Written by Melissa Holdbrook-Akposoe
Between battling with endometriosis and over eating habits that were formed through lockdown, bloating has been kicking my ass. Firstly, I’m not too proud to admit that I’ve been very spoiled in terms of my physique. I’ve spent the majority of my life sporting abs that I didn’t work for accompanied by an hourglass shape that remained with me unconditionally regardless of what I ate.
But you see, things start to slow all the way down once you hit 25 and become even slower when you are welcomed into your 30’s. The issue I’m facing is, I never want to change what and how I eat. I’m all about the lifestyle. Fancy restaurants, sugary cocktails… I don’t see myself experiencing a world without them in the name of abs because after all, I can’t come and die.
Due to all of the extremely important (!) reasons listed above I’ve tried to cleverly battle the bloat by finding methods that don’t entail me eating a boring diet full of beige foods or training as if there’s an apocalypse coming. I’ve discovered a few things that have significantly helped me to reduce the appearance of bloating and in true Mel fashion I’m here to share them with you.
Colonic Hydrotherapy
This right here has changed my life for the better and for me, has been the most effective long term solution.
By definition, Colonic Hydrotherapy is a treatment where a lubricated tube is inserted inside of you to wash out the contents of the large bowel by means of copious enemas using water or other medication. My procedure was a mixture of water and a herbal enema. I didn’t experience a flat stomach immediately but after a week and a half my stomach was completely flat. No other method or diet or anything has produced that result for me in such a short space of time and I’m so glad that I did it. It’s encouraged that you do it every so often depending on your personal situation. My therapist recommended a few times a year. The only con is that it’s 40 mins of pure discomfort and you truly feel like you’re sh*tting yourself for the duration. The worst part is the gas that makes your stomach cramp into what feels like stabbing pains but in all honestly it’s worth it and I’d do it again.
The Nu Co DeBloat+ Anti Bloating supplements
These supplements have been great! I’ve been using them as maintenance after my Colonic and can see a huge difference when I don’t take them twice daily. Overeating means that I can become quite uncomfortable but this completely diffuses that. The capsules are made up of great components such as liquorice root, turmeric and ginger powder which are all known for naturally helping with bloating. It’s altogether made up of 17 digestive enzymes and Ayurvedic extracts that work together in synergy to tackle bloating quickly and effectively. I would definitely recommend them but as always do your Google’s to see if they’re right for you.
Lymphatic drainage massage
This has been good but the most costly. I was paying £60 a session and did about 4 sessions with the effects of each one only lasting for a few days. I went to a clinic where they used a LPG machine to massage away at the body to encourage the displacement of excess water. It lasts about 60 minutes and at the end you have to go to the loo a few times to get rid of the excess water that’s been stored inside of you. It’s good but not life-changing, however it is something to consider if you’re trying to take baby steps to get into the debloat game.
Diet is always going to have a major effect on how much bloating occurs in your body so if you want to try the old fashioned route I would recommend doing your research and eliminating foods out of your diet to find what could be causing your issues, and you can always seek professional help and food intolerance tests if you are struggling on your own. But again, I wasn’t born to live an unfulfilling life and the majority of my enjoyment comes from culinary experiences. So if you’re the same as me, see you at Hakkasan (don’t forget to bring the supplements)!
