CUT THE BLOAT BY CUTTING 5 FOODS

Even though Thanksgiving was last week, chances are some of us may still be feeling the effects of having over indulged on turkey and pumpkin pie. The sheer amount of food served on occasions like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter etc., leaves many feeling bloated, sluggish and slightly uncomfortable in a pair of jeans. Especially since such such plentiful dinners bring leftovers as well.

Now before you go wondering if I'm contradicting my last article where I recommended having seconds at Thanksgiving, hang in there. Suggesting smaller portions and then having seconds for the next meal is still an excellent way to keep the body from storing fat in the same way it would when we stuff ourselves and then don't even want to look at food until lunch the following day. That being said, unless you've made a few healthier substitutions while prepping that turkey dinner, it will likely have some, if not all of the five items that cause most people to retain waste and bloat in their bodies. And if you've been living on leftovers from that dinner all week, chances are you're likely feeling a little bloated, lethargic and feeling the need to wear sweatpants instead of your favourite jeans. So what are those five things? Let's take a look.

1. Sugar and sweeteners – whether naturally occurring like glucose and fructose, simple sugars created from simple carbohydrates (packaged/processed foods and anything “white” basically) or artificial sweeteners, the fact remains that our bodies are not designed to handle a lot of sugar. Small amounts of sugar can be absorbed by the small intestine, but when the amount becomes to great, the excess enters the large intestine and acts as food for the gas-producing bacteria that lives there, resulting in excess bloating and discomfort. So, unless you replaced sugar with stevia in your cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie and whipped cream and ditched the alcohol, you've likely had quite a bit more than your body is able to handle.

2. Salt – bloating and discomfort that comes with consuming too much salt/sodium is a result of fluid build up which increases blood volume and causes your heart to work harder. Dinners prepared by someone else make it more difficult to control the amount of sodium consumed and making a conscious effort to avoid salting your food at the table will help to keep the amount down.

3. Soy – although soy isn't one of those foods readily associated with Thanksgiving, unfortunately it can make an appearance in your turkey and you may not even have realized it's there. Some turkeys (mostly the low-priced ones) are injected with a self-basting soy solution and ready-made mashed potatoes and stuffing mixes almost always contain some soy as well. Treating your family to a free-range turkey, peeling those spuds yourself and making stuffing from scratch is the easiest way to avoid the unwanted extras.

4. Dairy – whether we realize it or not at the time of consumption, many people do not digest dairy very well, causing mild inflammation to occur. Sometimes this manifests as stomach bloating and discomfort, sometimes as a stuffy nose or dark circles under the eyes and sometimes in low immune function. Substituting the butter for coconut oil in your pie crust and exchanging almond milk for regular milk not only tastes amazing, they're also much healthier options.

5. Gluten – the trending food to avoid of late for sure. But is it really causing a lot of trouble? For many people the answer is yes. Even though the statistics say there is a very small percentage of the population that is actually celiac or gluten intolerant, I have personally found, and so have many of my clients, that simply removing gluten-type products from their diet makes a world of difference. To expand on this, I have also noticed that for a number of people, myself included, that wheat gluten specifically is the main source of discomfort. With the many changes done to wheat over the last 50 plus years, the integrity of the grain isn't what it used to be and not what our stomachs are comfortable dealing with. Swapping out that white or whole wheat bread in your stuffing next time for a non-gmo, organic sprouted grain bread. You'd be surprised at how much nicer your stuffing tastes and how much better you'll feel after eating it.

So, as you go ahead and finish up those leftovers I invite you to consider making a few changes the next time a big dinner comes across your plate. I'm certain you'll love the difference it will make for you and your family.

To learn more about how to make food work with your body, lose weight and achieve your heath goals, register for programs beginning October 26. Morning groups, register for End the Dieting Madness at Parkinson Rec Centre 250.469.8800, evening groups register for Survive the Holidays online  Space is limited for each group so register early to avoid disappointment.