You’re about to learn the common causes of why you get too much stomach gas and 5 simple steps you can start today to relieve the pressure and discomfort.
How To Get Rid Of Your Gassy Stomach
Gas in the stomach is a digestive problem most of us experience at least once in our lives. But for many, its a regular and unwelcome companion.
There’s no one right approach to deal with a gassy stomach and finding one that works for you, will be a matter of trial and error.
However, the following steps will help you narrow down your options;
Step One – Chewing Thoroughly
The primary cause of gas in your stomach is undigested or poorly digested food.
Most of us don’t realise that digestion begins in the mouth not the stomach. Our mouths contain glands that secrete the digestive enzyme ptyalin which mixes with our saliva to break down carbohydrates, starches and sugars.
Carbs are not digested in the stomach. If they’re not chewed thoroughly in the mouth, then more bacteria is needed to break them down. All this extra activity results in more gas.
Chew your food 30 to 50 times or until it reaches a paste-like consistency and then swallow. This way, you’re not overworking your digestive system, less gas is created and your absorption of vital nutrients is greatly improved.
If you learn the habit of chewing food thoroughly, not only will you reduce your gas problem you’ll also cure many common digestive problems afflicting modern society.
Step Two – Eliminate Gassy Foods
Another common cause of stomach gas is indigestion which is often triggered by certain foods.
Its no surprise that most processed and refined foods will increase your rate of intestinal gas, however healthy foods can also produce flatulence, especially if you have an imbalanced digestive system.
For example, high fiber foods including vegetables and fruits are harder to digest. They require extra intestinal bacteria to break them down and this increased production leads to increased levels of abdominal gas, belching and bloating.
Here’s a list of gassy foods to avoid:
dried fruit can also increase gas in the stomach.
Foods containing wheat and gluten have a notorious reputation for causing increased amounts of gas.
If you experience a reaction after eating food containing wheat it could indicate a gluten intolerance. These reactions can be a headache, feeling sleepy, anxious or depressed. To make sure – speak to your doctor about having an allergy test.
Gluten is a protein predominantly found in the grains wheat, barley and rye. However gliadin – a protein contain within gluten – is the prime suspect that causes the problem because it irritates the lining of your lower digestive tract.
The best way to avoid these triggers is simple – don’t eat food containing gluten. Easier said than done as the western diet is full of food containing gluten.
Identifying offending foods will be a matter of trial and error, but once you know what they are remove them from your diet.
To do this process of elimination effectively its highly recommended that you keep a food journal.
To get you started here are a few examples of food that contain gluten;
Dairy products contain the protein casein and lactose which are also hard to digest. People with lactose intolerance often experience lots of bloating and gas after eating dairy produce.
However, this can be alleviated by taking lactase supplements, low lactose foods or a lactose free substitute such as rice milk
Step Three – Go Easy On The Soda
Avoid or at least cut down on sodas and carbonated drinks, this also includes beers and lagers contained in cans and bottles. These drinks are very high in sugar and are notorious gas producers.
Step Four - Try Herbal Remedies
Herbal remedies have been used for thousands of years to help alleviate all matter of ailments. It turns out that peppermint tea is particularly good for reducing intestinal gas.
The peppermint plant is renowned for its menthol taste and smell, but you may not know that menthol has antispasmodic properties which have a calming effect on the digestive system. A popular way of ingesting menthol is drinking peppermint tea.
However, if you suffer from acid reflux, peppermint can relax your esophageal sphincter which can increase heartburn and abdominal pain.
Step Five – Boost Your Friendly Bugs And Digestive Enzymes
All diseases begin with a digestive system that has a bacterial imbalance. An imbalance occurs when the bad bacteria in your gut start to outnumber your good bacteria.
Friendly bacteria are vital to the health of your digestion. When their fragile balance is disturbed harmful bacteria and yeast infections can spread causing excessive gas, bloating, indigestion, intestinal infections and diarrhea.
To emphasis how important these micro-organisms are to your health check out what they’re responsible for;
- vitamin production – specifically B vitamins and vitamin A and K
- protecting your immune system
- preventing the growth of pathogenic bacteria such as E-coli
- reducing intestinal inflammation
- repairing and stimulating the health of the digestive tract
- reducing allergic reactions
Secondly, digestive enzymes have the vital role of breaking down proteins, carbohydrates and fats from food. The enzymes then convert these nutrients into vitamins and minerals your body can absorb.
A lack of enzymes is a common reason why people suffer from indigestion. With less enzymes food is not digested properly, instead it hangs around the intestinal tract where it feeds on the bacteria that live. These bacteria produce more gas, resulting in, bloating, wind and stomach pain.
Unfortunately, our body’s produce less enzymes as we get older. This problem is further compounded with the western diet being the most highly processed and chemicalized in the world.
The fact is, these foods contain no enzymes or nutrients, which means they are notoriously hard to digest and leave your body undernourished.
This creates a vicious circle, because if you’re not digesting food properly your body is not getting the vitamins it needs to produce enzymes.
As you can see, these friendly little bugs and enzymes are vital to your digestive health.
Most people’s digestive systems are unbalanced and if you’re experiencing too much gas its a sign your good bacteria are running low in numbers.
Turns out the key to a healthy digestive system are not probiotics, as we’ve always thought, but special insoluble fibers called prebiotics. Unlike probiotics, these prebiotics occur naturally and our proven to stimulate the production of good bacteria.
One of the richest sources of prebiotics is the kiwifruit which are contained in the fruits skin, seeds and pulp. The skin is also rich in flavonoids - potent antioxidants - that help prevent the spread of pathogenic bacteria.
Furthermore, the kiwifruits flesh is abundant in digestive enzymes. See for yourself – just mix some chopped kiwifruit into a bowl of natural yoghurt and see its creamy consistency turn to liquid in seconds.
By eating 2 to 4 kiwifruit a day, including the skin, provides you with sufficient prebiotics and flavonoids to begin restoring balance to your digestive system.