If your waistband feels tighter every afternoon, you’re not imagining it. Most people we see with bloating feel fine at breakfast and uncomfortable by mid-afternoon.

Look at lunch first

A rushed lunch eaten at a desk, a large sandwich and a fizzy drink is a common pattern. Eating quickly means swallowing more air, and big portions of bread or onion can ferment later in the day.

• Eat lunch away from your screen, and take 15 minutes

• Swap fizzy drinks for still water or peppermint tea

• Try a smaller lunch with a mid-afternoon snack

We never start by cutting out foods. We start by changing how and when you eat them.

If the bloating doesn’t settle after two weeks of small changes, that’s when a guided plan like our Gut Reset makes sense.