Intestinal Gas Remedies
Intestinal gas is a normal byproduct of digestion like your daily passage of stools.
It is a sign that your digestive system is working at its best. It is normal for an average adult to pass gas 14 to 23 times a day and produce 1 to 4 pints of intestinal gas daily. But there are times when this air flow towards the gravity doesn’t stop like when you are on a high fiber diet, smoking, chewing gum, you have a habit of eating food or drinking fast, have difficulty in digesting the carbohydrates, have premenstrual bloating and sedentary life. Belching (commonly known as burping), bloating and passing gas (flatulence) is perfectly normal, but when it gets excess or interferes with your daily activities then it can indicate something and might need a medical attention. Certain intestinal gas remedies work best for most people, try the following.
- Food and Gas – It is believed that high carbohydrate or high fiber foods are responsible for excess gas production in the intestine like bananas, apple, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, citrus fruits, cabbage, cauliflower, beans, egg plant, radish, onions, peaches, prunes, and tomatoes. But certain fiber free foods like artificial sweeteners, cream, milk, ice creams and pastries can also cause flatulence equally. The best intestinal gas remedy is to monitor these offenders and avoid them.
- Swallow Less, not Food or Water but the Air – Chewing gums, hard candies, ill fitted dentures, drinking through straws, carbonated beverages, gulping the food or water quickly and smoking can all cause you to swallow excess amount of air which can cause trouble, so the best remedy for intestinal gas is to avoid them. If you are constantly caught by post nasal drip then treat it as it is seen that people with post nasal drip often tends to swallow lot of air.
- Ginger and Fennel – Ginger is considered one of the best natural remedies for intestinal gas. Just suck a small piece of ginger soaked in lemon juice and salt after your meals. Another natural remedy for intestinal gas is chewing some fennel seeds or aniseeds after meals.
- Holy Basil – Chewing few fresh holy basil leaves in the morning on an empty stomach is also considered one of the best home remedies for intestinal gas.
- Water - Drink plenty of water. One of the other best remedies for intestinal gas is drinking a glass of lukewarm water with lime juice and honey in the morning on an empty stomach.
- Exercise and Posture – Increase your physical activity.
Don’t lie down while eating or drinking as this can trap excess gas in your stomach. Preferably have meals 2-3 hours before going to bed. Have regular meal timings and avoid stale, junk and packed foods. Intestinal gas is usually a by-product that is formed due to digestion. This gas causes bloating in the stomach, and therefore, the body excretes it. In a single day, a person excretes about 3 to 4 pints of intestinal gas. Most of us do not even realize when we are passing the gas. This gas is passed through the mouth and the rectum. Belching and flatulence are the two ways in which intestinal gas is passed through the body. Intestinal gas remedies can aid in the passage of the gas. If you are experiencing bloating for an extended period of time, using these intestinal gas relief remedies can help you get comfort. The gas in the intestines is made up of hydrogen, methane, nitrogen, oxygen, and mainly carbon dioxide. If the gas contains sulfur as well, it smells really bad.
Normally, a person passes gas about 15 times a day. However, if you pass gas more than 15 times, you have a problem and should get yourself checked by a doctor. Intestinal gas pain is felt when the body is not able to pass the gas, and when the body creates and passes gases excessively, it can be socially very embarrassing. Intestinal gas problems consist of both the inability to pass gases and passing gases excessively. Intestinal gas treatment can be done effectively using home remedies. These home remedies help the digestive system to release trapped intestinal gas and excrete it.
What Causes Intestinal Gas? Intestinal gases are caused by breakdown of food products inside the body or when you swallow too much air. We all swallow some amount of air everyday. Usually, this air is passed through the rectum, but there are chances that the air may not be passed out completely. The intestinal gas that is caused due to the swallowing of excessive air is usually passed out in the form of belching. The other cause of intestinal gas, the release of gas due to breakdown of food in the small intestines, causes intestinal gas flatulence. This excessive intestinal gas is passed through the rectum and is not desirable. Bacterial activity in the stomach and lifestyle habits like smoking can increase the amount of intestinal gas that you have.
Intestinal gas pain is usually felt on the left side of the body, especially in the lower part of the abdomen. This pain may be because of the gas pressing on the abdominal walls, or even due to the cramping that the pressure of the gas causes inside the stomach. Here are some of the most effective and well used home remedies for intestinal gas pain relief:
- The most important thing to do, in case you are experiencing flatulence, is to keep a check on the foods that you are consuming. Foods that are rich in sugar as well as soluble fibers should be avoided when you have indigestion or gas.
- For intestinal gas pain relief, chew on a few fresh leaves of the holy basil. This helps you keep intestinal gas in check. Also chew your foods very slowly and carefully before you swallow, so that you do not swallow excessive air.
- For severe intestinal gas pain symptoms, over the counter drugs can be really effective. These over the counter medications can help you improve your digestion, allowing gas to be completely removed from the intestines. Soaking yourself in hot water in a sitz bath can also help improve symptoms of gas pain.
- If swallowing of air is what causes intestinal gases in your body, avoid sipping drinks using a straw. Instead, drink water, soft drinks, or juices right from a glass.
- Chew some fennel seeds as well as aniseeds after each of your meals.
This allows you to keep your intestinal tract free of any gas. These are effective treatments for those who are experiencing discomfort due to the gas.
- Since excessive intestinal gas causes belching, bloating and flatulence, it is best to keep your diet free of foods that cause gas in the stomach. This means you should avoid consuming foods like beans, radishes, eggplant, onions, prunes, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, and other such flatulence inducing foods.
- Drink peppermint or chamomile tea everyday to reduce the amount of gases produced in the intestines. The tea also soothes your digestion and helps remove toxins from the body.
- Take a small walk every time you have a meal and then drink a glass of lukewarm water. This aids in digestion, especially if you have overeaten.
- Brew a tea with some fresh leaves of coriander, caraway, and chamomile. This brew improves digestion and helps you expel the gases that are pent up in your intestines.
- There is a yoga pose that can help you expel pent up gases. This is considered one of the best intestinal gas remedies. Lie down on your left side on a flat surface.
Now bring your knees to your chest and hold this position for a few minutes. This helps in opening up the rectum, allowing pent up gases to escape from the body.
- Mix a teaspoon of honey in a glass of lukewarm water. Add the juice of a lime to it as well. Drink this water while it is still warm to get some comfort in your digestion.
- If you are experiencing flatulence and gas on a regular basis, perhaps you need to rethink your lifestyle. If you have been maintaining a sedentary lifestyle, you should become a little active. Every day, walk for at least 30 minutes. If you can do this twice a day, especially after your meals, even better. This keeps the digestion healthy and also helps you lose weight.
- Eating or drinking while lying on your bed decreases the metabolism rate and also makes you swallow more air. When you swallow more gas, the gas is retained in the intestines and expelled at regular intervals through belching or flatulence.
Since there are so many intestinal gas remedies, it is best to try some and wait for positive results. However, in most cases, keeping an active lifestyle should help you maintain your health.
|