Relieve Belly Bloat With These 7 Debloating Exercises

Bloating or abdominal inflation is the most common condition in day-to-day life. The gastrointestinal tract gets filled with gas or air, and you feel discomfort and uneasiness in your stomach. You may feel full and tight, or your daily clothes become tight and unfit. It can go away for a while, but some people may feel the problem continuously. It causes distress and makes you feel awkward to go anywhere with a big and bloated belly.

If you are affected by bloating, do not worry. In this article, you can learn about bloating, its causes, how to prevent it, practical debloating exercises, and many more.

Causes of Bloating

Bloating can either come in the digestive or hormonal form or both. Some of the common causes are:

• Malabsorption of carbohydrates – It occurs when sugars, carbs, and starch from the foods are not absorbed by the intestinal tract resulting in an abdominal cramp, bloating, or bowel movement.
• Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) – It is also known as blind loop syndrome. Bacteria is essential and helpful for digestion, but some bacteria grow inside the stomach and are not even a part of digestive function. The spike in these unwanted bacteria affects our abdominal area and causes pain and irritation.
• Menstrual cycle – Women's hormones fluctuate in regular monthly periods, resulting in cramps, bloating, etc.
• Overeating – “Everything excess acts as a poison.”These lines also go with our daily habits. When you intake food more than required by the body, it makes you feel uncomfortably stuffed and full, which leads to bloating, gas formation, and pain.
• Constipation – In this condition, there is infrequent bowel movement and difficulty in passing stool from the rectum.
• Excess intake of dairy items – some people cannot digest milk or other dairy products. When they intake such products, their bodies cannot digest lactose and suffer from bloating.

• Gastroparesis – In this, the stomach faces difficulty emptying the food in the usual way. Common symptoms of gastroparesis are vomiting, nausea, bloating, etc.
• Lack of sleep
• Stress or Allergy

Debloating Exercises To Relieve Belly Bloat

Exercises and yoga postures can help you reduce the painful bloating condition. To some extent, with the help of these debloating exercises, you can move the formed gases or air through the digestive tract and get relieved. Walking has a significant effect in relieving the abdomen from bloating.

Moreover, exercises and fitness yoga are perfect for strengthening the abdominal muscles and reducing belly fat.

Here are some common exercise and yoga postures that not only help you relieve belly-bloating but also make you fit.

1. Cow and Cat Pose (Chakravakasana)

Instruction:

1. Start the pose by standing on your hand and knee like a table pose.
2. Place your shins and knees hip-width apart.
3. Try to center your head in a neutral spine or position and look downward.
4. For the cow pose, inhale as you stretch and drop your belly towards the mat direction. Lift your chin and press your chest upward position. After that, lift your head and broaden your shoulder away from your ears.
5. Now, as you exhale, bring your belly back to your spine and round your back to upward. This position is called cat pose.
6. Release your head and do not force your chin towards your chest.
7. Inhale in your cow pose and exhale while returning to the cat position.
8. Repeat this at least 5- 10 times, and then relax.

Benefits:

• Cow pose relieves back pain and aches.
• This breath-synchronized pose helps to keep the mind and body calm and composed.
• A very beneficial debloating exercise.
• It also helps in improving the body posture and balance of the body.
• It is proved to be an effective exercise pose to improve blood circulation between the spines and vertebrates of the body.

2. Supine Twist

Instruction:

1. Lay down your body on the mat and bend your knees while keeping your feet flat.
2. In the laydown and knee bend posture, inhale and bring your knees to the other side.
3. Stretch it for a few minutes, then exhale and bring back your knee to the center of the inhaling position.
4. Repeat it, change your side, and twist.

Benefits:

• Supine twist is excellent for digestion and performance of the digestive function.
• It helps in increasing blood flow and blood circulation in the body.
• Make your mind quiet and calm.
• Increase the flexibility and endurance of tight shoulders.
• It also helps stretch out all the muscles connected or run along the spine.
• Supine twist can aid digestion and also improve the mobility of the spine.

3.Boat Pose (Navasana)

Instruction:

1. Start this exercise by seated with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor mat.
2. Now lift your feet off while keeping your knee bent. Parallel your shin to the floor.
3. Your torso will automatically fall back in this position, but do not let the spine get round or curved.
4. At 45 degrees, straighten your leg. Keep your torso upright to make V-shape with your legs.
5. After that, roll down your shoulder back and straighten your hand arms, making it parallel to the floor by turning up your palm.
6. Try your best to balance on the sit bones. Always focus on lifting your chest to support balance and stability.
7. Be at that position for at least 6-7 breaths.
8. At last release, your legs on the count of an exhale. Then inhale in and sit up.

Benefits:

• This exercise helps to strengthen the hip flexor, spine, and abdomen area.
• It also stimulates the kidneys, thyroid, and prostate glands.
• A great exercise for digestion and debloating.
• Navasana is also helpful in relieving stress and ache.
• An excellent pose for stretching and strengthening the parts of the leg.

4.Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)

Instruction:

1. Lay down on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor mat. After that, stretch your arms along the floor while keeping your palm flat.
2. Now press down your feet and arms tightly into the floor mat. Breathe out when you lift your hips towards the upward direction.
3. By holding your buttocks off the floor, try to draw your tailbone towards your pubic bone area.
4. After that, roll your shoulders beneath your body. Grip your hand and stretch your arms along the floor down your pelvis. Try to straighten your arms, pressing your forearms to the floor mat and reach your knuckles on the way to your heels.
5. Keep your thighs and feet parallel. Press down your body weight evenly around the four corners of the feet.
6. In this position, hold for up to 45-60 seconds. To relax and release, unclasp your hands and place them palms-down beside your body. Breathe out slowly and allow your knees to drop together.

