Bloating refers to the feeling of fullness, tightness, or swelling in the abdomen caused by an accumulation of gas or water retention in the digestive system. It is a common and often uncomfortable symptom that many people experience that may occur due to a number of different reasons.

1. Dieting

Not eating enough, or dieting leads to a decreased speed at which food moves down the GI tract, contributing to less frequent bowel movements. This can result in constipation, which can cause bloating. Instead of basing your eating habits on set macros and calories, try eating more intuitively.

2. Restricting food groups

Restricting food groups or not eating a wide range of plant foods in general leads to reduced gut microbiome diversity. Dietary diversity is extremely important for overall health. This is particularly relevant when following a low-carb diet, as carbohydrates contain fibre, which works wonders for the gut. In terms of GI symptoms, reduced fibre intake leads to a smaller gut microbiome diversity. This means that you may not have the necessary metabolites to help digest certain foods, hence the constant bloating.

Widen your dietary variety by including at least 30 different plant foods a week, including vegetables and fruit, whole grains, nuts and seeds, herbs and spices, as well as different combinations of herbal tea. Eat the rainbow – aim for your plate to be rich in bright colours.

A common mistake is getting frightened by the bloat once more foods are reintroduced and going back to a restrictive diet, concluding that you are intolerant or sensitive to those foods. What you need to do instead is reintroduce foods in small amounts, so the gut can repopulate with the necessary bacteria needed to aid digestion. Think of it as a baby’s gut learning to accept and get used to new foods. It takes time, so be patient. The bloating, cramps and general discomfort will go away eventually.

3. Intentional Detox

Detox happens naturally in the body and if the body is healthy and the organs responsible for the detoxification processes are healthy, the body doesn’t need any help detoxing. However, if you’re in detox mode trying to get as many greens and vegetables as possible, you may be increasing your fibre intake too quickly. This also applies to a general change in diet when more fibre is introduced. To avoid bloating, increase your fibre intake gradually and drink more water as you’re eating more fibrous foods to avoid constipation.

4. Relying on Diet or Low-Calorie Foods

Low-calorie and sugar-free foods contain sweeteners, which can be the culprit of your bloat. Have a look at the ingredient labels and look out for sweeteners, particularly those ending in -ol. Also limit fizzy drinks, fruit juices and smoothies and avoid gulping down your liquids fast or drinking through a straw, as this may lead to swallowing air and in turn, bloating.

5. Messy Eating Habits

Eating while scrolling and walking at the same time, eating and driving, or watching TV are all signs that there is a lack of mindfulness in your eating habits, which may also mean you are probably eating faster than you realise, which can result in bloating. Eat slowly – set a timer for at least 10 minutes. Avoid screens and other distractions and do your best to be mindful when eating. If this is new to you, it can be hard at first. Chew well and avoid eating on the go. You need to rest to digest and not be in flight mode and this is why staying rested after a meal to allow relaxation for good digestion can be helpful.

6. On-going Unmanaged Stress

Stress is known to be the culprit of multiple GI symptoms and even a factor in gastrointestinal disorders. Starting a mindfulness practice might be a good idea if you don’t already have one to help manage your stress. Start with daily meditation and 3 things you’re grateful for if you’re new to this. Exercise is another great way to release negative energy and load it with uplifting endorphins.

Also, light movements like walking, Pilates or yoga can help to maintain the parasympathetic nervous system activated, which is responsible for rest and digestion. Twisting yoga poses can also help reduce bloating and gas.

Don’t forget: It’s important to remember that bloating is a normal part of the digestive process. The digestive system naturally produces and releases gas as a result of breaking down food and fermenting certain substances in the gut. However, excessive or chronic bloating may indicate an underlying issue that requires medical attention.

Dating back to 500 BC, meditation is one of the oldest well-being techniques in the world and offers many benefits. Proven to help with stress, anxiety and depression, psychologists say it can also help you bring a fresh perspective on difficult situations, improve patience and tolerance, and increase your imagination and creativity.

There is still a huge misunderstanding of meditation – who can do it, and what it entails. But anybody, anywhere, can practice meditation, controlled breathing and management of thoughts to improve their overall well-being.

What actually is meditation?

To meditate is to become familiar with the essence of you. The true nature and power that makes you, you, – and the beauty of your own heart, so to live the life you were born to live. Typically, though, we are caught up with the chaotic racket in our heads that keeps us distracted, disconnected and busy pursuing a made-up ideal, rather than choosing to purposefully pause and connect to the peace of our hearts.

Meditation creates the space for you to become still, allowing your racing thoughts to calm and your guarded heart a chance to open, an experience which is not all that familiar to many. It’s an effective way to bring you home to your powerfully intuitive and loving self. Can you imagine our world if more of us practised meditation?

Why is meditation a good mindfulness tool?

Meditation allows your mind, body and heart to connect through alignment, resulting in relief and tranquillity. Very different from the feelings of stress, tiredness and frustration we are used to feeling – trying to keep up with the fast-paced life we’ve become accustomed to. We have become impulsive and react to the pressures and demands of life and others where we experience inflammatory behaviours resulting in competition and separation. By uniting with yourself through meditation, we create a more harmonious existence for ourselves first, others and the world around us.

