7 ways to beat bloat!!!!

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7 Ways to Beat Bloat

by Jonny Bowden, M.A., C.N.S.

Some excess weight isn't really fat, but what some clinicians such as

Elson Haas, M.D., refer to as " false fat. " That's the excess bloat

and water retention that comes from hypersensitivity to many common

foods -- it's weight we don't need to have, and we feel and look a

lot better without it. It also comes off fastest -- the loss

of " false fat " is one of the reasons people sometimes lose weight

quickly at the beginning of a new diet.

Here are some suggestions for losing it. Remember to take these in

the spirit in which they are intended: Not hard and fast rules for

everyone, but strategies that are worth trying when you are stuck.

1. Cut out wheat. Whenever I recommend that people try this as a

strategy, I invariably get two kinds of responses. One is from irate

dietitians who chastise me for going against the " wisdom " of the food

pyramid and warn me of the " dire consequences " for human health if

people actually followed such a crazy recommendation and stop eating

bread, pasta and cereal for a while. The other response comes from

people who say this recommendation changed their lives. Wheat is one

of the seven top allergens, and untold numbers of people have

undetected sensitivities to it. Dr. C. Leigh Broadhurst, one of the

brightest researchers I've ever met and the author of the wonderful

book Diabetes: Prevention and Cure, once told me that if she had to

pick one strategy to recommend to people for weight loss and health

it would probably be cutting out wheat. Dr. Bland, also no

intellectual slouch, has commented on the possible long-range

implications of gluten or glidian se! nsitivity (both are components

of wheat). Eliminating wheat (at least temporarily) is on the top 10

list of so many cutting-edge health professionals that it is foolish

not to give it a try.

2. Eliminate dairy. Especially cow's milk. Interestingly, this is

something that the " high protein " folks and the radical vegans such

as Dr. Neal Barnard agree on, though for somewhat different reasons.

I'm not talking, incidentally, about the wonderful, nutrient-rich,

unprocessed certified raw milk that people such as Sally Fallon rave

about, but unfortunately raw milk is just not widely available. I'm

talking about that stuff on your grocer's shelf. No, you won't get

osteoporosis (which has to do with a lot more than calcium), and yes,

you can get your calcium from other sources. I wouldn't necessarily

extend this recommendation to naturally fermented products such as

yogurt and some raw-milk cheeses, by the way, though some people

might want to try eliminating all dairy at first. If you're still

skeptical, visit notmilk.com and then talk to me some more. And

remember that the number one source of nutritional information in

this country comes fr! om the dairy industry.

3. Eliminate sugar. This one is really hard for most people but is

the one that may pay off the most. And while you're at it, see what

you can do about aspartame.

4. Try a fruit and vegetable " fast. " Three days on a healthy, rich

brew of vegetable soup plus some low-sugar, high-fiber fruits

(berries, for example) and a daily portion or three of raw vegetables

with a little olive oil never hurt anyone and will give your

digestive system a needed vacation from most stressors and toxins.

5. Don't drink. The impact of this recommendation varies from

situation to situation, but there are people who have lost

significant amounts of weight and bloat simply by cutting out

alcohol. Remember that alcohol is a kind of super-sugar and can be a

very significant source of calories for some people. And there isn't

a single health benefit in it that you can't get from fruits and

vegetables.

6. Try counting calories. Just for a while, just as a strategy.

Though I've said many times that calories are not the most important

thing in a diet, they still count. Study after study has demonstrated

that most people, especially those who are overweight, consistently

underestimate their caloric intake. And even those who have learned

to " eat right " for their type sometimes fall into the trap of

thinking they can eat unlimited amounts as long as they're eating

the " right " foods. Use this strategy as a reality check for a few

days.

7. Try the old switcheroo. If you've been eating high-protein, try a

vegan plan for a few days. If you've been eating vegan, try higher

protein. Sometimes just a change is all it takes to move off a

plateau, and sometimes hidden food sensitivities remain hidden

because we tend to eat the same things all the time.

Let me say again that the above seven items are suggested strategies,

not absolute commandments. Not everyone has to do all seven, and all

seven won't be equally meaningful for every individual.

But when you're stuck, or you need a change or you can't figure out

what's going on, these are good starting points for experimentation.

As always, adapt what you read here to your own circumstances, but

stay open-minded. Not one of the above strategies will hurt you, and

you may be amazed at how much they will help.

Hope you find this interesting.

Tami )