Although having gas in your stomach is completely normal, when bloating is excessive or accompanied by burps and flatulence it can become an uncomfortable, painful and frustrating problem. If this is a recurring circumstance, you should try to figure out which foods are causing gas formation and eliminate them from your diet. Exercising can stimulate the digestive system, so walking around after meals is another helpful remedy for reducing gas build-up. There are also a number of medications that can help you solve the problem. Since they work in different ways, you'll need to choose one that's formulated to relieve your specific symptoms.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Change Your Diet
Step 1. Try to identify which foods are causing the symptom
If the discomfort and bloating caused by gas in your stomach is nearly daily, start taking note of everything you eat and drink. When the problem arises, check your notes to see what foods may have caused it, then try to avoid them for a while to see if you are feeling better.
- For example, you may find that bloating and flatulence occur on occasions when you overindulge on ice cream. If so, limiting or eliminating dairy products may help you get relief.
- Food affects people in different ways, so try to figure out what's causing your problem specifically. You may find that all the foods that commonly cause gas build up make you unwell or that the symptoms are due to only one or two in particular.
Step 2. Limit or eliminate one food group at a time to determine which is the culprit
The ones that cause gas in the stomach most frequently contain hard-to-digest carbohydrates, fiber or lactose. Try cutting dairy from your diet for a week and see if your condition improves. If you continue to feel bloated, try avoiding legumes, broccoli, cauliflower, and kale.
If symptoms persist, however, try reducing your fiber intake. See if you need to avoid whole grains and bran
Step 3. Avoid anything that contains sorbitol, such as candy, chewing gum, and sodas
It is an artificial sweetener that causes gas to form. Sorbitol can inflate the stomach by itself; moreover, often products containing it can cause or aggravate the symptom in other ways as well.
- For example, fizzy drinks put gas in the stomach and those that contain sorbitol can put even more trouble on the digestive system.
- Swallowing air can cause stomach bloating, and when you chew gum or suck on candy, you ingest more than normal. As mentioned above, the situation gets worse if these contain sorbitol.
Step 4. Avoid legumes, vegetables and fruits that cause gas to build up in the stomach
Legumes and some varieties of fruit and vegetables contain hard-to-digest carbohydrates. You should avoid or eat less broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage (including Brussels sprouts), apples, pears and plums (avoid prune juice as well).
- Fruits and vegetables are an essential part of a healthy diet, so don't eliminate them entirely. Instead, choose varieties that are easier to digest, including lettuce, tomatoes, courgettes, avocados, grapes, and berries.
- To make legumes more digestible, soak them in hot (not boiling) water for at least an hour before cooking. When it's time to prepare them, throw away the soaking water and cook them in clean water.
Step 5. Eliminate fatty foods from your diet
Try to avoid high-fat foods, as they can slow digestion and cause gas to build up in the stomach. Some examples of foods you should avoid are fatty cuts of red meat, sausages, bacon, and anything else that's fried. Replace them with leaner and more digestible ones, such as chicken, fish and egg whites, and with easy-to-digest fruits and vegetables.
Step 6. Chew your food thoroughly before swallowing it
Larger pieces are hard to digest, so chew until the bite has liquefied. As an added benefit, the more you chew, the more saliva you produce, which contains digestive enzymes that break down food and make it more digestible.
Take small bites and chew them at least thirty times or until the food becomes a smooth mixture
Step 7. Slow down when you eat or drink
Rapidly swallowing food and drink, you get more air into your stomach than normal. This is a common cause of bloating, so try to eat slowly and drink your drinks in small sips.
Also, as etiquette dictates, don't talk while you're eating to avoid keeping your mouth open. Take in less air when you keep your mouth closed while chewing
Method 2 of 3: Keep Physically Active
Step 1. Exercise for half an hour a day to improve digestion
Exercising regularly allows you to pump more blood to vital organs, engage your core muscles, and promote healthier digestion. Aerobic activities performed in a standing position are the best option, so for example, you could walk, run, or cycle every day.
Make an effort to breathe through your nose while exercising, even at times when you feel out of breath. Remember that swallowing air from your mouth can cause cramps and swelling
Step 2. Walk for 10-15 minutes after eating
Exercising regularly is important, but even a short walk after meals can be a very useful remedy for preventing stomach bloating. Walking will facilitate the passage of food through the organs of the digestive system. A strenuous workout could make you feel nauseous, so stick to light activity at a moderate pace.
Step 3. Limit the amount of time you spend lying down
Although the digestive system is able to function even while you are horizontally, gas passes through it more easily when you are sitting or standing. To prevent and relieve bloating, avoid lying down after eating. Try to stay horizontal only while you sleep.
Your position in bed can also affect gas formation in the digestive tract. Try to sleep on your left side; it is a simple way to aid digestion, reduce acid accumulation and facilitate the passage of gases through the abdomen and its expulsion
Method 3 of 3: Cure the Problem with Drugs
Step 1. Use antacid medication if you suffer from heartburn
If you experience pain and burning in your upper abdomen or chest area, it could be stomach acid. Try taking an over-the-counter antacid medication when there is an hour or so before the next meal. Do not take the drug while you are eating.
Any type of drug must be taken in compliance with the directions for use reported in the package leaflet. Talk to your doctor before deciding to take an antacid medication regularly if you have any kidney or heart disease, have been prescribed a low sodium diet, or are already taking some other medication
Step 2. Use an anti-foaming agent to help expel gas from the stomach
For example, simethicone is the active ingredient contained in the drugs Mylicongas and Simecrin, which can be a good remedy if swelling or cramps affect the central part of the stomach area. They have no effect on the intestine, so if the problem is in the lower abdomen it is better to look for another solution.
Simethicone-based drugs are generally taken 2 to 4 times a day, after meals and before going to sleep. In any case, read and strictly follow the instructions on the product
Step 3. Get an enzyme-based digestive aid if gases form in the intestine
If the swelling affects the lower abdomen, you can use different types of enzymes that work to help digest sugars better. Medicines that contain the alpha-galactosidase enzyme, such as Plantalax or Elgasin, help the body process foods that commonly cause gas formation, such as legumes and certain varieties of fruit and vegetables. If dairy is causing the problem, try using a drug that contains lactase, such as Lacdigest.
- Most digestive enzyme medications should be taken just before you start eating. In any case, strictly follow the instructions contained in the package leaflet.
- Heat can destroy enzymes, so digestive aids should only be added to food after cooking.
Step 4. Try using activated charcoal to absorb intestinal gas
Generally the recommended dose is 2-4 tablets to be taken with a glass of water half an hour before eating and again at the end of the meal. Studies have yielded uncertain results, but activated charcoal may help relieve gas or bloating in the lower abdomen.
Talk to your doctor before taking activated charcoal if you already use any medication, as it could affect how well your body absorbs it
Step 5. Consider taking a different medication with your doctor
If the problem persists even after changing your diet and despite using over-the-counter medications, make an appointment with your doctor and describe your symptoms and eating habits in detail. He will most likely ask you if you have regular bowel movements. Depending on your specific condition, he or she may prescribe a stronger-acting drug, for example to address the problem of acidity, bloating or constipation.