What are the benefits of it and how can it help us physically and mentally?

We are designed for peace and joy so using meditation as a daily tool releases hormones naturally into our system and helps relieve the stresses and pain we feel in our lives and our bodies. Becoming still for a few minutes throughout the day, if you are a novice, or 20-30 minutes if you are more experienced, will release serotonin helping boost your mood and endorphins acting as your natural pain reliever.

All meditation, when fully present with the exercise, will calm your mind and relax your body allowing your parasympathetic nervous system to take over to conserve energy, regulate your bodily functions and bring you back into a state of homeostasis, the body’s optimum state of peace and joy. When meditation is practiced on a regular basis, you build your resilience and inner resolve helping you feel fully equipped to deal with life’s ups and downs.

What does meditation offer that’s different to other types of well-being?

As human beings we have the capacity to be ‘well beings’, however, it is a choice to continue choosing to evolve and grow. We are more than physical beings and so much more powerful than we think we are, and meditation enables us to access our innate power. Our brain’s activity is measured in waves and the higher the wave count the more active our thinking minds are. When our thoughts are left unmanaged and allowed to run riot and subject to our outside world, we can feel anxious and overwhelmed from overthinking: this state is called beta.

As we practice meditation and become more present with our hearts, our brain activity reduces to an alpha state, which leaves us feeling relaxed, peaceful and almost floating. How meditation differs from other types of well-being is that the more practised we become, we drop our brain’s activity from alpha to theta, aka the gateway to the subconscious. Then our conscious mind switches off, allowing the power of love that turns the world, grows the grass and beats our hearts, to clearly communicate with us the truth of who we are. The goal of meditation is to listen and become familiar with this truth.

How can someone new to meditation get into it?

Firstly, it’s a choice to meditate in order for it to be effective to either enhance your well-being or to alleviate the pain you are experiencing. I will always recommend meditation over medication as a starting point. We have our own natural pharmacy between our ears and meditation is one way to access this natural healing.

The first technique I teach is as simple as 1, 2, 3:

1. Pause: Pause where you are, stop.
2. Breathe: By placing your attention on your breathing, you are surrendering to a higher power, releasing, and relinquishing control.
3. Feel your beating heart: There is a power that orchestrates all things, turns the world, grows the grass and it also beats your heart. Feeling that power of love beating in your heart brings you into the present precious moment, and here all things are well and possible.

What tips would you offer for those curious about trying meditation?

If you are new to meditating yet feel it’s a practice you know will help you, it can be quite daunting to know where to start. I very first began, and I share this technique with a high success rate; sit comfortably, light a candle and simply watch the naked flame while focusing on your breathing. Allow your mind to wonder, watch the colours, sense the warmth from the flame and see where your mind takes you. You will begin to feel your body and mind relax and your mind and heart begin to feel coherent.

Another great place to practice the art of meditating is in nature. Our natural world is an exquisite example of the power of love working its magic. Spending time in the woods, by a babbling brook or listening to the birds sing, nature has a myriad of gifts for us to be present with, helping you feel calm and connected to yourself and the wider world.

Guided meditations are also a great place to start as they prevent your mind from wandering and following a voice that’s not yours can be soothing and make it easier to surrender your thoughts.

Redefining Mental Wellness in Chelsea and Harley Street

In the heart of Chelsea and the world-renowned Harley Street, a new chapter in mental health care is being written. The Chelsea Psychology Clinic is making waves with a fresh and innovative way of looking at mental wellness, all thanks to the collective vision of its co-founders, drawing on their extensive experience within the NHS. It marks a key moment in the evolution of mental health care in the private sector, with a shift towards care that’s more personalised and looks at the full picture.

As we know, mental health is multifaceted, calling for an approach that moves beyond the one-size-fits-all mentality. In the past, mental health services have struggled with challenges ranging from accessibility to the stigma surrounding psychological wellbeing. But now, things are starting to change. We’re seeing a move towards a more personalised, evidence-based framework, aiming to address these challenges head-on.

A comprehensive approach to wellness

The Chelsea Psychology Clinic is at the forefront of this approach, advocating for a 360-degree model of care. This model addresses a wide range of mental health needs, providing individual therapy sessions, support for couples and families, and specialised services for both adults and children, including therapy and psychiatry. This comprehensive approach includes ADHD and ASD assessments for people of all ages, ensuring everyone receives care that meets their unique requirements. The clinic’s dedication to evidence-based practices is clear in the variety of interventions they offer, all designed to meet the specific needs of each client.

At the core of the clinic’s philosophy is the belief that mental health care must be as unique as the individual it serves. Tailored treatment plans, led by a team of top-tier psychologists and psychiatrists, underscore the clinic’s commitment to bespoke care. This personalised approach is designed not just to tackle current psychological issues, but also to strengthen resilience and enhance overall wellbeing for the future too

Private Psychiatry and Therapy Clinic in London | The Chelsea Psychology Clinic