Although it is a physiological necessity common to all, the expulsion of intestinal gas can create embarrassing situations. It is normal for gases to form in the body during digestion, on average you can expect to expel them about twenty times through burps and flatulence. Gas formation is affected by how much and how you eat, so changing your eating habits can help alleviate the problem of flatulence. Although the formation of gas is completely normal and rarely attributable to a health problem, expelling them in public is considered rude, so it is best to try to reduce them by paying attention to what and how you eat. Additionally, you can use medications, supplements, and natural remedies to help digest better.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Preventing Flatulence by Paying Attention to What You Eat
Step 1. Reduce your consumption of simple carbohydrates
Carbohydrates produce more gas than proteins or fats as sugars and starches ferment more easily. Simple carbohydrates are generally the worst suspect as the body breaks them down quickly. In addition to causing a spike in the blood glucose level, they feed intestinal bacteria and, as a result, gas production increases. Usually simple carbohydrates are based on white flour and are the most processed; this is the case, for example, with baked goods or snacks. To combat flatulence, you should prefer complex carbohydrates, such as carrots and potatoes, which are healthier.
- You can distinguish complex carbohydrates by the fact that they are whole foods, such as carrots, potatoes, beans or corn. Since many of these ingredients are high in fiber, they still fuel the production of intestinal gas, but to a lesser extent than simple carbohydrates.
- In practice, reducing simple carbohydrates means limiting the amount of sweets and baked goods (based on refined flour), a choice that is positive for health in general.
Step 2. Eat fewer animal-based foods to reduce the bad smell of gases
Vegetarians need to expel flatulence like anyone else, but their intestinal gas smells less intense than those produced by omnivores, i.e. those who eat foods of both plant and animal origin. The explanation is that meat contains more hydrogen sulfide, a compound that breaks down nutrients and makes gases smelly.
When bacteria in the colon break down hydrogen sulfide as food is digested, gases are produced in the body that smell of sulfur and make flatulence fatal. Foods that generally bring out the smell of sulfur include eggs, meat, fish, beer, beans, broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower
Step 3. Determine if your body is particularly sensitive to certain foods
You should try to figure out (by trial and error) which ingredients are causing the problem in order to limit them. Each of us has different sensitivities and what others may find harmless to you could cause high flatulence. That said, there are some foods that are best paid special attention to because they cause a high amount of intestinal gas in many people. The list of potential culprits includes:
- Apples, apricots, peaches, pears, plums and raisins;
- Beans, soy, nuts and popcorn
- Bran;
- Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, eggplant, onions and cauliflower;
- Dairy product;
- Tuna;
- Fizzy drinks;
- Simple carbohydrates, such as baked goods
- Alcohol sugars, such as sorbitol, xylitol and mannitol.
Step 4. Blend the vegetables and leave the legumes to soak
Galacto-oligosaccharides (also known by the acronym GOS) are substantially indigestible carbohydrates of which legumes are rich (beans, chickpeas, lentils, etc.). The more an ingredient is rich in galacto-oligosaccharides, the worse the flatulence will be. Fortunately, galacto-oligosaccharides are water-soluble, so if you soak legumes before cooking you can eliminate up to 25% of them.
A similar thing happens with vegetables too. In this the solution to eliminate the galacto-oligosaccharides is to reduce them into a puree. By blending them, you increase the surface of the food particles and consequently also that in contact with digestive enzymes, so the meal is absorbed more easily. As a result, there are fewer residues in the colon that can feed intestinal bacteria, so the problem of flatulence is also reduced
Step 5. Eat more fennel
Fennel seeds are a natural remedy for flatulence and have been used for centuries in the regions of South Asia. At the end of a dinner in an Indian restaurant you will be offered some fennel seeds. Just eat a pinch or use them to prepare an infusion to prevent the formation of intestinal gas.
