Gas forms in the intestinal tract during digestion, and it can cause severe abdominal pain. If you're prone to developing gas, the University of Maryland Medical Center recommends avoiding known flatulence-causing foods, such as cabbage, beans and carbonated beverages. Eating slowly, chewing your food thoroughly and walking for 10 to 15 minutes after you eat can help prevent excessive gas, and home remedies can alleviate the problem once it occurs. Consult your doctor if gas is accompanied by nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, heartburn or constipation or if you have oily or bloody stools.
Activated Charcoal
Activated charcoal reduces excess gas by binding with flatulence-causing substances in the stomach and intestinal tract and helping them move quietly out of the body. In most cases, activated charcoal begins relieving gas about 30 minutes after ingestion. WholeHealthMD recommends mixing 2 Tbsp. activated charcoal powder in a large glass of water and consuming the mixture about 30 minutes before a meal or anytime you need to get rid of gas. Sip the liquid through a straw to avoid staining your teeth. Alternatively, you can take activated charcoal in capsule form. Take 500 mg at a time but do not exceed 4,000 mg daily.
Baking Soda
Baking soda helps neutralize an acidic stomach and relieves painful gas, according to the Reader's Digest Association in the book "1,801 Home Remedies: Trustworthy Treatments for Everyday Health Problems." Stir 1 tsp. baking soda into 1 cup water and drink the mixture whenever excess stomach gas becomes a problem. In rare cases, baking soda can explode and cause stomach tearing. Prevent this from happening by adding 1/4 tsp. lemon juice to the mixture before consuming, which dispels some of the gas before it reaches your stomach. Avoid this remedy if you follow a low-sodium diet, because baking soda is high in sodium.
Stretching
A knee-to-chest stretch can help relieve excessive stomach gas, according to the "Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide." Lie flat on your back with your legs flat against the ground. Bring your left knee slowly up to your chest. Hold in place for about 10 seconds and release. Move your left leg back down to the ground and repeat the stretch with your right knee. Continue this exercise, alternating your left and right knees, until your symptoms subside.
Ginger Root
A traditional remedy for flatulence, ginger root stimulates digestion and relaxes the muscles of the digestive tract, which helps relieve gas. In his book "Alternative Cures: More Than 1,000 of the Most Effective Natural Home Remedies," Bill Gottlieb suggests taking 250 mg ginger root in capsule form with meals, or anytime stomach gas occurs. Alternatively, make a cup of ginger tea by steeping 1 to 2 Tbsp. fresh grated ginger root in 1 cup boiling water for 10 minutes, straining and sweetening with honey. Drink immediately to alleviate gas.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Gas -- Flatulence
- WholeHealthMD.com: Supplement Recommendations for Flatulence
- "1,801 Home Remedies: Trustworthy Treatments for Everyday Health Problems"; Reader's Digest; 2004
- "Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide"; Harvard Medical School, Anthony L. Komaroff; 2004
- "Alternative Cures: More Than 1,000 of the Most Effective Natural Home Remedies"; Bill Gottlieb; 2008
