You've just finished a meal, and you start to feel it--your abdomen swelling, creating discomfort due to the increased amount of gas in your stomach and intestines. Frequently experiencing gas is not only uncomfortable, it also can be embarrassing. Identifying the cause of your gas and how to treat it can help you find long-term relief.
Eating Habits
If you tend to experience gas directly after a meal, one of the contributing factors can be the way you eat. Constantly swallowing air while you are eating can contribute to gas in the stomach. Avoid eating too quickly, which can introduce extra air into your stomach. If you tend to chew gum after dinner, this also can allow extra air in, contributing to gas. The website UpToDate also recommends making an effort to sit up straight when eating because it creates a better pathway for air to travel in and out of your mouth.
Eating Gas-Causing Foods
The digestion of certain types of foods, mostly carbohydrates, can contribute to gas in your stomach after eating. As your digestive system works to break down these foods, bacteria that are naturally present in your body can give off gas. Examples of food known to cause gas in the intestines include starchy foods like potatoes, corn, pasta and wheat. Eating too much fiber in one meal from sources like whole grains, vegetables and fruits also may contribute to gas because your body is unaccustomed to breaking down this much fiber at once. Reducing your portion size of these food types may help to reduce gas symptoms after a meal.
Food Intolerances
Another cause of gas in your stomach is a lack of enzymes, which can cause you to experience gas because your body cannot fully break down the food. This is the case with lactose intolerance, where your body lacks the enzyme lactase that breaks down lactose sugars in your milk. Other sugars that may cause digestive intolerances include raffinose, which is present in beans; fructose, which is present in pears, wheat and onions; and sorbitol, which is present many fruits. If you find yourself unable to tolerate a particular food in one of these groups, talk to your physician about taking a digestive enzyme that can help you break these foods down.
Warning
If your gas does not respond to over-the-counter treatments, see your physician to ensure you are not experiencing an underlying medical condition. Examples include irritable bowel syndrome, which causes you to be particularly sensitive to gas in your stomach and intestines. Functional dyspepsia, a condition that results in pain in the upper abdomen, also can contribute to gas after a meal.
References
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse; Gas in the Digestive Tract; January 2008
- UpToDate; Gas and Bloating; Stephen Goldfinger, M.D.; May 2011
- MayoClinic.com; Intestinal Gas; September 2010
- International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders; Understanding Intestinal Gas; Fernando Azpiroz, M.D., Ph.D.
