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Five steps to a flat stomach

You've bought a great outfit and can't wait to strut your stuff on the dance floor, but has your stomach lost the battle of the bulge?

Don't panic.

From acupuncture and Alexander technique to avoiding certain foods and taking supplements, there are plenty of quick-fix ways to slip effortlessly into your favourite slinky frock.

Here, we round up five effective ways to get your figure back in under 24 hours.

• Stand up straight
  Learning to stand correctly and maintain upright poise can increase your height by around half an inch or more - and help prevent your stomach from collapsing, claim Alexander technique teachers.
  

  The technique teaches you to undo bad habits such as arching your back and slouching which causes your stomach to collapse out of the pelvic basin found just below the ribcage and drop forwards.

This, combined with gravity - which pulls our stomachs down - can lead to a protruding stomach.

However, just two lessons of Alexander technique can teach you some basic principles that will help your stomach relocate itself in your pelvic basin found just below the ribcage.

Bringing your tummy into its proper place can give the appearance of a slimmer stomach, say practitioners who recommend at least fifteen sessions to achieve overall good posture.

'Good posture is not about mastering new habits but reviving our natural poise we had as children,' says Alexander technique teacher Noel Kingsley.

'Learning how to lengthen our spine and loosen our limbs means we can regain an upright position and move in a more relaxed way without effort.

* For sessions in Alexander technique call Noel Kingsley on 020 7491 3505, or visit www.alexander-technique.com. For a full list of teachers nationwide, visit www.stat.org.uk.

• Try acupuncture
  
  If you think your bloat could be blamed on constipation or water retention, a session of acupuncture could do the trick.

  One of the most common causes of constipation is lack of fibre, says acupuncturist Pierre Jean Cousin. Fibre, he claims, found in vegetables and brown rice stimulates the colon - the part of the large intestine that moves faeces towards the rectum.

  Inserting tiny needles in the leg and back - the parts of the body which correspond to the kidneys and large intestine - could help constipation by triggering 'energy' points found along energy channels or 'meridians'.

  The theory is that placing needles on these energy points will stimulate energy and restore bowel movement. Water retention, claims Cousin is another cause of bloating caused by an increased amount of mucus around the gut caused by certain foods or pre-menstrual tension.

  Acupuncturists claim one to two sessions of acupuncture can help relieve constipation and water retention and trigger bowel movement which will immediately reduce bloating.

  To make an appointment with Pierre Jean Cousin, contact the Kensington Therapy Centre, 211-213 Kensington High St, London W8, tel: 020 7376 1199.
  

• Avoid foods that bloat your stomach
  
  An average woman produces around two litres of gas a day which can cause our stomachs to bloat, says Dr Wendy Doyle of the British Dietetic Association.

  Foods that typically create gas are high fibre vegetables such as onions, garlics, leaks, peas, beans, lentils, cabbage, cauliflower and brussels sprouts.

  According to dieticians when fibre is broken down by gut flora in our digestive system, this action can produce gas - which, says Dr Doyle, is a healthy sign of digestion, but can sometimes need controlling.

  Other typical foods that trigger bloating are high-fat foods. Chips, cheese and oily dressings can take longer to digest and hang around our stomachs, says Dr Doyle, which, can cause our stomachs to stick out.

  To prevent this happening, dieticians recommend avoiding gassy or high-fat foods the before and of your party.

  Although not recommended, there are some slimming experts who claim the quickest way to a flatter stomach, is by avoiding food for a day. Avoiding food gives the gut a chance to empty and can reduce your stomach by at least two inches, they claim. This approach must always be accompanied by drinking plenty of water (one glass an hour), say practitioners, and must not be attempted by anyone who is diabetic, pregnant or underweight.

• Drink plenty of water
  Strange as it may seem, not getting enough fluid in your diet can actually lead to fluid retention and bloating.

  What's more, fluid retention can be exacerbated by eating salty foods and other 'diuretic' substances like caffeine, alcohol, fizzy drinks and fruit juice which encourage the cells in our bodies to suck water in, leading to bloating and distension.

  The most important thing to combat dehydration and bloating is to drink lots of water. Drinking eight to ten glasses a day (this is roughly equivalent to three mouthfuls every half hour) all day will keep your fluid levels topped up and help reduce your bloat in just one day.

• Take charcoal tablets
  One of the quickest ways to beat the bloat is to take charcoal tablets. This is because charcoal, say practitioners, has powerful absorption properties and the ability to soak up gases, small particles of toxins and bacteria found in the large intestine that can lead to bloating.

  Scientific research already proves that charcoal tablets are excellent for treating food poisoning. They are also commonly used in hospitals for treating diarrhoea.
  

  Eating charcoal absorbs these gases, reduces the size of the large intestine and deflates the stomach. If you feel bloated, take two tablets, three times a day. Available from most chemists and good health shops, a coating prevents your mouth from turning black and produce a neutral, non-charcoal taste.