Excessive gas in your stomach puts you in an uncomfortable & embarrassing situation and making you feel suffocated. Getting rid of it is a nuisance as belching and farting are frowned upon in social gatherings and accidents can leave you red faced. Apart from being a nuisance and embarrassment, excessive gas can also be a sign of a serious health issue.
Gas is created in the human digestive system through one of two ways. We swallow a certain amount of air during our normal day to day activities like speaking and eating. This air collects in the stomach and we release it through burps. Intestinal gas is created during the process of digestion in the small intestine. The bacteria that work on food break it out and release gases that we let out as farts. Most farts are odourless but for some people there are bacteria in the large intestine that release sulphur. Sulphur is the reason behind smelly farts. None of these are signs of health issues.
But still you need to find ways to prevent stomach gas to save yourself some embarrassment. An average person passes gas 20-25 times a day through belching and farting. These are normal levels, but anything higher than this does need attention. Small adjustments to our daily routine and eating habits can go a long way in controlling gas formation in your stomach to acceptable levels.
Here are some tips to prevent excessive stomach gas.
While no food items are especially responsible for excess gas formation, there are some foods that may affect some people differently than others. Beans, cabbage, onions, and milk products are usual culprits but while they may cause excessive gas in one person, they may not affect others at all. You have to figure out which food items affect you the most.
When you have excessive gas problem, look back over the foods you've eaten within the last few hours. You can also consider keeping a food diary in which you note down what food you are eating. In few days you will know what food items are the culprits in your case.
Once you have found out what food items cause excessive gas in your body, you need not stop taking those foods altogether. You can try some supplements that contain digestive enzymes that break down hard-to-digest foods. For example, enzyme lactase helps digest milk products effectively. These enzymes can be bought over the counter.
Some people have the habit of eating fast. They end up swallowing too much air. Chewing gum and aerated drinks also make you swallow too much air. Changes to these habits can help you with your gas problem.
Avoid over eating and especially heavy and oily food. When the stomach is full, it tries to ease the pressure by releasing trapped gas.
Regular exercise keeps your organs and organ systems healthy. Most minor physical ailments are set right if we follow a regular exercise regime.
Stress can also make you swallow too much air. You tend to swallow more air when you are anxious or under pressure. Try living a stress free life.
Yoga is also a great way to improve the functioning of your digestive system. Certain yogasana help your body improve its digestive performance. This helps control excessive gas formation.
Tea and red wine are also known for controlling excessive gas formation in your intestine. Consumption of these beverages will help you if you are farting too much.
Wear comfortable and loose fitting clothes. Not only does it make you feel comfortable when your stomach is experiencing bloating but it also allow free movement of gasses within the body.