A recent survey showed that 74 percent of Americans suffer from GI discomfort. Sometimes there are serious underlying medical reasons causing the gastrointestinal distress but most of the time, smart changes in diet can alleviate the symptoms of bloating, intestinal gas and diarrhea.

“All of us suffer from occasional gas, bloating and indigestion,” Bryce Wylde, a leading alternative health expert and author of “The Antioxidant Prescription: How to Use the Power of Antioxidants to Prevent Disease,” tellsNewsmax. “These symptoms never come at a good time, but swimsuit season is the worst because lighter weight clothing and bathing suits make the bloating more obvious.”

Bryce says there are many causes for bloating, ranging from indigestion, constipation and gas to IBS or irritable bowel syndrome.

“People following certain diets such as the ketogenic or Paleo diet may experience bloating because they aren’t getting enough fiber,” says the expert.

Here’s how to say bye-bye to bloating:

1. Increase your intake of soluble fiber. This helps with constipation and moves food through the digestive tract at just the right pace. Soluble fiber is found in oat bran, barley, nuts, sees, beans, lentils, peas and some fruits and vegetables.
2. Consider a low FODMAP diet. FODMAPS are short-chain carbohydrates that your body may have trouble digesting. These include fermented foods, dairy, cauliflower, leeks, apples, bananas and mangoes. Better choices are broccoli, cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes, kale and blueberries. Bryce recommends a supplement called Regular Girl which is certified as a low FODMAP product and provides desirable probiotics  for a healthy GI tract.
3. Avoid overeating. Eat smaller, more frequent meals during the day.
4. Skip rich, fatty foods. They stay in your stomach longer.
5. So no to artificial sweeteners that can lead to bloating and other stomach upsets.
6. Don’t chew gum or use straws. Gas and bloating can be caused by too much air getting into our stomachs when we eat or drink.
7. Take a walk after every meal and get plenty of sleep. These tips will help keep your belly under control.

Always see your health care provider if bloating disturbs your daily life. It could be a symptom of an underlying disease like endometriosis or cancer.