Fennel seeds can also be added to salads or soups. You can also use the rest of the plant to enrich your recipes
Step 6. Keep a food diary to analyze your body's reactions
Take note of everything you eat or drink with or without meals. Record how you feel from time to time, even after a small snack, specifying the level of flatulence. After expelling the gases, specify in your diary whether they were smelly or not. This method will help you identify which foods you are most sensitive to, so you can limit or avoid them.
It takes up to six hours to fully digest food, so keep this in mind when recording and examining how your body has reacted
Part 2 of 3: Preventing Flatulence by Paying Attention to How You Eat
Step 1. Chew each bite at least twenty times
Chewing your food well can help you ingest less air and eat less. Both air and overeating are factors that directly affect the level of flatulence.
Keep track of how many times you chew each bite in your mind
Step 2. Eat slower
The faster you eat, the more air you ingest along with food. Later, all that air adds up to the gases produced by the body. You can fight flatulence by slowing down the pace at the dinner table.
- Eat calmly. When you eat slower you taste each bite more and give your body a way to let you know when it is full. In other words, eating with peace of mind allows you to stay in line and reduce flatulence.
- Place the fork on the plate between bites.
Step 3. Don't ingest air unnecessarily
Sometimes flatulence has nothing to do with the type of food, but rather with the way you eat it. In some cases, it has absolutely nothing to do with diet. It could simply be air bubbles that get trapped in the intestine because you eat too quickly or ingest air unnecessarily. Here is a series of tips to remember:
- Don't use a straw. Sipping a drink through the straw leads you to ingest air without realizing it. It is inevitable to ingest the air contained in the straw every time you sip the drink.
- Avoid chewing gum. When you chew them keep your mouth open and active, the result is that you ingest air unintentionally.
- Not smoking. When you inhale smoke, you inevitably inhale the air as well.
Step 4. Avoid bingeing
It's easy to understand that the more food you eat, the longer it will take your body to digest it, so more gas will be produced. Conversely, by eating a lighter meal you can naturally reduce the amount of intestinal gas. If the food remains in the stomach for less time, the problem of flatulence is spontaneously reduced.
The benefits double when it comes to foods included in the list of worst culprits for gas formation, spicy foods or those that cause other digestive disorders, for example that cause heartburn or stomach pain
Step 5. Get more physical activity
Exercise can be beneficial in two ways: it increases the degree of speed at which the body digests food and helps improve metabolism. You should exercise regularly; plus, next time you feel bloated, go for a walk. You will see that you will immediately feel better because walking will help the digestive system to advance the food.
Any kind of movement can help you get better when you have an upset stomach because it helps to advance food and can stimulate a bowel movement. You will likely notice that sticking to an exercise schedule will make you go to the bathroom more regularly
Part 3 of 3: Relieving Flatulence
Step 1. Relieve flatulence with medication
There are several over-the-counter medicines you can take first meals to help the stomach digest food without too much gas.
- Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice on which drug is best suited to your specific needs.
- Also consult your doctor if you want to try to fight flatulence with a supplement made from natural ingredients.
Step 2. Try using charcoal or an antacid medication
Antacids that contain simethicone, an active ingredient that dissolves air bubbles, can help relieve swelling after meals or whenever you feel the need for it. If the problem does not go away with over-the-counter medications, see your doctor.
Charcoal tablets absorb gases that form in the intestine. Keep in mind that they can cause side effects such as nausea, vomiting, and can make stools black
Step 3. Try relieving flatulence with alternative medicine
Chamomile, mint, sage, marjoram, and other herbs can relieve flatulence. After a large meal, make a cup of herbal tea using one or more herbs to calm the digestive system.
You can combine the use of these herbs with other treatments to make them more effective. Also keep in mind that they have a more potent effect in combination with a healthy diet
Step 4. See your doctor if the situation does not improve
In some cases, excessive flatulence can be caused by a disease or a drug. If the problem persists despite the changes in your diet, you should visit yourself to rule out other possible causes. Your doctor may prescribe a more potent and suitable drug for you.
