Gas pain and bloating is caused by a combination of certain foods and the 400 different kinds of bacteria living in the colon. Some foods stay in the intestines too long and begin to ferment. The more food that ferments, the more volume of gas that is produced. A person passes gas an average of eight to 20 times a day. There are home remedies that can help excess gas and bloating without medications; however, herbs and alternative medicine should not replace recommendations from a licensed health practitioner.
Lifestyle Remedies
MayoClinic.com notes that several small meals a day instead of two or three large ones help to reduce excess gas buildup. Chewing gum, drinking through a straw, drinking carbonated beverages and smoking can cause swallowed air and increase gas production. Discovery Health states that stress can play a role in making flatulence worse. The gastrointestinal tract is very sensitive to anxiety, anger and depression. Increasing exercise can help to regulate the digestive process, and reduces gas and bloating. Tight-fitting clothing can compress the abdomen and increase pain, so looser-fitting clothing, especially while traveling, can reduce gas pain.
Dietary Remedies
A food diary is one of the easiest ways to detect which foods are causing increased gas and bloating, says Discovery Health. Foods to avoid include beans and cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cabbage. Beans can be soaked overnight or rinsed to reduce the gas-producing properties. Pumpkin soothes the intestines and cuts down on flatulence. Yogurt that contains acidophilus, a beneficial digestive bacteria, helps to alleviate gas. MayoClinic.com states that fatty food delay stomach emptying and increase bloating. Lactose intolerance and celiac disease can cause bloating, as the intestines cannot digest or absorb certain components of foods. An increase in fiber can cause increased bloating and gas pains; fiber intake should increase slowly, over a period of several months, reports Drugs.com. Other foods to avoid to prevent gas include artificial sweeteners, milk, bananas, onions and cucumbers.
Herb and Spice Remedies
Discovery Health describes several herbs and spices that reduce gas and bloating. Cardamom seeds speed digestion. Cloves pep up digestion and eliminate gas. Coriander helps the movement of food through the digestive tract and eases bloating and flatulence. Fennel seed have a powerful digestive effect and can be sprinkled over gassy vegetables in cooking. Teas made from peppermint, ginger, chamomile, cinnamon, anise seeds or basil leaves can help relieve gas, especially if ingested after a meal. Cardamom, fennel, ginger, cinnamon or clove spices can be added to massage oils and rubbed over the abdomen to relieve gas. The website YgoY notes that drinking parsley, passion fruit or peach leaves blanched in water helps to relieve gas and gas pain.
