

We Asked A Dietitian How To Reduce Bloating The Healthy Way
We all know the feeling. Right before our cycle hits and not too long after a fibrous meal, we get the bulky discomfort in our stomach known as bloating. It’s similar to the feeling of having a balloon in your belly, making you feel swollen, puffy, and well, gassy. Bloating is a common digestive issue that many people experience at some point in their lives and is characterized by a feeling of fullness, tightness, and swelling in the abdomen, often accompanied by gas and discomfort.
Bloating can be caused by a variety of things. Maybe you ate a little too much food and now your stomach is processing the build-up of gas. Or maybe your hormones are regulating in preparation for the time of the month. Whatever the case may be, while bloating is a common occurrence in our body, it’s an uncomfortable feeling that you don’t have to live with once you identify the cause of it.
In fact, bloating could be revealing something important about our body that we may want to listen to. “It’s letting us know that something in our digestive system isn't quite right,” Carlie Saint-Laurent Beaucejour, MS, RD, LDN, registered dietitian nutritionist tells xoNecole. “It's a way for our body to let us know that it may have too much gas or air coming in. Or it could be something deeper depending on how frequently you get bloating.”
According to Saint-Laurent Beaucejour, "one in seven people experience bloating throughout the week, so it is a common bodily function. But just because something is common doesn't mean that's necessarily normal."
What Causes Bloating?
One of the primary causes of bloating is the consumption of gas-producing foods, such as beans, broccoli, onions, and cabbage. These foods contain complex carbohydrates that are difficult for the body to digest, leading to the production of gas in the gut. Other dietary factors that can contribute to bloating include eating too quickly, overeating, and consuming high-fat or spicy foods.
“What I see in my practice when someone says they’re bloated, it comes down to their diet,” she says. “Food definitely has an impact in causing bloating. Certain foods do produce gas, like cruciferous vegetables and beans, so someone's diet can be a common cause.” From what we eat to how we eat, Saint-Laurent Beaucejour says that when it comes down to our digestion, it all starts in the mouth. “Even how you chew your food can impact you if your food goes down too quickly. How you chew your food and swallow it affects digestion.”
In addition to dietary factors, certain lifestyle habits can also cause bloating. Swallowing air while eating or drinking can lead to the accumulation of gas in the digestive tract, along with chewing gum, drinking carbonated beverages, and smoking. One surprising discovery is that even not eating can make someone experience bloating in an unexpected way. “So many people are going long periods of time without eating. This can cause gassiness from excess air because you're just breathing but not eating,” she shares.
With so many causes of bloating, how do you determine the reason behind yours? For Saint-Laurent Beaucejour, it’s all about paying close attention to our bodies. “Really get curious — what did I eat recently? Have I done anything differently in my routine? Is there a particular food or food group that every time I do eat it, I'm noticing the symptoms?” she shares.
In order to keep track of these changes, Saint-Laurent Beaucejour says that food journaling is a helpful practice that she encourages her clients to implement on their health journey. “Food journaling can be helpful in determining and noticing the patterns of how you're eating. With food journaling, it's not so much that you are getting enough calories. It's more about paying attention to your daily habits,” she says. Listening, slowing down and food journaling can definitely be a way to see the cause of bloating.”
"Food journaling can be helpful in determining and noticing the patterns of how you're eating. With food journaling, it's not so much that you are getting enough calories. It's more about paying attention to your daily habits."
And while there always seems to be a new supplement and powders circulating online that promises to relieve our bloating, Saint-Laurent Beaucejour advises that one-size-fits-all remedies should be assessed with cautious curiosity. “I am a believer of personalized nutrition. Do what works for you. And if it's food-related, put food first,” she shares. “If you’re bloated and want to add supplements, can we get those nutrients incorporated into the foods from those green powders (like lettuce and kale) from actual food?”
She continues, “We're all different. Some research does back it up, but understand that these studies are sample sizes, they're not you as an individual. That's why meeting with a dietician or healthcare professional who can focus on you is so important.”
The first step to alleviating bloating is to identify and address your unique, underlying cause. And while bloating usually subsides spontaneously within a 24-hour period, it’s always helpful to have a few remedies and solutions in your back pocket for when bloating hits.
