How to get your dream beach body: Nutritionist reveals her tricks for banishing bloating in just one month – and why supplements and good gut health is key
- Australian nutritionist Jessica Sepel is an expert on holistic food
- The best-selling author shared tips on beating the bloat ahead of summer
- Ms Sepel advised taking supplements containing milk thistle and turmeric
- She also suggested taking a gluten intolerance test and chewing food slowly
Nutritionist Jessica Sepel has shared her top tips for beating the bloat on the beach this summer.
The Sydney-based holistic food expert stressed the importance of maintaining good gut health, chewing food properly and taking supplements like milk thistle, fennel and turmeric from her line JS Health.
The best-selling author also said stress is a major contributory factor to poor digestion which leads to bloating and discomfort.
Sydney-based nutritionist Jessica Sepel (pictured) said good gut health and stress management reduces the severity of bloating
1. Take supplements
Speaking to FEMAIL, Jessica advised upping your intake of digestive-aiding supplements during the summer months.
‘Milk thistle, fennel and turmeric have all been traditionally used in Western herbal medicine to relieve digestive discomfort and reduce abdominal bloating,’ she said.
Jessica’s latest line of JS Health supplements have received rave reviews online, with a string of satisfied customers sharing incredible transformation photos after just one month of use.
Jessica Sepel’s anti-bloating supplements contain milk thistle, fennel and turmeric (pictured, a one month transformation using JS Health supplements)
2. Trial going gluten-free
Ms Sepel said gluten is a widely common trigger for bloating and digestive issues.
‘I recommend trialling a gluten-free diet for two to four weeks, keeping a journal to note any changes,’ she said.
Consult with a medical professional for a gluten sensitivity test.
Ms Sepel recommended taking a gluten sensitivity test to rule out intolerance (pictured, a transformation shot of a JS Health customer before and after taking Debloat supplements)
3. Mind your gut health
Good gut health is essential to avoiding bloating and discomfort.
Ms Sepel advised increasing your intake of probiotic and prebiotic rich foods, which are mainly plant-based, and dishes with wholefood ingredients.
‘Maintaining good gut health also means limiting your caffeine intake to one a day, reducing alcohol intake and avoiding artificial sweeteners found in chewing gum and soda as they can be incredibly bloating,’ she said.
Ms Sepel (pictured) advised avoiding chewing gum and soft drinks which contain bloat-triggering artificial sweeteners
4. Stress less
Excessive stress increases the body’s production of cortisol and adrenaline which puts the nervous system into fight or flight mode.
This causes the digestive system to slow down, according to Ms Sepel.
‘I recommend spending 20 minutes each day to practice stress-reducing exercises including deep belly breathing, meditation, yoga walking in nature or barefoot grounding,’ she said.
‘Spend 10 minutes relaxing at the end of each day – this means avoiding your phone and social media.’
Ms Sepel (pictured) said chewing food properly will reduce the risk of bloating
5. Chew well
Ms Sepel said it’s essential to chew your food thoroughly because digestion begins in the mouth.
She recommends chewing 15-20 times for every mouthful.
‘When we chew food, our saliva coats the food and sends signals to the brain to prepare for the digestive process,’ she explained.
‘Once food enters the stomach, hydrochloric acid and enzymes work to break it down into small particles, which travel to the small intestine and allow the nutrients to be absorbed into your bloodstream.
‘Avoid rushing around while eating as this can trigger bloating.’