Gas means different things to different people. When people complain of gas, they usually mean – frequent belching of air from the stomach, bloating of the abdomen after eating and / or frequent passing of gas from the rectum.

Gas is usually the result of certain habits or diet choices. It occurs in one of two ways: as a result of swallowed air, or it is produced in the intestinal tract. Reclining after eating, inactivity, and stress may contribute to the problem.

Most people think they have too much of it. And passing gas in the wrong place at the wrong time can cause great embarrassment. Symptoms of gas are increased passage of gas, abdominal bloating or pain, and belching.

The most common ways to reduce the discomfort of gas are changing diet, taking medicines and reducing the amount of air swallowed.

One should careful note down what foods cause gas by keeping a food diary. If your intake of gas producing food is high, you remove them from your diet till you see relief.

If you’re lactose intolerant, remove all the diary foods from your diet group at least for a fortnight.

If you belch, avoid swallowing too much air, eating chewing gum or hard candy. And eat slowly.

Avoid overeating and limit high fat content foods to reduce any symptoms of gas.

Regulation of bowel function is essential. Constipation should be treated with increased dietary fiber or certain laxatives.

Avoid gas-promoting foods such as beans, cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, onions, cauliflower, whole wheat flour, radishes, bananas, apricots, pretzels, etc.

Chew 1 tbsp Fennel seeds after meals to avoid gas and bloating

If your infant has a tough time passing gas, simply lift the baby and move around in an upright position, patting him bit. This will help the release of gas.

Take a pinch of Asafoetida, add little coconut oil and apply it on the child’s stomach.

A pinch of Asafoetida mixed in drinkable warm water will provide relief from gas.

Drink a mixture made from

 

More Ways To Reduce Stomach Gas The Natural Way

Are there natural ways to reduce the gas you pass? Try preventive measures first. Learn how to move gas through your intestines more readily.

While there are several reasons you may find yourself to be gassy, there are many solutions for reducing belching, flatulence, abdominal bloating and pain. Excess gas commonly is associated with irritable bowel syndrome. Other serious gastrointestinal disorders usually produce other symptoms besides just being “gassy.”

Doctors usually recommend a plan to help move gas through the intestines more readily, combined with preventive measures, such as eliminating certain foods from your diet and avoiding chewing gum. Although many products on store shelves promise to help, their success is not guaranteed and often depends on the individual. There are also prescription medicines and some alternative therapies.

Keeping a diary of the foods and beverages you consume can help you systematically eliminate one food or group of foods at a time to determine which may be most responsible for your symptoms. One of the first questions at the top of the list would be ‘Could this be related to dairy products?’. If it is, the first step should be to eliminate these products from your diet for about seven days. If you feel better, then try to add dairy products back to your diet in smaller amounts to see if you can tolerate them.

There are some recommended home remedies and lifestyle changes. Chew more slowly and thoroughly because gas can be a sign of undigested food, the enzymes in saliva begin the first stage of breaking down food in the body’s absorption process. Avoid foods you know cause indigestion. Common food sources of gas include Brussels sprouts, bran, beans, milk products, cabbage, artificial sweeteners, carbonated beverages and alcohol. Take a short walk after you eat to prevent gas accumulation.

Maintaining a regular exercise schedule in the form of walking, jogging and calisthenics will help stimulate the passage of gas through the digestive tract. Perform chest-to-knee stretches. Lying on your back, bring your right knee to your chest. Hold for 10 seconds and, then repeat with the other knee.

If those remedies don’t provide relief, your doctor may recommend that you take an over-the-counter antacid, activated charcoal, or a lactase or bismuth product.

Antacids contain aluminum hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide (known as Milk of Magnesia), calcium carbonate, or other ingredients individually or in various combinations. Antacids help to control the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease, a condition in which the stomach’s juices (acid and digestive enzymes) flow backward, or reflux, into the esophagus.

Tablets of activated charcoal may provide relief from gas in the colon. Studies have shown that when taken before and after a meal, lower-intestinal gas is reduced.

However, activated charcoal can cause black stools and constipation. While these are harmless side effects, black stools can be confusing to a physician, because color changes in stool can be a sign of a serious illness. Evidence concerning the benefit of activated charcoal is contradictory. Its effect in alleviating symptoms of intestinal gas has been supported by some studies yet refuted by others. As a result, physicians may recommend that patients consider trying activated charcoal to see whether its use results in some symptom relief. The usual dose is two to four tablets taken just before eating and one hour after meals.

Gas is often a symptom of lactose intolerance, which makes digesting dairy products difficult. It occurs when the body has too little of the enzyme lactase in the small intestine to break down lactose, the main sugar in milk and milk-based products. Although lactose intolerance can happen at any age, it tends to affect most people as they grow older. Lactase comes in liquid or tablet form. Adding a few drops to milk before drinking or chewing lactase tablets just before eating helps people who have difficulty breaking down lactose.

Bismut has salts to relieve inflammatory conditions of the stomach and intestines and can sometimes relieve gas. It also reduces the odor of unpleasant smelling gas caused by hydrogen sulfide, a sulfur-containing compound. Like activated charcoal, bismuth may result in black stools. Take before or after meals, on either an empty or full stomach.

In summary, stomach and intestinal gas is normal. Excess gas can be distressing, but rarely is it caused by a serious medical disorder. If your symptoms cannot be easily controlled or you have additional problems such as abdominal pain, change in bowel habits, or rectal bleeding, you need to contact your doctor’s office.