Reset Your Mindset
“I know my dietician, but it also comes down to self-talk and mindset. When you see bloating around your period, that can really mess with your head. Like, what am I doing? Why am I gaining this weight? But understand that bloating is temporary for the most part and for most people. Listen to your body and see what could be triggering it. Practice mindful eating by taking your time with eating, not rushing it, and chewing your food thoroughly so you can help your stomach not work as hard.”
Move Your Body
“Incorporate movement when you’re bloated. Take a 15-minute walk, ride a bike, or even just stretch to get my digestive system going.”
Stay Hydrated
“Hydration is something that we may not be getting enough of. So making sure you're staying hydrated, getting enough water, and avoiding foods that can dehydrate you like alcohol and caffeine is key.”
Natural Remedies
“Try drinking ginger and peppermint teas. I’m Caribbean, so we put cloves in a lot of our dishes. One of the reasons why we put cloves in our rice and beans is to help reduce that gassiness and bloating — so cloves can be very helpful.”
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Aley Arion is a writer and digital storyteller from the South, currently living in sunny Los Angeles. Her site, yagirlaley.com, serves as a digital diary to document personal essays, cultural commentary, and her insights into the Black Millennial experience. Follow her at @yagirlaley on all platforms!
Exclusive: Gabrielle Union On Radical Transparency, Being Diagnosed With Perimenopause And Embracing What’s Next
Whenever Gabrielle Union graces the movie screen, she immediately commands attention. From her unforgettable scenes in films like Bring It On and Two Can Play That Game to her most recent film, in which she stars and produces Netflix’s The Perfect Find, there’s no denying that she is that girl.
Off-screen, she uses that power for good by sharing her trials and tribulations with other women in hopes of helping those who may be going through the same things or preventing them from experiencing them altogether. Recently, the Flawless by Gabrielle Union founder partnered with Clearblue to speak at the launch of their Menopause Stage Indicator, where she also shared her experience with being perimenopausal.
In a xoNecoleexclusive, the iconic actress opens up about embracing this season of her life, new projects, and overall being a “bad motherfucker.” Gabrielle reveals that she was 37 years old when she was diagnosed with perimenopause and is still going through it at 51 years old. Mayo Clinic says perimenopause “refers to the time during which your body makes the natural transition to menopause, marking the end of the reproductive years.”
“I haven't crossed over the next phase just yet, but I think part of it is when you hear any form of menopause, you automatically think of your mother or grandmother. It feels like an old-person thing, but for me, I was 37 and like not understanding what that really meant for me. And I don't think we focus so much on the word menopause without understanding that perimenopause is just the time before menopause,” she tells us.
Gabrielle Union
Photo by Brian Thomas
"But you can experience a lot of the same things during that period that people talk about, that they experienced during menopause. So you could get a hot flash, you could get the weight gain, the hair loss, depression, anxiety, like all of it, mental health challenges, all of that can come, you know, at any stage of the menopausal journey and like for me, I've been in perimenopause like 13, 14 years. When you know, most doctors are like, ‘Oh, but it's usually about ten years, and I'm like, ‘Uhh, I’m still going (laughs).’”
Conversations about perimenopause, fibroids, and all the things that are associated with women’s bodies have often been considered taboo and thus not discussed publicly. However, times are changing, and thanks to the Gabrielle’s and the Tia Mowry’s, more women are having an authentic discourse about women’s health. These open discussions lead to the creation of more safe spaces and support for one another.
“I want to be in community with folks. I don't ever want to feel like I'm on an island about anything. So, if I can help create community where we are lacking, I want to be a part of that,” she says. “So, it's like there's no harm in talking about it. You know what I mean? Like, I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change. I'm just getting better and stronger and more intelligent, more wise, more patient, more compassionate, more empathetic. All of that is very, very welcomed, and none of it should be scary.”
The Being Mary Jane star hasn’t been shy about her stance on therapy. If you don’t know, here’s a hint: she’s all for it, and she encourages others to try it as well. She likens therapy to dating by suggesting that you keep looking for the right therapist to match your needs. Two other essential keys to her growth are radical transparency and radical acceptance (though she admits she is still working on the latter).
