Excess gas has many symptoms beyond the twin emittances of belching or flatulence. You may describe it as indigestion, pain or tightness in the chest, abdominal pain, or feeling bloated. All of them are symptoms of the build-up of fermented food or excess air in the intestinal tract.
A Readers' Digest survey estimated that 74 percent of Americans have digestive symptoms that include gas. It may very well be that the other 26 percent are either too embarrassed to admit it or didn’t understand the question, for practically everyone who eats or drinks gets gas at some point. Passing gas through the intestinal tract or burping is as normal as breathing.
But gas can range from mild to disturbing, and when it’s accompanied by chest pain or diarrhea, it can indicate a more serious underlying medical condition. For most sufferers, it’s a temporary condition, an annoying blip in the day – or perhaps a brapppp!
The good news is that there are over-the-counter medications and home remedies that can help you control your problems with gas. So the next time you have a board meeting, plan on riding elevators all day or simply want to make a great first impression on your fiancé’s parents, here are a few things to try.
Visit the Drugstore
Most drug stores will carry Beano, an over-the-counter medication that can be added to beans, broccoli and other vegetables and help you cut back on the amount of gas they may produce. You need to take it with your first bite, and it’s only effective for small amounts of gas, not the cabbage soufflé.
If lactose is your problem, there are commercially available lactase supplements that are sold under the commercial names Lactaid and Dairy Ease. These will help when you want to consume dairy but don’t want the consequences.
Activated charcoal is another over-the-counter remedy that may help. While there’s no evidence that it works, it certainly will calm your overall digestive system. Similarly, simethicone (sold as Gelusil, Gas-X and other names) help break up bubbles found in gas, although some medical professionals question their efficacy.
Those are the commercial wonders. But before there was a store-bought medications industry, there were home remedies that were used for centuries to help cultivated men and women suppress the urge to belch when visiting the Queen’s court. Here are a few helpful suggestions.
Home Remedies
1) Watch out for carbonated beverages. Beer, soda and other beverages have gas as one of their main components, and if you’re already having an attack, they can increase your pain.
2) Drink plenty of water. Fermenting food passes through your intestinal tract, and some of it may linger, causing an excessive amount of gas. By ingesting water, you help speed along the fiber-rich foods that are likely causing your gas problem -- in a sense hosing down your intestinal tract and removing the offending items.
3) Tea, please. Peppermint tea has long been known as a soothing drink, but it also has excellent anti-gas properties. You also may try ginger tea, chamomile or other herbal wonders, all of which have prime anti-flatulence properties that can ease the gas crisis.
4) Cut back on dairy – Sure, it’s creamy good. But if your stomach reacts, you may have developed an intolerance to lactose, a somewhat common affliction. Many people don’t notice the gas problem dairy creates because they’re too focused on their pleasure stimulators receiving the product. Think while you eat and notice if dairy may cause gas.
5) Apple cider vinegar – It’s Grandma’s wonder drug, used to cure a variety of ailments. This is a great digestive aid, and a few spoonfuls mixed in a big glass of water at the start of your day or used when gas pain starts to bother you can help.
6) Baking soda – A cup of hot water, a few teaspoons of baking soda, and you’ll be gas-free in a little while, according to many home remedy guides. It’s a cleanser and a great way to help soothe you if you have chest pains related to gas.
7) Exercise – Stimulating the body by moving around can grease the intestinal tract’s natural movement and help speed the fermentation remnants to a speedy exit. If you can’t get out for a brisk walk, try stretching and moving your body at your desk to unclog the system.
8) Watch what you eat – Some foods maximize your creation of gas. The biggest culprits are beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, onions, apples, pears, bran muffins, ice cream and whole-wheat bread. But even sugar-free gum and hard candies can cause problems. You may wind up sucking in a lot of air when you partake of the gum or candies, which, in turn, builds up in the system as gas.
9) Fried foods are a gas – Sure, fried food is delicious, and we all consume some from time to time. But if you’ve been hitting the deep fryer a bit too much, fried and fatty food can be the source of your bloating. Fat takes longer to pass through the system and thus has more opportunity to create gas. Cut back and see if it helps.
10) Warm Water and… - There’s a world of goodness to be found in some hot water and lemon, perhaps with a dash of black pepper. This slows down your system, calms the body and provides fluids that can flush the impurities that may cause gas.
Beyond what you ingest, stress has been found to be a prime contributor to gas. This is likely because meals gobbled in haste or beverages quaffed on the go contribute to the ingestion of large amounts of air. So stop, slow down, take your time and see if that doesn’t make a big difference in your gas output. Your family and office mates will thank you.