastily means that you don't chew your food sufficiently. Sometimes we swallow large chunks as a result. The digestive tract has to work harder to break down the pieces of food. In addition, more air is swallowed. You should also avoid distractions such as watching TV or using your smartphone.
- Omit bloating foods: Legumes, various types of cabbage (except cauliflower and broccoli), onions, olives, very sweet, fatty and sulphurous foods (such as meat and fast food) can stimulate gas formation in the intestines. If you have a sensitive stomach, you should therefore steam vegetables first. A daily intake of 30 grams of fiber (equivalent to around five portions of fruit and vegetables) is recommended, as this aids digestion and binds water. However, please note that the tolerance of fiber is very individual. If you generally consume little fiber, increase your intake slowly. Drink plenty: To facilitate the passage through the intestines, sufficient fluid intake (at least 1.5 liters per day) is necessary. Non-carbonated water or unsweetened tea is best. You should avoid carbonated mineral water, caffeinated drinks and alcohol.Physical activity: Sufficient exercise stimulates digestion, accelerates the transportation of air and thus reduces a bloated stomach.
- Warmth helps: A warm tea or hot water bottle relieves cramps and has a relaxing effect.
- Don't chew gum: Chewing gum causes you to unconsciously swallow air, which exacerbates the symptoms of a bloated stomach.
Sources:
https://www.mri.tum.de/sites/default/files/seiten/meteorismus_ernaehrung_april2016.pdf
https://www.carstens-stiftung.de/artikel/fenchel-und-kuemmeltee-gegen-blaehungen.html
https://www.phytodoc.de/
