How To Reduce Swelling After A Tummy Tuck
Following your tummy tuck surgery, it is likely you will experience some abdominal swelling. Dont worry: this is a perfectly normal, natural, and common side-effect, and its completely temporary. But, while the swelling will subside with time, there are some steps you can take to help reduce swelling more quickly and to ensure a safe, complication-free recovery from your tummy tuck.
How Can You Reduce Bloating
There are many things you can try to limit bloating:
- Avoid foods that cause gas, such as cabbage, Brussels sprouts, beans and lentils.
- Avoid using straws to drink beverages.
- Cut back on dairy products if they cause bloating and talk to your health care provider.
- Dont chew gum.
- Limit carbonated drinks as well as foods and beverages that contain artificial sweeteners.
- Quit smoking.
- Slow down when eating.
Changes In Eating Patterns
Low energy levels, stress and mood swings are all common symptoms of menopause. These symptoms can contribute to changing of your eating patterns. You may start to eat foods which are high in processed carbohydrates and sugar. Sugar, especially fructose can lead to bloating.
Or perhaps a change in your household could lead you to change how you were eating.
You may have decided to change to healthier eating patterns that include lots of beans, and cruciferous vegetables. While these are healthy foods they should be introduced to your diet slowly.
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Complementary And Alternative Therapies
Simethicone and Charcoal The use of gas-reducing agents, such as simethicone and charcoal, to relieve bloating is widespread, but the evidence to support their efficacy is limited. When used alone, simethicone has been inefficacious, and the effects of activated charcoal have been inconsistent.118,119 There is a suggestion that gas-related discomfort is reduced with a combination of simethicone and loperamide.120,121 Likewise, the combination of simethicone, activated charcoal, and magnesium oxide significantly reduced bloating in patients with functional dyspepsia.122 The evidence to support the use of any of these agents alone in reducing bloating is insufficient, but there may be some benefit in combination.
Kiwifruit Extract There is emerging evidence that kiwifruit is effective in the treatment of constipation and bloating. Although the mechanisms remain unknown, kiwifruit appears to promote both laxation and gastric motility.123 Kiwifruit extract has had promising results for the treatment of constipation in randomized, placebo-controlled trials. A statistically significant reduction in bloating was noted in a study of patients with occasional constipation.124
Remedies For Stomach Bloating: Help Beat The Bloat
Its never pleasant to feel bloated and sluggish, regardless of whether your symptoms are mildly uncomfortable or on the more painful side. In either case, suffering from stomach bloat is not an ideal situation only made worse if youre not sure why youre feeling that way or how to treat the symptoms.
Luckily, you can help to beat the bloat with a few easy steps and remedies.
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Foods That Reduce Bloating
Everyone knows the discomfort of feeling bloated from time to time. Your stomach feels too full, and your clothes might even feel tighter. Sometimes a big meal can cause bloating. Other times, it can be brought on by a medical condition. The good news is that you can prevent that discomfort by eating more foods that reduce bloating and avoiding foods that can cause it.
When you experience bloating, sometimes your diet can be the culprit. By paying attention to the foods you eat, you can help prevent bloating, as well as support your digestive health.
What Is A Tummy Tuck
A tummy tuck, also known as abdominoplasty, is a cosmetic surgery procedure that results in a flat, toned abdomen through the removal of excess skin and fat, and the tightening of weak abdominal muscles.
A tummy tuck procedure can address a number of concerns, including excess weight and fat, in addition to stretch marks, which can be addressed with a tummy tuck if they occur below the navel. Candidates for a tummy tuck surgery may be those who have recently lost a substantial amount of weight or those whose bodies have recently undergone other substantial changes, such as pregnancy and childbirth. Its important to note that the procedure will not result in substantial weight loss.
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How Is Bloating Treated
Bloating will usually go away by itself if you adjust your diet for a while. Cut down on salty foods, carbohydrates and fizzy drinks. For some people, it can help to avoid foods that contain onion or garlic, wheat, rye, lactose products or stone fruit.
Bloating caused by constipation can be treated by eating more high-fibre foods, increasing the amount of water that you drink, and exercising regularly. Some people may need laxatives to treat constipation.
If you have a medical condition such as coeliac disease, you will need to follow a strict diet to prevent bloating and other symptoms. If you have IBS, following a high-fibre diet and the low FODMAP diet may help. This involves cutting out some dairy products, wheat and other grains, and some fruits and vegetables. Talk to a health professional such as your doctor or a dietitian before starting this diet to make sure it is right for you.
If you have a food intolerance, you may need to try an elimination diet to find out which food or foods are causing your problems. Your doctor or dietitian will advise you.
Some people find that probiotics containing lactobacillus and bifidobacterium can help with bloating by reducing the production of gas in the gut.
Check For Lactose Intolerance
Lactose is a sugar found in milk.
