We’ve all been there—the discomfort of excess gas and that bloated feeling in the stomach. Despite being conscious of our diet, it’s common to experience this as a regular part of the digestive process. This post aims to reveal the causes of excessive abdominal gas, facilitating the identification of underlying digestive issues. Furthermore, you’ll discover effective natural remedies for gas and bloating, offering a natural solution to alleviate the problem.
About Gas And Bloating
Do you find yourself letting out audible belches after meals? This often happens when we swallow too much air, contributing to gas production in the gastrointestinal tract and resulting in stomach gas and eventual bloating. Experiencing excess gas, whether released through belching or flatulence, can be embarrassing or uncomfortable, but it’s a common occurrence after eating. This can be influenced by the types of food you consume and your eating habits. Consider adjusting your eating habits or trying effective natural remedies to manage gas and bloating. (1)
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Causes Of Gas And Bloating
Before you know about the remedies for issues like gas and bloating, it is imperative to understand the possible causes. So, here is what you need to know: (2)
- Swallowing too much air while chewing gum
- Talking too much while eating
- Having gassy food or the wrong food combination
- Eating too fast and not chewing food well
- Eating very spicy and oily foods
- Consuming carbonated drinks and alcohol
- Eating more than what your stomach can take
However, not all gas-like symptoms are caused by these. There may also be severe underlying causes, such as lactose intolerance, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), peptic ulcer, gastroparesis, and even colon cancer.
Home Remedies For Gas And Bloating
Our kitchen is full of natural and inexpensive remedies that are excellent for taming too much intestinal gas and other associated symptoms. We have listed them here for you: (3) (4) (5)
1. Fennel Seeds
After a hearty meal, chew on half a teaspoon of fennel seeds to ward off gas and bloating – a highly effective remedy. This practice is common in many Indian restaurants where fennel seeds are served after meals to aid digestion and alleviate abdominal discomfort from spicy or oily foods. If the seeds’ strong taste isn’t what you like, you can create a concoction by boiling them in water and drinking it for relief.
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2. Carrom Seeds
Carom Seeds or ajwain is another miraculous remedy for gas. Just chew a spoonful of carom seeds whenever you are feeling bloated. They stimulate the production of digestive juices within our gastrointestinal tract, which help digest the food and eliminate excessive gas. You can also prepare carom seed water and drink it to prevent gas and bloating throughout the day.
3. Turmeric Water
Boil a pinch of turmeric in some water and drink up the infusion to prevent gas or bloating. The anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric soothe the gastrointestinal tract and fasten the pace of digestion, thereby helping you feel lighter.
3. Mint Tea
Mint tea is another suggested remedy for gas and flatulence. Boil some fresh mint leaves in water and drink the tea when it cools down. It will help soothe the irritated digestive system and also promote digestion.
4. Lemon Water
Drinking lukewarm to warm water and a bit of lemon juice can help flush out all the retained gas and water that lead to bloating. Warm up a glass of water and squeeze half a lemon into it. Lemon, being a diuretic, will give you quick relief from the discomfort.
5. Pineapple
Eating a slice of pineapple also helps in overcoming gas. The bromelain enzyme is a digestive aid that cures gas and bloating naturally.
Other Remedies For Gas And Bloating
While natural home remedies can help you tame excessive intestinal gas easily, it is even better to opt for other treatments that can work as effective preventive measures. These primarily include significant changes in food and lifestyle habits. Check them out:
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Changes In Diet
- Avoid certain foods, such as dairy products, bran, broccoli, cabbage, legumes, onion, brussels sprouts, apple, pear, etc., that are infamous for causing gas. Being rich in fiber, starch, and sugar, these items remain undigested in our gastrointestinal tract and become gassy.
- Steer clear of sugar, artificial sweeteners, sorbitol (sugar alcohol), and everything else sugary, including fruit drinks, carbonated soft drinks, etc., to manage your gas and bloating.
- Some specific food combinations like protein-starch can cause excessive gas in the abdomen. Find out which other combinations affect you and eliminate them from your diet.
- Instead of boiling, try steaming gassy food to help you fully retain its desirable components.
Changes In Lifestyle
- Always drink a glass of water half an hour before taking your meal. This will facilitate your digestion while drinking water, and the meal will dilute stomach acids and make the breakdown of food harder.
- Do not consume your food and drink too fast, making you gasp a lot of air. Instead, go slow to avoid swallowing air, and you can stay away from gas pain quickly.
- Stop smoking, drinking with a straw, chewing gum, and other similar practices that fill up your stomach with air.
- Try light exercises like deep breathing, taking a stroll after a heavy meal, etc. These will help relieve the bloated feeling and ease the passage of food through your system.
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OTC Remedies
- Specially treated activated charcoal can help you reduce gas and bloating by attaching to fluid in the gut and creating a firmer stool. Available as an OTC supplement, it can be taken in the form of a pill or along with a liquid.
- OTC digestive enzymes are known to break down the complex carbohydrates in our food into easily digestible sugars, thereby reducing gas and other associated symptoms.
Abdominal gas is a natural byproduct of our digestive system, and these remedies will keep it under control. However, you must consult your doctor in situations like chronic intestinal gas, persistent bloating, and severe pain.
Summary
Excessive gas and bloating, common digestive discomforts, affect many despite dietary awareness. Belching and flatulence after meals result from air swallowing and food choices, creating discomfort. Recognizing causes, such as rapid eating or gassy foods, is vital to manage these issues. Natural remedies like fennel and carom seeds, turmeric water, and pineapple slices provide effective relief. Lifestyle changes, including mindful eating, light exercises, and OTC options, prevent and alleviate gas-related problems.
References –
- “Bloating: Causes and Prevention Tips” – hopkinsmedicine.org
- “Gas and gas pains” – mayoclinic.org
- “The 10 Best Natural Remedies For Gas & Bloating, According To Experts” – mindbodygreen.com
- “How to get rid of trapped gas” – medicalnewstoday.com
- “Natural Remedies for Bloating, Gas, and Flatulence” – verywellhealth.com