10 remedies for a flat stomach
Choosing the right methods of preparation, chewing well, breathing better... All you need to do to avoid bulking up, just in time for summer.
#1 Soups and vegetable juices:
“If we do not take to fibres because we are unable to digest them well, we may be tempted to restrict the consumption of fruits and vegetables altogether, and as a result deprive ourselves of the nutrients we need. But eating raw or lightly cooked vegetables, rich in enzymes, may instead succeed in regenerating the intestinal wall,” says naturopath Claudine Richard. She therefore recommends to slowly build up tolerance, starting with mixed vegetable soup (do not overcook) and vegetable juices, such as carrot, fennel or zucchini (obtained using a blender or juicer, which remove the fibres).
#2 Chew well:
Though it may not be feasible to go by the recommendation of the father of macrobiotics, George Oshawa, (he advocated chewing every bite of food sixty times) chewing your food, instead of swallowing it whole, prepares for and facilitates digestion. This is especially because the brain has enough time to send messages to mobilise the digestive organs.
#3 Learn to breathe:
“To have a toned stomach, avoid all movements that push the chest forward and downwards,” says Bernadette de Gasquet2, doctor and yoga teacher. This often happens if one does not know how to breathe properly. “To expire is to expand and relax,” she says, recommending all exercises that begin with expiration and not inspiration. “Breathing properly is to maintain the greatest possible distance between the neck and the perineum, with the abdomen retracted. Good breathing is to do vertical pumps.”
#4 Pollen:
Rich in enzymes, pollen promotes the reconstitution of the intestinal microflora and facilitates assimilation. Try a treatment of pollen, cool and defrosted (cistus pollen) or, alternatively, dry, rehydrated in a liquid.
#5 Apples:
Apples contain soluble digestible fibres, pectin, which are able to facilitate the excretion of toxins. In both Western and traditional Chinese medicine, it is considered an ally of digestion and the intestines, if they are fragile or recalcitrant. For those with delicate stomachs, consume in the form of fresh squeezed juices, apple sauce or grated raw, with the skin included if the fruit is organic.
#6 Abs on a chair:
If you remain seated for long periods of time, Bernadette de Gasquet suggests this exercise: push your back, from the knees and hips, against the back of the seat. Strongly push the Ischia (sharp bones on which we sit) against the chair whilst exhaling and pushing the top of the head toward the ceiling, neck kept completely straight. You should feel warmth down your back. “This way, the spine is encased and low abdominal breathing intensely exercises massages the organs.”
#7 The Apiaceae:
Caraway, coriander, anise, cumin and fennel: the seeds of these five members of the Apiaceae family work wonderfully in aiding digestion. It can be sprinkled over dishes or salads (selected according to taste), sipped in a brew, or even chewed on in its raw form. Place a teaspoon of a mixture of the 5 grains (by default, anise or fennel alone, or a mixture of both) in a quart of boiling water, leave to infuse for 10 minutes, and then filter.
#8 Rice:
“When cooked well, rice is one of the most digestible grains. As it suffered a few genetic changes through the ages, it also does not cause food allergy,” says Philippe Sionneau3, specialist in Chinese medicine, in which the crust of rice attached to the bottom of the pan is used as an effective treatment against distension of the abdomen. Notice to avoid a cooking disaster... to avoid in the case of constipation or a dry mouth.
#9 Probiotics:
Microorganisms present in our intestinal and vaginal microflora, probiotics are involved most notably in digestion. We may lack them in the event of disturbance of the immune system, or taking antibiotics, etc. They can be found in food supplements, of which we should opt for those resistant to gastric acid. And go for a diet rich in bacteria found in lactic acids (yogurt, kefir, etc.). and lacto-fermented products (sauerkraut etc.).
#10 Carrot:
Rich in both pectin and cellulose, carrot is beneficial for the intestine. “In Chinese medicine, it is used against digestive problems and abdominal distension. It is recommended to toss it in a little sesame oil, cut into strips in the longitudinal direction, along with spring onions and fresh ginger. We can also add – if you appreciate their taste – a little grated nutmeg or cardamom that stimulates the appetite and have particularly strong digestive properties,” suggests Philip Sionneau.
2 Author of “Abdominaux : arrêtez le massacre” (Abs: stop the massacre) (Robert Jauze)
3. Author of “Ces Aliments qui nous soignent” (The foods that heal us) (Guy Trédaniel editor).
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