Everyone has gas in their digestive tract---surprisingly, most people pass gas up to 14 times a day, and pass between one and four pints of flatulence each day, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse website. However, some people do have more gas and bloating than normal. For them, simple diet changes might help them with their symptoms.
Symptoms/Possible Causes
When your body fails to pass the gas produced in your digestive system, it can build up in your system and cause bloating, according to the website MayoClinic.com. You might have excess gas or you might just have a normal amount of gas that's unable to move through your system properly. Some potential causes of excess gas and bloating include stress, smoking, irritable bowel syndrome or other gastrointestinal conditions.
Diet Basics
To avoid having excess gas and bloating, you should try avoiding common trigger foods, according to MayoClinic.com. These include legumes; cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli; bananas; raisins; and salads. You also should avoid whole wheat bread and other high-fiber grain-based foods, since these tend to produce a lot of gas.
More Diet Information
You might want to cut back on fatty foods, since fat tends to slow digestion and may lead to a buildup of gas and excess bloating, reports MayoClinic.com. In addition, you shouldn't chew gum or suck on hard candy, because you tend to swallow more air when you're chewing or sucking on something continuously. Also, eat slowly, especially if you suffer from lots of stress.
Considerations
If these anti-bloating and anti-gas diet measures fail to help you get your bloating and excess gas under control, you may need to schedule an appointment with your physician. One of the most common causes of bloating and gas is irritable bowel syndrome, which also can cause cramping, diarrhea and constipation, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse website. If you have irritable bowel syndrome, your doctor likely will recommend that you cut back on or eliminate fatty foods, chocolate, milk products, alcohol, caffeinated drinks and carbonated drinks.
Other Special Diets
Your physician might also test you for lactose intolerance or for celiac disease, both of which can cause bloating and gas. In lactose intolerance, your body cannot digest lactose, which is a sugar found in milk, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. If you have lactose intolerance, you'll need to eliminate lactose-containing dairy products or take a special supplement that enables you to digest them properly. If you have celiac disease, you're unable to digest proteins found in the grains wheat, barley and rye, and you'll need to change your diet to eliminate those grains.
References
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Gas in the Digestive Tract
- MayoClinic.com: Bloating, Belching and Intestinal Gas---How to Avoid Them
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse: What I Need to Know About Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Lactose Intolerance
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Facts About Celiac Disease
