This detox drink will flatten your bloated belly

Body positivity is a hard feeling to come by when you’ve eaten right, sweated through about 37 ½ crunches and gone into Downward Dog so often this week that you have now memorised the stains on your floors — and still there’s a grubby, protruding belly spilling out over the rim of your underwear. You’ve seen this guy before, and it isn’t the adorable food baby you like to nurse after a big meal or the squishes of your body you’ve made peace with. It’s the return of the bloat monster, because chronic bloating is the worst.

In our previous article on bloating, we highlighted how to identify whether what you’re experiencing is weight gain or a bloat, and long term ways to fight chronic bloating. What happens when the bloat shows up the day of an important event and you’re suddenly self-conscious of how your little peth looks in your skintight dress? A short term solution is sipping — infused water, that is. Nutritionist and founder of SelfCare, Suman Agarwal shares with us her elixir of life — the detox water that will help you banish the bloat.

Bloat monsters
When it comes to the causes, Agarwal lists a number of triggers she’s noticed in her patients, “Bloating depends on the menstrual cycle, everyone gets bloated in the run-up to, and during, your period. Then there are certain foods that cause bloating — topmost on the list is dairy, if you’re lactose intolerant you will get bloated — you will feel your stomach get really tight. this could also happen if you don’t have a balanced diet — a low protein and high carb diet can lead to bloating.”

In terms of food, South Indian cuisine tends to cause bloating as it is largely fermented. Chhole, hummus, rajma, pani puri and corn also go on the no-fly list, or atleast should be cut to a minimum, especially if you have an important occasion coming up for which you want your stomach to appear as flat as possible. Another sneaky and painful cause of chronic bloating is constipation —  Agarwal suggests a fibre-rich diet, which includes plenty of fruits and vegetables.

The hero(ine) that slays them
While a long-term solution demands a change in lifestyle — working out, avoiding alcohol, refined sugar, processed carbs and high sodium packaged food — Agarwal’s cure will provide temporary respite.

Detox water

Ingredients
1ltr water
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp ajwain
1 tbsp fennel

Method
Add all ingredients to the same pan and allow to boil — let it simmer for five minutes, strain and start drinking. You can even sip on this throughout the day.