Feeling bloated after overindulging in junk food or a heavy supper is something that most people can relate to. Your stomach feels stretched, your clothes are tighter, and you may burp or gas more often. Bloating on occasion is normal, but excessive or ongoing bloating might indicate a more serious problem.

For what reasons do gas and bloating occur?

Eating Habits and Food Preferences

The way we eat and drink might cause excess air to enter our digestive tracts. Chewing gum, drinking fizzy beverages, and conversing while eating are typical causes. Lentils, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, sprouts, onions and beans are some of the foods that release the most gas.

Additionally, bloating and gas may worsen if you have a lactose, gluten, or artificial sweetener sensitivity.

Keeping a meal journal might help spot triggers if symptoms are erratic. If the issue persists, you should see your physician.

Constipation

Constipation if not managed can cause pain and discomfort. This occurs when waste accumulates and produces gas in the intestines. For occasional constipation, dietary fibre, water, and over-the-counter medicines can be beneficial. On the other hand, chronic disorders may necessitate medical treatment.

Digestive Diseases

Insufficient pancreatic enzyme synthesis causes exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI), which limits the body's capacity to absorb nutrients. Symptoms include weight loss, oily stools, and flatulence. The treatment includes enzyme replacement therapy as well as lifestyle adjustments.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) affects the large intestine and causes increased sensitivity to gas. Symptoms include cramping, bloating, and alternating constipation and diarrhoea. Probiotics, dietary adjustments, and medication can all help with this chronic illness.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Aside from bloating and gas, these problems might result in bloody stools, tiredness, and considerable weight loss. Anti-inflammatory drugs and dietary changes are commonly used to treat this condition.

Diverticulitis is characterised by inflammation of tiny pouches in the colon, leading to symptoms such as abdominal discomfort and fever. Severe cases can necessitate surgery.

Gastroparesis causes delayed stomach emptying, resulting in bloating, nausea, and probable bowel obstructions. Medication, dietary changes, and, on rare occasions, surgery are all viable treatment options.

When to Seek Medical Help?

While some bloating is normal, repeated symptoms may signal a more serious problem.

See a physician if:

• Dietary changes and over-the-counter medications don't work.
• Unexpected changes in appetite or weight loss occur.
• Vomiting, diarrhoea, or constipation increase in frequency.
• You have mucus or blood in your faeces.
• There is a severe chest or abdominal ache.

What can you do to improve your gut health?

An easy home-cooked method would be to eat soaked fermented rice. You can also add a little tamper to enhance its taste. But, what does it do?

When cooked rice is left to ferment overnight, it releases nutrient. The carbohydrates and protein in the rice remain intact, other nutrients including good bacteria, vitamin B, iron and magnesium are released. Soaking in water also leads to a high retention of water in the dish, which can result positively, if consumed during hot and humid seasons. This light dish contains good bacteria and probiotics which helps in digestion, and also cools your body down.

A study by a Bhubaneswar-based professor Balamurugan Ramdas also revealed that this dish contains short-chain fatty acids, which are responsible for improving gut health and boosting immunity. The study also notes that the fermented rice water also provides high energy.

If you think “healthy eating” is just about protein shakes, cutting carbs, and stocking your fridge with probiotic shots, celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar wants to have a word with you. Known for guiding Bollywood’s biggest names, including Kareena Kapoor, Rujuta is famous for her practical, grandma-approved advice. In her August 11 Instagram post, she listed five signs your diet is not only unsustainable but also joyless. And her antidote is simple: good old home-cooked food.

1. Protein Overload

2. No Spice, No Fun

3. Portion Panic

4. Festivals Feel Like Cheating

5. Gut Health Overload

Ironically, over-focusing on “gut health” can stress your digestive system further. Sometimes, what your stomach really needs is not a lab-formulated elixir but a home-cooked khichdi and curd.

Why Home-Cooked Food Wins Every Time

Why? Because home-cooked food naturally ticks all the boxes; it is balanced, economical, and emotionally grounding. It does not just help you lose weight; it helps you stop making weight loss the centre of your life.

A plate of fresh roti, ghee-topped dal, sabzi, and a little pickle is not just dinner; it is tradition, nutrition, and comfort, all in one. Plus, it is far cheaper than imported almond flour or cold-pressed mushroom juice.

Rujuta’s five red flags are a reminder that eating well should add to your life, not shrink it down to a list of forbidden foods.

Collagen has long been a nutritional superhero, cloaked in homemade bowls of chicken soup and Jell-O's wiggly texture. Now it's in the spotlight—mixed into morning coffee, blended into smoothies, or found in capsules because it's said to promote young-looking skin, supple joints, and even a healthier digestive tract. But if you take collagen daily for a month, what can you reasonably expect?

Collagen is the most widely found protein in the human body, and it forms the structural skeleton of your skin, cartilage, bones, and connective tissue. It consists largely of three amino acids—proline, glycine, and hydroxyproline—and functions like the skeletons that keep you assembled together.