Benefits:

• It helps to open the chest, shoulder, and heart.
• It acts as an excellent therapeutic exercise for people with high blood pressure.
• Bridge poses help to make our minds calm and quiet.
• A fantastic pose for debloating and relieving from stomach ache and pain.
• This stretching exercise strengthens and increases the flexibility of the hip flexor, spine, and neck.
• It can be rejuvenating for those who spend their entire day working on a laptop or computer system.

5. Knee to Chest Pose (Pawanmuktasana)

Instruction:

1. Start this yoga pose by lying down on the floor on your back. Stretch your legs and arms.
2. When you breathe out, bring both knees to your chest. Clasp your hands around them.
3. Now keep your back flat on the floor mat. Release your shoulder blades on the way to your waist and broaden across your collar bones.
4. Bring your tailbone and sacrum down towards the floor mat by stretching your spine. After that, softly roll backward and forward or sideways to give a little massage to the spines.
5. Now push your chin slightly and look down the centerline of your body. At this position, hold on for approx a minute. Keep your breath slow and smooth.
6. To release and relax, exhale and extend both the legs along the floor and take a rest.
7. Repeat this yoga pose at least 6-7 times.

Benefits:

• This pose helps in relieving gas and air from the abdomen. Hence, it is an excellent debloating exercise.
• Reduce lower back pain.
• It also reduces anxiety and stress levels.
• It strengthens and stabilizes the pelvis and lower back.
• Spinal nerve stress can be relieved by this practical exercise. 

6. Child Pose (Balasana)

Instruction:

1. Start with your hands and knees on the floor mat. Centre your breathe, spread your knees as wide as your yoga mat.
2. Keep the tops of your feet on the floor by touching your big toe.
3. Now bring your stomach to rest between your thighs, bend your forehead, and touch the floor.
4. Relax your shoulders and jaws. If you are facing difficulty or not comfortable placing your forehead on the floor, then rest it on two stacked or blocked fists. The center of the forehead between the eyebrows triggers the nerve and supports the rest and digest response.
5. Now stretch your arms in front of yourself with palms facing the floor. You can also bring your arms to the thighs with the palm facing upward direction.
6. Choose the palm position according to your comfortability and stay for some time.
7. After that, relax and go back to your normal position with a steading inhale and exhale of your breathing.

Benefits:

• It stretches and strengthens thighs, spines, hips, and ankles.
• It includes breathing that is good for the relaxation of the body.
• A great exercise for reducing anxiety, fatigue, and stress.
• This foundational yoga posture helps in soothing and relaxing the digestive system.

7.Triangle Pose (Trikonasana)

Instruction:

1. By parting your legs, stand straight and make sure the distance between your legs is a little wider than your shoulder.
2. Breathe in. Then just above your head, raise your hand in the sky. Ensure that your right arm is parallel to the right ear.
3. Now breathe out. Try to bend your torso at the waist to your left side portion.
4. After that, slide your left arm down along your left leg till your hand fingers reach your ankle.
5. Precisely at this point, keep your right arm parallel as your head is slightly tilted to the left.
6. In this position, hold on for approx 20-30 seconds keeping your knees and elbows straight.
7. Breathe in, then stand straight. Repeat the same posture with the other side. 

Benefits:

• Triangle pose increases the stability of the muscle core of the body.
• Good exercise for reducing stress and anxiety level.
• It strengthens the front and back quadriceps and also lengthens the spine.
• One of the practical debloating exercises.
• It opens the heart and side hips area.

Points To Ponder For Debloating

• Avoid oily and greasy food.
• Keep distance from chewing gums.
• Do not rush while eating. Eat slowly and take time to chew every bite of your food.
• To reduce the risk of constipation, add food that is high in fiber.
• Try to reduce or avoid those drinks that contain carbon, fructose, or sorbitol and any sweeteners in them.
• Introduce exercises and yogas in your life.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Do not skip your breakfast, meals, and dinner.
• Do not drink water while standing.
• After eating, do not go to sleep and walk for some time.
• Add herbal teas that contain turmeric, fenugreek, tulsi, ginger, etc.
• In the morning, start your day with a glass of lemonade water.
• Focus on your sleeping pattern and take a nap for at least 6-8 hours.

Conclusion

Bloating or abdominal inflation is a common and uncomfortable condition. There are several causes of bloating like overeating, lack of sleep, menstrual cycle, malabsorption of carbs, and many more. To relieve this discomfort scenario, debloating exercises are very effective and beneficial.

If you did not get relief from these exercises, it is better to consult your doctor without much delay.

References

https://www.thehealthy.com/digestive-health/yoga-for-bloating/

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/21740-bloated-stomach

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/bloating-causes-and-prevention-tips

https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/ss/slideshow-bloating-reasons

https://www.healthshots.com/fitness/weight-loss/make-these-7-stretches-a-part-of-your-life-to-get-instant-relief-from-bloating/

https://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Debloating-Yoga-Poses-30797559

https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-nutrition/cat-cow-how-to

https://yourpaceyoga.com/blog/supine-twist/

https://www.verywellfit.com/boat-pose-navasana-3567061

https://www.everydayyoga.com/blogs/guides/how-to-do-bridge-pose-in-yoga

https://www.verywellfit.com/childs-pose-balasana-3567066

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/triangle-pose-explained