You’re feeling pretty hot in your melon-colored halter and dark blue skinny jeans walking to the door to meet your blind date. Just as you reach the door, start turning the knob, that old familiar rumbling feeling starts in the bottom of your belly, and threatens to move out the back of your…dark blue skinny jeans. “Please, god, not now!”

What is Gas?

The urge to pass intestinal gas happens at the most inopportune moments. Most of us can relate to the scenario above. Even though everyone passes gas, generally 12 or more times a day, it is still quite embarrassing. It’s either the noise or the smell that will alert anyone around that you are a gas producing, gas passing social faux pas. When your flatulent difficulty becomes excessive and frequent, it feels like time to close the shutters and hide in shame.

Gas refers to belching, bloating, and flatulence. Although belching isn’t considered socially acceptable in American etiquette, it doesn’t bring on the same type of embarrassment and shame as intestinal gas. The average person produces 1-4 pints of gas a day. Gas from the stomach is passed out through the mouth, whereas gas from the intestines (flatus) is passed through the anus.

What Causes Gas?

Gas is caused by swallowing air or foods that are hard to digest. The undigested or partially digested food moves from the small intestine into the colon. The colon then produces bacteria to digest the food. As the bacteria breaks down the food, it forms gas (nitrogen, carbon dioxide, oxygen, methane, and hydrogen sulfide). Gas, in general, doesn’t smell. The element that gives the gas that offensive odor is hydrogen sulfide which contains sulfur and gives the gas the smell. The foods that add to higher levels of this smelly gas are often the foods that give us our daily fiber. Dairy products like milk and cheese; some proteins like eggs, beans (Lima and legumes); vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage; and whole grains all contribute to hydrogen sulfide. Many of these foods are high in fiber.

Other causes of gas include:

• Another health condition. Excess gas may be one of several signs and symptoms of a more serious chronic condition. Examples include diverticulitis or an inflammatory bowel disease, such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease.
• Antibiotics. In some cases of excess gas, antibiotic use may be a factor because antibiotics disrupt the normal bacterial flora in your bowel.
• Laxatives. Excessive use of laxatives or constipating drugs also may contribute to the problems with excess gas.
• Constipation. Constipation may make it difficult to pass gas, leading to bloating and discomfort.
• Food intolerances. If your gas and bloating occur mainly after eating dairy products, it may be because your body isn’t able to break down the sugar (lactose) in dairy foods. Many people aren’t able to process lactose efficiently after age 6, and even infants are sometimes lactose intolerant. Other food intolerances, especially to gluten — a protein found in wheat and some other grains — also can result in excess gas, diarrhea and even weight loss.
• Artificial additives. It’s also possible that your system can’t tolerate the artificial sweeteners sorbitol and mannitol found in some sugar-free foods, gums and candies. Many healthy people develop gas and diarrhea when they consume these sweeteners.

Symptoms of Gas

If you have gas, the symptoms are probably painfully apparent. They include:

• The voluntary or involuntary passing of gas, either as belching or as flatus.
• Sharp, jabbing pains or cramps in your abdomen. These pains may occur anywhere in your abdomen and can change locations quickly. You may also have a “knotted” feeling in your stomach. The pain may sometimes be so intense that it feels like something is seriously wrong. When the pain occurs on the upper left side, gas pain may be mistaken for heart disease. When the pain occurs on the right side, it may be mistaken for gallstones or appendicitis.
• Abdominal bloating (distension).

Treatments for Gas

If you’ve found that your diet is causing you to produce excess gas, avoiding those foods is the best possible cure there is. With the exception of antibiotics and laxatives, all producers of gas are food, so changing your diet seems necessary and unavoidable. Finding the right combinations of foods may be all you need to live a pain-free, gas-free life. Here are some things you can do to help change your diet:

1. Start by cataloging your daily meals for at least a month.
2. Make note of the gas symptoms and the time periods when they flare up.
3. Meet with a specialist to determine which foods and in what combination are causing the unwanted symptoms. The specialist will also be able to rule out any serious underlying medical conditions.
4. Plan your meals according to recommendations.
5. Drink adequate amounts of water.
6. Sit ergonomically correct to give your digestive system the room it needs to digest your food.

Some lifestyle changes may also help:

• Try smaller meals. Eat several small meals throughout the day instead of two or three larger ones.
• Eat slowly, chew your food thoroughly and don’t gulp. If you have a hard time slowing down, put down your fork between each bite.
• Avoid chewing gum, hard candies and drinking through a straw. These activities can cause you to swallow more air.
• Don’t eat when you’re anxious, upset or on the run. Try to make meals relaxed occasions and eat slowly. Eating when you’re stressed can interfere with digestion.
• Check your dentures. Poorly fitting dentures can cause you to swallow excess air when you eat and drink.
• Don’t smoke. Cigarette smoking can increase the amount of air you swallow.

-Anne

Do you have any home remedies for Gas? Comment and share them with us!

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