Suffering From Flatulence? These Tips Will Help
Flatulence is a natural and normal part of
the digestion cycle. If we didn’t release the excess air through the
intestinal tract, our intestines could pop. Even though the subject of
flatulence has been a topic of jokes for ages, passing gas is a sign
that you have a healthy digestive system. In fact, most people fart
between 14 and 23 times per day, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Still, excessive flatulence can be quite uncomfortable and unpleasant.
Here are a few simple but effective ways to help you control it.
What causes excessive gas?
Most of the gases in our body are actually
the air we swallow while eating and drinking throughout the day. Gases
are also formed in our digestive tract when the foods we eat are broken
down. Usually, the breakdown of many undigested foods in our body is
done by friendly bacteria that are naturally present in the GI system.
The air we release is primarily made up of odorless vapors like carbon
dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, and even methane, at times.
Excessive gas can build up in your system
if your intestines have become a little weak and are passing foods too
slowly. When foods keep sitting in our system for a long time, it can
cause more gas-producing bacteria to grow, thus leading to abdominal
discomfort.
We also produce more gas as we age because our metabolism slows down and
that slows down the movement of food through the intestines. Usually,
there’s no need to worry about farting. But some may feel that they are
almost always unusually bloated or are passing an unreasonable amount of
gas. Even though gas is a normal part of human digestion, excessive
flatulence could make you feel uncomfortable. Below, we list 9 simple
ways you can manage it.
Tips To Help Control Excessive Gas
1. Eat meals slowly and mindfully
As we mentioned earlier, most of the gases
we produce are the air we swallow while eating and drinking. So, the
next time you eat, avoid chewing your food too fast, as this could be
allowing too much air to enter your body. This is especially common when
you are in a hurry to finish your meal.
Practice eating slowly with your mouth closed, and make sure that you
avoid having your meals when you are engaged in other activities. Sit
down and take your time while chewing your food.
2. Avoid chewing gum
Chewing gum keeps our breath fresh. However, if you are chewing gum
throughout the day, you are also continuously swallowing air, which will
then lead to excessive gas in the body. If you are worried about bad
breath, try sugar-free mints instead, and make sure that you use
mouthwash twice a day after brushing and flossing.
3. Opt out of gas-producing foods
The friendly bacteria in our gut that help our body break down foods and
produce gas can have trouble doing that job with certain foods. Many
foods, particularly those containing fructose, lactose, insoluble fiber,
and starch, can cause gas, as they can be tough for the digestive
system to process.
The types of foods that cause the most gas include:
* Beans, lentils, and leafy green vegetables, such as cabbage, Brussels
sprouts, broccoli, and asparagus. These veggies contain complex sugars
that the body finds a little hard to break down.
* Dairy products contain lactose, which can lead to the build-up of gas.
* High-fiber diets that include foods like cereals, bread, oatmeal, oat
bran, berries, whole grains, dried fruits, and cabbage can also cause
increased gas. All fiber-rich foods can cause flatulence, regardless of
their source. However, “since bacteria vary in their ability to digest
different types of fiber, different sources of fiber may produce
different amounts of gas,” says Jay W. Marks, MD.
* Starchy foods like potatoes, pasta, wheat, and corn.
* Soft drinks, fruit juice, and other foods rich in fructose.
Most of these foods are healthy and essential to your body, and you need
not eliminate them entirely from your diet just to minimize flatulence.
However, reducing their amount in your diet may provide some relief to
your gas problem. Start by adding just one or two servings of high-fiber
foods a day to your regular diet for a week, and see if that makes a
difference.
Also, try and maintain a food diary. Every time you feel bloated or
gassy, note the foods you’ve eaten within the last few hours. Those
foods might be the culprit, and opting out of them might help.
4. Check to see if you have any food intolerances
Many people are sensitive to foods that contain dairy or gluten, which
might lead to digestive upset like diarrhea, gas, abdominal pain, or
bloating. Lactose and gluten intolerance are two of the most common food
intolerances. Lactose is found in almost all dairy products. Gluten,
though, can be hidden in many food products like soy sauce, deli meats,
and even salad dressings. Generally, it’s found in grains like wheat,
barley, and rye.
Thus, someone struggling with too much gas may have an intolerance to
some food. You can try a gluten-free or lactose-free diet to control
excessive gas. But first, try and remove all the gas-inducing foods from
your diet for a while, and then add them back in one by one. This will
let you know which foods are the culprits.
If you continue to experience abnormal gas, an appointment with a
gastroenterologist is in order. He or she will help you know if there is
any other issue causing the problem.
5. Avoid wearing tight-fitting clothes during mealtime
Avoid wearing tight-fitting clothes, particularly during and after
eating, as that can constrict your stomach and put pressure on the
intestines. This compression can then hinder your normal digestion,
causing symptoms like abdominal pain and flatulence. Try to wear
comfortable pants while having a meal, as that will allow gas to leave
the body freely later.
6. Cut back on drinking carbonated beverages
Consuming carbonated beverages like beer,
soft drinks, and soda may taste good, but they cause a lot of harm.
Apart from leading to tooth decay, increasing your obesity risk, and
reducing bone strength, having these carbonated beverages regularly may
also lead to excessive flatulence.
These drinks contain dissolved carbon dioxide, which becomes a gas in
the stomach. While a lot of this air is released from the body through
burping, some of it can exit through the rectum after passing through
the digestive tract. Also, soft drinks and high-fructose corn syrup can
make you feel gassy, as they contain artificial sweeteners, such as
sorbitol, acesulfame potassium, and aspartame.
Replace these drinks with water, green tea, or sugar-free juice.
7. Try enzyme supplements
Some over-the-counter supplements contain digestive enzymes that help
break down hard-to-digest foods. Beano, for example, consists of natural
enzymes and is known to prevent flatulence, abdominal bloating, and
stomach pain by breaking down complex carbohydrates.
If dairy products give you gas, you can buy lactase enzyme supplements
like Lactaid. Lactase is the enzyme that’s responsible for the breaking
down and digestion of lactose, and it can make people sensitive to dairy
products less gassy.
Research has already shown that enzyme supplements can assist in the
breakdown of proteins and complex carbohydrates. If you are unsure about
taking enzyme supplements, consult your gastroenterologist.
8. More exercise will help
One good way to keep your digestive system in good shape is to increase
your physical activity. Moderate exercises like swimming or cycling four
or five times a week will be good. Going for a short walk after your
meal every day can also really help improve blood flow through the body.
But more importantly, physical activity helps move the food along the
gut smoothly. Start with 10-minute walks every day and then slowly
increase the momentum once you are comfortable with it.
9. Quit smoking
We are all aware that smoking cigarettes is bad for health and can cause
issues like cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, diabetes, and
more. However, smoking can also make you gassy, as people who smoke
frequently tend to swallow more air than people who don’t.
Regular smoking can also irritate the digestive system and cause
excessive gases to form in the body. So you have much to gain from
quitting smoking altogether.