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I've found that an obstacle to getting fitter is bad digestion especially when it comes to working out the belly area.

When I worked out for a year or more I felt great but my stomach probably didn't appreciate the protein shakes on the long run. Now I often get this bloated feeling during the day.

So, what diet or foodstuffs could I adopt to ease digestion?

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Nutrition questions unrelated to physical exercise are now considered off-topic according to the faq. – Matt Chan♦ Oct 1 '12 at 0:52

closed as off topic by Matt Chan♦ Oct 1 '12 at 0:51

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2 Answers

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A great first step to preventing digestion issues (not to mention numerous other issues) is to eliminate grains from your diet, most notably wheat. Grains, again wheat especially, contain a high amount of gluten and lectins which are very difficult proteins for our bodies to digest. Over time these proteins begin to tear holes in our intestines leading to various autoimmune disorders, not to mention major indegestion.

Here are some articles explaining the effects of grains on our systems:

One thing you can then do to help heal digestive issues is eat more fermented foods in order to increase beneficial bacteria in your gut. A healthy gut flora helps break down carbohydrates and aide in digestion. A great fermented food is sauerkraut, you just need to pay attention because most commercialized versions of it are stored in vinegar and pastuerized which kills all of the beneficial bacteria therefore defeating the purpose. Another great digestive aide is coconut water, it is very high in potassium and full of electrolytes.

Again, here are some articles to help further explain:

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does "fermented foods" include beer? – whaley Jul 2 '11 at 20:52
Is there grains in the protein shakes? It seems like the change in diet was the additional shakes – FredrikD Jul 17 '12 at 8:12
@fredob, it's certainly possible. most processed foods contain grain (mostly wheat or corn) in some shape or form. – jonyamo Jul 30 '12 at 18:25
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Probiotic drinks/food in proper proportions may help. Drink buttermilk at regular intervals. Coconut water as mentioned in the above post, helps a lot, too.

Make sure you eat enough fruit. They have good proportions of fiber which helps digestion. Isapgol is proven to help digestion.

Avoid Laxatives. If you want to clear your stomach, you may consume a teaspoon of (edible) castor oil when you wake up in the morning.

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