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What woman has not had to deal with bloating on a monthly basis? What dieter or athlete in training has not stepped on the scales and thought BLOAT! Being bloated is the bane of so many people's existence. Americans have spent millions of dollars on diuretics and diet pills to get relief from the full and stuffed feeling of bloating, or water weight gain as some of us like to claim. But that in some cases those only proved to be a temporary relief and money unwisely spent. Bloating is caused by a variety of natural factors that include the intake of air as we eat and exercise, our diets, and our exercise routine, or in my case the lack thereof.

When it comes to your workout routine, my personal favorite is walking; there is an unlimited array of choices available to you. You have only to consult your local yellow pages to find a gym or Y near your home that offers your level of workout classes. As for that pesky monthly problem I recommend your physician to help with any health issues. Never neglect what your body is trying to tell you. Before any diet changes see your doctor to make sure you are healthy enough for it.

Here I would like to address the issue of food. There are only two types of foods; those that cause bloating and those that don't. Nothing feels worse than walking away from a big meal feeling as if you're about to burst! And have you ever had a gastric attack several hours later that nearly doubled you over from the bloating and pain? That uncomfortable and sometimes painful condition comes from the combination of foods and drinks we consumed at that big meal. It has begun the toxic digestive chain reaction of fermentation in our gastric and colon systems where bloat and gas are the by product. The foods that contribute to this are the ones high in fiber and sodium such as cabbage, beans, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, soda, beer, whole grain breads, and any sodium processed foods. It's also best to avoid fried foods and highly spicy foods as well.

How can you avoid the bloated feeling and water gain? Incorporate foods high in potassium into your daily diet. Potassium is a natural counter-balance to sodium. Eat more avocado, banana, sweet potato, oranges, orange juice, kiwi, almonds, raisins, chicken, sirloin steaks, salmon, scallops, peanut butter, edaname, spinach, apricots, and halibut. As you can see more fruits, vegetables and unprocessed meats are healthiest and will ease the digestive process. Also drink eight glasses of water a day. It an old piece of advice but it's still true. That will flush the system and keep you in great working order. Another plus from eating potassium rich foods is that potassium is good for the heart and assist in keeping the heartbeat steady. Potassium also will help with the muscle system and those irritating leg cramps. Doctors often will recommend you consume bananas if you are prone to having "charlie horses" or painful muscle knots in your legs. The USDA recommends the average woman needs 3500 to 4700 mg of Potassium daily. Yet she only consumes 2200mg daily. That fact alone can explain why you may feeling bloated most of the time.

The best thing you can do to help your body feel better instantly and in the long term is a small dietary adjustment. Start eating more high potassium rich foods and less of the high fiber foods. In no time you will have a flatter stomach, less bloat and gas.

Learn more about this author, Carol Itoh.
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