Whether caused by food, drink, stress or bad habits like sucking in air, gas can be painful, embarrassing or distracting. It’s an unwelcome condition that usually arrives at inopportune moments, like when speaking in front of a group or in close quarters on public transportation.
The good news is that gas problems are easily treatable. They require a stricter attention to diet, lifestyle and particularly stress reduction. All are easily attainable with greater thought and care to what is going into the body.
Gas: The Fermentation Situation
Gas is produced in the intestinal tract through fermentation. Foods are gradually broken down and stripped of nutrients in the digestive process, and slower-to-digest foods can produce gas. How quickly the body can expel fermentation from the system will go a long way in decreasing the amount of gas produced. Gulping food or drinks increases the risk of inhaling excess air, which can build up in the system and produce gas.
Estimates are that two-thirds of Americans have gas, and perhaps the figure is higher. Practically anyone who eats and drinks will have an issue with gas at some point because gas is a naturally occurring phenomenon caused by certain common foods and activities.