Your body needs an enzyme called lactase to break down lactose. However, most people dont produce enough of this enzyme to break down lactose once they reach adulthood. The resulting condition is called lactose intolerance (
22 ):
- Increasing your fiber intake. Aim for 1830 grams per day of both soluble and insoluble fiber from whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.
- Drinking adequate fluids. Drink 68.5 cups per day of water and other fluids.
- Exercising regularly. Walking, jogging, swimming, or bicycling for about 30 minutes each day may help keep your bowels moving regularly.
Keep in mind that you may need to increase your soluble fiber intake with caution, as this type of fiber is fermented in your colon and may contribute to bloated feelings .
Additionally, adding fiber to your diet too rapidly may worsen constipation, so its important to increase your intake slowly. Aim for an intake of 25 grams per day for women and 38 grams per day for men .
While constipation may be relieved with medication, certain types like bulk and osmotic laxatives may make bloating worse, so talk with your doctor about your symptoms to determine whats best for you (
39 ).
Finally, high amounts of fats in your intestine may retain gas and increase the sensation of bloating. This may be why people often report feeling bloated after fatty meals .
45 ).
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How Long Does The Swelling Last
Because a tummy tuck procedure is a fairly invasive surgery, you may notice swelling of your midsection for quite some time following your procedure. Typically, the most significant swelling will subside after two to three months, but some mild swelling may remain for up to a year and a half though it will become gradually less apparent.
Eat A Regular And Balanced Diet
Similarly to drinking less fizzy drinks, eating a more balanced diet, at routine times, can also help to reduce the uncomfortable bloating that you may be experiencing. Large fatty meals are an obvious culprit when it comes to bloating, as they are harder to digest than smaller, more regular portions containing the correct amount of vegetables and fibre that your body needs.
Thoroughly chewing food and avoiding talking while eating can also help you to deal with the effects of bloating. If you chew properly and keep your mouth closed, then you are less likely to take in any excess air. This air can quickly become trapped in the stomach and easily lead to an unpleasant bloating sensation.
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Take Natural Magnesium Salt
Kunkel says this can help if you’re constipated. “We’re all supposed to be getting a recommended daily allowance of magnesium in our diet. Magnesium is this charged ion and what it does is it holds water, and that water will stay in your digestive tract and you’ll pass it. It will help make sure stool isn’t lumpy and dehydrated it keeps things soft. It’s available over the counter, as capsules or just powder. And it has all these other benefits: It can help with sleep it can help with headaches your muscles need magnesium.”
But fair warning: If you have a kidney condition, you’ll want to stay away from magnesium because your kidneys might not be able to filter out the magnesium. causing an excess accumulation in your blood.
And on the note of constipation, it’s not just that you can’t poop. “Sometimes, believe it or not, folks don’t know what constipation is,” Kunkel says. “They can be opening their bowels regularly. The key is are you having a full bowel movement? Is everything coming out? Because if you’re going, but you’re feeling like you’re not empty all the way and there’s something left behind, that’s a constipation symptom you’re constipated.”
The Role Of Luminal Contents
Intestinal Gas Endogenous gas production via the fermentation of luminal contents is a significant contributor to raised intra-abdominal volume. Lactulose, which is poorly absorbed in the small bowel and therefore fermented in the colon, has been shown to be associated with bloating and distension in healthy volunteers1 and in patients with chronic constipation,9 suggesting luminal gas production as a contributing mechanism. Fermentation and thus gas production are influenced by the substrate and intestinal bacterial species, and studies show that alterations in the dietary intake of indigestible carbohydrates influence symptoms of bloating. In addition, reported alterations in the fecal microbiota of patients with IBS in comparison with those of healthy controls have been postulated to result in alterations of luminal fermentation,10 supported by the observation that patients with IBS have a lower cecal pH, presumably as a consequence of the increased production of short-chain fatty acids.11 Furthermore, the role of bacteria in the pathogenesis of bloating is supported by studies in which the modulation of bacteria with antibiotics resulted in symptomatic decreases in bloating.8
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What Causes Bloating In The Stomach
Gas
Gas is a natural byproduct of digestion, but too much intestinal gas means your digestion is gone awry. While you can ingest gasses by swallowing air or drinking carbonated beverages, these gasses mostly escape through belching before they reach your intestines. Gasses in your intestines are mostly produced by gut bacteria digesting carbohydrates, in a process called fermentation.
