Go with your gut. You’ve heard people say it. We recognize that there’s something deeply insightful there that can diagnose a whole host of issues in our lives. But what happens when it’s our gut that’s having problems? Whether you’ve been surprised by bloating, gas, and abdominal discomfort or if you’re struggling with these symptoms on a more regular basis - don’t stress because we’re here to help. We care about what’s going on in your gut, so here is a list of some of our best evidence-backed tips & tricks to help you relieve bloating fast.

Why you might want to skip that over the counter

You know when something’s off, even if you don’t know what’s causing the discomfort. If you’re unsure of the root of your issues, you might want to skip the over the counter medicine for bloating. While some OTC options do put clinically tested ingredients to use to banish the bloated belly, they’re also targeted. Translation: taking, say, Lactaid won’t do anything if the root of the problem isn’t lactose. 

You could absolutely take any OTC and see if it works; you know your body, and you’ll feel whether it’s helping your discomfort or not. But if you can’t easily identify what caused the discomfort, you might end up right back in the same place 20 minutes later: bloated, uncomfortable, and still in need of a solution. But you’ll also be out a couple bucks. Fortunately, there are better ways to address your symptoms.

How to relieve gas and bloating fast

Here at rmdy, we’re serious about your bloated stomach, which is why we want to help you prevent digestive issues by understanding the causes of bloating and improving your overall gut health. We may have a good understanding of the lifestyle and food choices that make us feel best, but truth is, life happens.. Sometimes you just need a cheeseburger, even if dairy isn’t necessarily your gut’s best friend. And some days, hitting your fiber goal just won’t happen. That’s where Daily Digestive Essentials comes in, too. Our tasty chewables can be taken before any meal to prevent your gas and bloating before it starts (it also works on your long-term gut health in the background thanks to a mix of research-backed probiotics and prebiotics).

If you’re already feeling discomfort and need a fix your bloated stomach right now, that’s okay too. We’ve gathered practical solutions with scientific backing to ease the pressure on your swollen stomach, so you can get to feeling like yourself again ASAP.

Go for a walk

Your hip flexors will thank you for getting out of that office chair, but there’s even more reason to get out and walk around the block. Can bloating relief really be as easy as a 15 minute walk? Science seems to say so. Although light to moderate exercise has had a reputation for helping gas work its way out, researchers actually put it to the test back in 2006. 

Intermittent pedaling on a bike helped subjects in their study clear out gas and bloating better than rest. The difference between the two groups in terms of gas cleared and abdominal distention (that full, puffed-out belly effect) was significant enough for the researchers to conclude that mild exercise was indeed effective in improving gas clearance. And you don’t even need to work up a sweat in your work clothes.

In fact, German researchers wanted to see if an espresso or a digestif would help with meal digestion. But it was actually a leisurely post-meal walk of just 15 minutes that helped move the food along, they found in their 2008 study, and not the drinks that did the trick.

Try these specific yoga poses

Yoga is one of these bloated stomach remedies that you’ve probably heard about, maybe from your class instructor, but don’t turn to when your belly feels like it’s holding a bowling ball. Let us relieve some of your skepticism, along with your gas and bloating: yes, this one’s backed by science, too. 

In fact, one study observed enough improvement in participants with IBS put on a yoga program that they concluded it could stand alone or act as integrative option paired with other treatment. But the true takeaway here is the frequency. Even busy on-the-go people can make this routine happen. Study participants did just 3 hour-long yoga sessions a week, and the exact routine they followed is available in the write up, which can be accessed here by anyone for free.

Reach for peppermint tea or capsules

Want fresh breath and a gas-free stomach? Peppermint may be able to help with that. Although, like with most things, long-term supplementation will get you the best results, it’s worth trying in a pinch when you need to decrease bloating. In animal studies, peppermint has been shown to decrease gastrointestinal discomfort by relaxing the tissue and offering some pain-easing effect. And its ability to prevent smooth muscle from contracting — which may relieve painful intestinal spasms — has also been proven. That’s why it’s one of the herbal remedies included in our Daily Digestive Essentials.

Peppermint oil has even proven effective in reducing IBS symptoms by 40% over the course of 4 weeks, which is reason enough to give it a go when you’re dealing with uncomfortable gas and bloating. The IBS symptom relief of peppermint oil compared to a placebo was confirmed by an extensive review of 9 studies involving a total of 926 people. Peppermint tea is much easier to get than capsules, but if you do have access to an oil, just make sure that they’re food grade essential oils and safe for consumption.

Use fennel and curcumin essential oils

It’s not exactly a catchy duo like Hall & Oates, but fennel and curcumin (a health boosting compound found in turmeric) may make your bloated stomach sing a different tune. Curcumin and fennel essential oils improved symptoms of IBS in the participants of one study in addition to upping their quality of life, though the researchers looked mostly at the effects after 30 days. These findings were echoed in another study that tracked participants with IBS supplementing with turmeric and fennel oils over the course of two months. 

Just like with peppermint, the effect is cumulative. That means you’ll see the greatest effect if you’re consistently using these essential oils to help manage and prevent gas and bloating. But their scientifically proven benefits for your belly mean they’re worth turning to when you need some pressure relief fast. (And, yep, we included these in the formula for our chewables, too.)

Drink or eat some form of ginger

There’s a reason you find ginger at every juice shop: This root’s health benefits are no secret. But even people who tell tales of how good ginger makes them feel might not know the science behind what’s happening. People tend to talk about ginger’s ability to banish nausea and quell vomiting when you’re ill. And while both those things are true, the reason the root has these effects can help you even when you’re feeling bloated, not nauseous.

Ginger is able to soothe the stomach so much because of its carminative effect, which is just a fancy way of saying it helps break up and expel gas and can even prevent it from forming. So if you’re looking for how to relieve gas fast, look no further than ginger. And maybe consider adding it to more meals now that you know it can prevent that swollen belly feeling — especially if you have a big meeting coming up.

Grab an OTC medicine

If you know exactly what’s causing your issue, then reaching for an OTC medicine is how to decrease bloating in a pinch - as long as there isn’t more than one thing going on. Over the counter medicines that address gas and bloating use clinically proven ingredients in doses that go to work fast if you know what the root of your bloating is. 

Or just reach for Daily Digestive Essentials to prevent bloating before it starts

Daily Digestive Essentials combines clinically proven ingredients that you’ll find in over the counter medications with natural ingredients like ginger and fennel to banish your symptoms quickly and effectively. We bundled the best of OTC and natural solutions into a delicious chewable so you could take them anywhere to prevent bloating before it starts — and actually enjoy it. But we also included probiotics and prebiotics to boost your overall gut health so that you’ll have fewer issues over time and even prevent bloating, gas, and discomfort.