Although your body naturally makes collagen, production decreases with age, beginning as early as your mid-20s. The consequences? Wrinkles, loss of skin elasticity, joint stiffness, and bone loss. Collagen supplements try to fill in the void, delivering your body with peptides that can potentially trigger it to make its own collagen.

The supplements themselves are generally derived from bovine (cow), porcine (pig), or marine (fish) sources. After processing, they become taste-free powder, capsule, or liquid that's convenient to incorporate into your diet.

Skin

One of the largest selling points of collagen supplementation is smoother, more youthful skin. The research supports the notion—albeit with qualifiers. A 2021 International Journal of Dermatology review discovered that consuming collagen for 90 days increased hydration and elasticity, with some subjects reporting fewer wrinkles than those who didn't supplement.

Collagen peptides also seem to set off the skin's fibroblasts (cells that make collagen) to increase production. After a while, that could mean plumper, tougher skin. Just remember that everyone is different, and the results come slowly you won't wake up with a "filtered" complexion after four weeks.

Also Read: How To Tell Your Skin Barrier Is Damaged? Step-By-Step Guide To Rebuilding Your Skin’s Defenses

Joints

Collagen is not all about looks—collagen is also very important for the health of joints. Type II collagen, specifically, is the main building block of cartilage, the padding tissue that lets joints glide smoothly.

There are some studies that recommend a daily consumption of collagen to decrease pain and function in individuals with joint problems. In Amino Acids, a review in 2021 indicated that 5 to 15 grams per day of collagen peptides improved participants' comfort and mobility. Collagen may also aid in quicker recovery when coupled with resistance exercise in people who are active or have been injured.

Bones

Bone density tends to decrease naturally with age, particularly in women after menopause. Collagen composes approximately one-third of bone weight, contributing to the bones' elasticity and strength. There has been some evidence—like a 2021 study published in the Journal of Bone Metabolism—that collagen supplements could increase bone mineral density and stability in postmenopausal women.

Although you will not experience this advantage in 30 days, sustained use might help make a difference in bone density, particularly when combined with calcium, vitamin D, and weight-bearing exercise.

Gut Health

Collagen has amino acids such as glycine and glutamine that can potentially keep the gut lining healthy. This is significant because an intact gut barrier is inflammation-reducing and helps with digestion. Although human studies are ongoing and preliminary, anecdotal evidence is that daily collagen consumption can alleviate bloating or discomfort in some individuals.

Hair and Wound Healing: Secondary Benefits

Your hair consists mainly of keratin, and that depends on the amino acids in collagen. Supplementation may be aided by some research, such as a 2022 review in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, to support hair thickness and hair growth. Likewise, collagen's function in skin structure would make it accelerate wound healing—a benefit backed by evidence in burn victims.

Why Collagen Is Not A Magic Portion?

Even with the encouraging results, collagen is not a panacea. "Most physicians aren't aggressive about prescribing it, because the data just isn't there," says Dr. Peden, an orthopedic expert. The studies are encouraging but still in the making, and outcomes vary with diet, lifestyle, and genetics.

That is the reason why professionals suggest looking at collagen as part of a holistic health strategy that incorporates nutrient-dense foods, proper exercise, sun protection, and adequate sleep.

How to Choose and Use Collagen?

Since supplements aren’t regulated by the FDA, quality matters. Look for products that are independently verified, free of unnecessary fillers or sugars, and sourced from reputable companies. The most common types to look for are:

Type I and III – Best for skin, hair, and overall healthy aging.

Type II – Most linked with joint health.

Powders are the most convenient, but capsules are a good alternative if you don't want to mix powders in water. Although there is no traditional daily recommended dose, the majority of studies utilize 5 to 15 grams per day.

How To Consume Collagen Naturally?

Even when supplementing, lifestyle choices count:

• Consume protein foods such as chicken skin, bone broth, and whole fish to offer building blocks for collagen.
• Take adequate vitamin C from fruits and vegetables such as bell peppers, strawberries, and citrus to support collagen production.
• Exercise regularly—both resistance and aerobic training can encourage collagen synthesis.
• Shield your skin from UV, don't smoke, and restrict alcohol.

What Happens When You Take Collagen For 30 Days?

If you begin daily collagen, you can expect subtle improvements in your skin—slightly improved hydration or texture at the end of the first month. Joint pain may start to subside, particularly when combined with strength training or physical therapy.

More pronounced effects, particularly for skin elasticity, bone health, or hair growth, usually take 8 to 12 weeks or longer of regular use. Collagen is a long game, not a Band-Aid.

Collagen has its hype for a reason—it is involved in skin elasticity, joint ease, and overall structural well-being. Not everybody will notice earth-shattering shifts in 30 days, but regular usage, particularly in conjunction with healthy behaviors, can complement your body's natural repair and maintenance capabilities.

Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and is not a professional medical consultation, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before taking any supplement.

Potatoes are the quiet chameleons of the culinary world. They slip onto our plates in every possible form—creamy mashed with gravy, golden fries next to a burger, baked with a dollop of sour cream, or tossed into a chilled potato salad. They’re inexpensive, easy to grow, and endlessly adaptable, which is why they’ve long been a staple in homes across the United States and beyond but not all potatoes are created equal when it comes to health—especially when it comes to how they affect your blood sugar. The difference can come down to how they’re cooked, cooled, and the amount of resistant starch they hold.

There was a time when fresh potatoes were served at dinner almost daily in the average American household. Over the past few decades, though, their popularity has declined while processed potato products—French fries, chips, frozen wedges—have taken center stage.

Health experts often point out that despite technically being a vegetable, potatoes shouldn’t always be counted in the same category as leafy greens or cruciferous vegetables when building a balanced plate. The reasoning is simple: their nutrient profile is different, with less fiber and fewer micronutrients per calorie than vegetables like spinach or broccoli.

A medium potato with its skin intact provides about 2–3 grams of fiber and around 600 mg of potassium. But here’s the catch—boiling and other wet cooking methods cause some potassium to leach out. That’s why preparation matters.

Potatoes are rich in carbohydrates, mostly in the form of starch. The main type, amylopectin, breaks down quickly into glucose, causing a spike in blood sugar—a hallmark of foods with a high glycemic index. That’s why mashed potatoes or fries can cause a sharper blood sugar rise than, say, lentils or quinoa.

There’s also amylose, a type of starch that digests more slowly. The starches that resist digestion—appropriately named resistant starch—act more like dietary fiber, passing through the small intestine undigested and reaching the large intestine where they feed beneficial gut bacteria. Here’s where the cooking method comes in:

Baking and microwaving potatoes generally preserve more resistant starch than boiling.

Boiling, then cooling potatoes, significantly increases their resistant starch content.

New or young potatoes, harvested before full maturity, naturally have more amylose than older, fully mature potatoes.

Why Cooling Changes the Effect Potatoes Have On Our Health?

When a potato is boiled, its starch granules gelatinize, making them more digestible. But if you allow the potato to cool completely—like you would for a potato salad—some of those gelatinized starches reorganize into a crystalline form that resists digestion. This process, known as retrogradation, increases the amount of resistant starch.

This means that the same potato can have a lower glycemic index when eaten cold compared to hot. Lower glycemic index foods cause a slower, steadier rise in blood sugar, which may help reduce spikes that contribute to insulin resistance over time.

Benefits of Resistant Starch Beyond Blood Sugar

Resistant starch doesn’t just help flatten your post-meal blood sugar curve—it has a ripple effect across several aspects of health:

Gut health – Acts as a prebiotic, feeding beneficial bacteria in the colon.

Short-chain fatty acids – Fermentation of resistant starch produces compounds like butyrate, which support colon health and may protect against digestive disorders.

Inflammation – Potentially reduces gut inflammation by improving barrier function.

Metabolic health – Studies suggest improved insulin sensitivity and reduced fasting blood glucose in people with type 2 diabetes and obesity.

In a review of 15 clinical trials, participants consuming around 30–40 grams of resistant starch daily had lower fasting blood sugar levels, while just 10 grams a day lowered fasting insulin levels.

Potatoes vs. Whole Grains

Potatoes are often served in the same role as bread or rice—a starchy base for a meal. But nutritionally, swapping potatoes for whole grains can be a healthier choice in many cases. Whole grains consistently show stronger links to lower risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and overall mortality.

This doesn’t mean potatoes are off-limits. It simply means portion size, preparation, and what you serve them with matters. Pairing them with healthy fats like olive oil instead of butter, and alongside lean proteins and vegetables, can make a big difference in the meal’s overall health profile.

Why The Role of Serving Style Is Essential?

Potatoes are naturally fat-free until we add oils, butter, cream, or deep-fry them. That’s where the calorie count and saturated fat can skyrocket. Fries with burgers, creamy mashed potatoes with meatloaf—these combinations tend to overload on calories and unhealthy fats.

On the flip side, cold potato salad dressed with extra-virgin olive oil and vinegar, paired with leafy greens and grilled fish, can be a far healthier (and more blood sugar-friendly) way to enjoy them.

Where Else to Find Resistant Starch In Your Diet?

If you’re looking to increase your resistant starch intake, potatoes are just one option. Other sources include:

• Legumes like lentils, chickpeas, and kidney beans
• Whole grains such as barley and oats
• Firm (less ripe) bananas
• Seeds and nuts
• Cooked and cooled pasta or rice

Potatoes can absolutely have a place in a healthy diet—but how you prepare and eat them matters. Cooling boiled potatoes before eating boosts their resistant starch, which can lower their glycemic index and potentially benefit gut health and blood sugar control.