"I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change."
Gabrielle Union and Kaavia Union-Wade
Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images
“I hope that a.) you recognize that you're not alone. Seek out help and know that it's okay to be honest about what the hell is happening in your life. That's the only way that you know you can get help, and that's also the only other way that people know that you are in need if there's something going on,” she says, “because we have all these big, very wild, high expectations of people, but if they don't know what they're actually dealing with, they're always going to be failing, and you will always be disappointed. So how about just tell the truth, be transparent, and let people know where you are. So they can be of service, they can be compassionate.”
Gabrielle’s transparency is what makes her so relatable, and has so many people root for her. Whether through her TV and film projects, her memoirs, or her social media, the actress has a knack for making you feel like she’s your homegirl. Scrolling through her Instagram, you see the special moments with her family, exciting new business ventures, and jaw-dropping fashion moments. Throughout her life and career, we’ve seen her evolve in a multitude of ways. From producing films to starting a haircare line to marriage and motherhood, her journey is a story of courage and triumph. And right now, in this season, she’s asking, “What’s next?”
“This is a season of discovery and change. In a billion ways,” says the NAACP Image Award winner. “The notion of like, ‘Oh, so and so changed. They got brand new.’ I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
"I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
She continues, “So I'm just trying to figure out what's next. You know what I mean? I'm jumping into what's next. I'm excited going into what's next and new. I'm just sort of embracing all of what life has to offer.”
Look out for Gabrielle in the upcoming indie film Riff Raff, which is a crime comedy starring her and Jennifer Coolidge, and she will also produce The Idea of You, which stars Anne Hathaway.
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I didn’t think much could get better about the blissful high that comes with oral. That was until I came across the Kivin Method.
As someone who was never a huge fan of oral sex and could largely take it or leave it, I must admit that I have started to come around in recent years. With my head thrown back, hands gripping sheets and hair, and toes curling from the intense sensations of the work my partner is putting in at my center, I now give myself over to the pleasurable act wholly and unapologetically.
When I came across a way to maximize the pleasure I receive from cunnilingus (already), I had no choice but to tap in. Who knew the key to taking oral sex to new heights was giving it a sideways twist? For those of you who might also be interested in ways to spice up the way you do oral, experience faster and stronger orgasms, or simply want to indulge in something new with your partner, the Kivin Method could definitely be the oral sex technique for you, too.
Keep reading to learn about the method that is sure to have you writhing in ecstasy in no time at all.
What Is The Kivin Method?
For the uninitiated, the Kivin Method is an oral sex technique that focuses on stimulating the clitoris from a different angle. Dubbed “sideways oral” by some, this method involves the action of giving head from a side-to-side movement as opposed to the up-and-down motion that people typically perform when giving head. (If you need a visual, this illustration is helpful.)
The difference in approach as you’re receiving head can be a game-changer in how you receive pleasure. Not only does the giving partner have access to the clitoris, but they can also access more easily the vulva and the labia, which are objectively a bigger focus in this version of cunnilingus. More access means wider coverage, and that, plus the new sensation of oral from a different angle, can heighten the way you experience oral sex that much more.
Where more pleasure flows, intense orgasms are sure to follow.
Getty Images
How To Do The Kivin Method
If you want to know how to do the Kivin Method, it’s actually pretty straightforward. The receiver lays on their back while the giver positions themselves perpendicular to the receiver. Their head will be facing the vulva, but instead of vertical, their face will be horizontal to the vulva.
From there, the giver can get to business, ensuring that they keep their head perpendicular to the receiver’s vulva while working on their craft. Because this technique can be more intense for some receivers, start slowly by stroking the vulva and clitoris sideways with the tongue, and allow sensations and communication from the receiver to be a guide of what you need more or less of with the Kivin Method.
Ultimately, the Kivin Method allows experimentation and unlocking what pressure, rhythm, and tricks work best for the giver and the receiver. Try implementing a finger or two, or adding a sex toy to the mix to intensify the act even further.
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