If theres too much fermentation going on, its because too many carbohydrates werent naturally absorbed earlier in the digestive process, before reaching those gut bacteria. That could be for several reasons. Maybe you just ate too much too fast for proper digestion. Or you might have a specific food intolerance or gastrointestinal disease. Some possible causes include:
Digestive Contents
These can include solids, liquids, and gas. Digestive contents can build up in your digestive system when there is a backup or restriction in your digestive tract or when the muscles that move digestive contents along are somehow impaired. Any build-up of digestive contents along the digestive tract will leave less room for normal amounts of gas to process through. It also leaves less room for other things in your abdomen, including circulatory fluids and fat, making everything feel tighter. Causes of build-up can include:
Hormones
Other Causes
Remedies And Treatments For Bloated Stomachs
While stomach bloating will often resolve on its own, the following measures may help reduce bloating or address its underlying causes:
Exercise and Posture
Physical exercise can help reduce bloating and clear gas from the body. Posture adjustment can also help. The body retains more gas when you are lying on your back, so try to stay active throughout the day.
Over-the-Counter Medication
Both simethicone and activated charcoal are marketed as gas-reducers. The two have proven ineffective and/or inconsistent when used on their own in clinical trials. However, there is some evidence to suggest that they may work when combined or when used with magnesium oxide or loperamide .
Probiotics
The use of probiotics to help with digestive issues is common but little studied. Still, there is some evidence that using probiotics can help reduce stomach bloating. The formula in VSL#3 proved to reduce bloating in both adults and children in clinical studies.
Digestive Enzymes
One common cause of stomach bloating is the inability to digest certain foods. Most digestive enzyme supplements are effective only for people who cannot produce enzymes for medical reasons. However, over-the-counter enzymes have proven to help with the digestion of two commonly problematic foods: dairy and legumes .
If you have a hard time digesting the sugars in these foods, you might benefit from lactase supplements for dairy or alpha-galactosidase supplements for legumes.
Herbal Remedies
Diet
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These Steps Will Show You How To Reduce Bloating
When you’re trying to ease the pressure off of your bloated tum , you’ll want to rely on these digestion-promoting methods to help you reduce bloating in just 24 hours. Here, we help you identify which habits and foods can help reduce bloating and rev up your metabolism along the way.
Hopefully, after you follow a few of our 25 tips on how to reduce bloating there will be minimal instances of trying to squeeze into your favorite pair of jeans.
Tips On How To Reduce Bloating In Less Than 24 Hours
How many times can you recall having a bloated belly while trying to squeeze into a tight-fitting pair of jeans? It’s even more frustrating if you watch what you eat and exercise. Belly bloat is often to blame, but luckily, it can be temporary. We turned to the research to see what’s causing your stomach to buldge, as well as provide helpful tips for how to reduce bloating.
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Get More Active Every Day
Exercise helps your body move stool and gas out of the colon and may make bowel movements more regular. Exercise also releases extra sodium from the body through sweating, which can help to relieve water retention.
It is vital to drink plenty of water before and after exercising to stay hydrated, as dehydration can make constipation worse.
What Is Abdominal Swelling
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To Beat The Bloat: Dietary Fiber
In some cases dietary fiber or the type of fiber used to treat constipation may cause bloating. It does this without actually increasing the amount gas in the digestive tract. It is thought that bloating arises from the fiber slowing the movement of gas through the bowels. However, some types of fiber may also directly increase the amount of air because they are partially digested by the bacteria that live in the colon.
Natural And Other Remedies For Gas
Two products on the market can help with food-related gas and bloating. Both products are packaged forms of the enzymes needed to break down the problematic carbohydrates. Lactase, found in products such as Dairy Ease and Lactaid, can be taken with dairy foods to help break down lactose and lessen gas. Beano helps digest the indigestible carbohydrate in beans and other gas-producing vegetables.
Natural remedies for gas include:
- Peppermint tea
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Take The Time To Rest
After your abdominoplasty, its important to give your body time to heal and recover. Not only does this mean avoiding strenuous activity, such as intense cardiovascular exercise or weight training, following your surgery, but its also important to make sure you get enough sleep. Allowing your body to rest will keep your immune system strong, and allow it to focus on healing your midsection from your tummy tuck procedure.
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Too Much Fat
What many people think is loose skin is just body fat and the same goes for bloating.
In fact, in my experience working with thousands of people, Ive found that when people are complaining about chronic bloating, the real issue is too much body fat.
Fortunately, its not hard to tell the difference between belly bloating and belly fat.
Bloating comes and goes.
You might wake up with a flat stomach and be carrying a three-pound food baby by the time you go to bed.
Belly fat, on the other hand, doesnt fluctuate this markedly unless you dramatically over- or undereat.
If you were to measure your waist at the navel every morning and night, youd see this clearly. If the culprit is bloating, readings would vary widely. If belly fat is to blame, however, readings would be consistent.
You cant grab bloat by the handful.
Your skin will usually feel thicker but bloat doesnt jigglefat does.
If you determine that your problem is indeed belly fat and not bloat, check out this article for the solution.
Lactose Intolerance
Research shows that approximately 70% of the worlds population cant properly digest lactose, which is the sugar contained in dairy.
The reason for this is the intestines fail to produce enough of an enzyme called lactase, which is required to fully digest lactose.
Sodium and Potassium Imbalance
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