New Health Guide
Flatulence is defined as the gas expelled through the anus along with or without noise and smell. This gas in medical literature is known as flatus. The flatus produced is primarily due to bacterial fermentation processes in gastrointestinal tract (GI tract) especially in the colon. The flatus (intestinal gas) is mixture of different gases like nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, hydrogen and methane. The smell is due to ammonia or volatile sulphur compounds which are < 1% in volume. Flatulence in some instance can be the source of comedy but mostly it causes the person extreme shame. How to stop farting?
Common steps to prevent flatulence are:
It has been observed that certain foods are associated with increased fermentation; a few of these are listed below:
Avoid eating foods with higher concentration of processed carbohydrates, like the potatoes, wheat, corn, and most noodles (that are all rich in starches). When starch is digested it leads to the production and release of flatus. Among starches rice is comparatively a better source because it can be digested easily so it will not release intestinal gas. But it is still necessary to maintain a healthy diet that must have fruits and vegetables.
Beans
Beans provide sufficient quantities of vegetable protein. In addition, it is also low in fat content and supply essential minerals like zinc, vitamin C, vitamin B, phosphorous, magnesium, calcium, copper and potassium. They also contain fibers which are helpful in digestion. But beans also contain oligosaccharides which cause the release of intestinal gas, this is why in popular culture beans are mentioned in jokes relating to flatulence. Soaking beans for several hours before cooking can reduce this effect, but it also decreases the nutritional value of beans.
Carbonated Drinks
Carbonated beverages in large quantity can lead to digestive problems and leads to release of flatulence, because the major ingredient of Carbonated drinks are carbon dioxide mixed in liquid with high quantity of sugar. These carbonated drinks are also acidic in nature which also upsets the process of digestion.
Sugars
Breakdown of sugar by the bacteria in our gut lead to the release of gas, too much sugar mean greater the amount of intestinal gas produced. So we should limit the amount of sugar in our diet to reduce the amount of gas produced while digestion.
In addition to starches, sugars and carbonated drinks there are some other food which a person should be cautioned about but the avoidance of their usage is also not advised because they are healthy source of energy. These foods include brussels sprouts, onions, peas, cabbage, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers, green peppers, pears, prunes, melons, apricots, peaches, raw apples, milk along with several other dairy products
People facing the problem of too much flatulence should choose food that breakdown quickly and are easy to digest or help in the process digestion and reduce the release of intestinal gas.
Probiotics include food like soya sauce, yogurt and pickles (that also include pickled vegetables). These foods allow ingested food to digest and assimilate in easy to metabolize nutrients that decrease the intensity of bacterial action significantly.
If adjusting your diet doesn’t help with the gas, try enzyme supplements. Beano is an enzyme based dietary supplement, it contains alpha-galactosidase enzyme. It helps prevent gas before it starts. It helps in quick breakdown of sugars (polysaccharides, oligosaccharides etc.) and enables you to enjoy every healthy food, without worrying about gas
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Fennel has been used safely as an important herb for many thousands of years in Chinese, Western, Indian, and Arabian medicines. Aside from its value in cooking as a spice, it has been traditionally used as an aid to digestion and it has many health benefits. The volatile oils in fennel seeds like estragole, fenchone and anethole are responsible for better digestion. These make fennel tea very helpful in digestion and helpful in gastrointestinal problems like bloating, cramps and excessive flatulence. You can either buy fennel tea online or make some by yourself.
Drinking ginger tea before meal is helpful in digestion as it stimulates the saliva, gastric juices and bile. Usually a small cup is advised before meal. Ginger or ginger tea contain phenolic compounds i.e. gingerol and shogaol, and many other volatile oils are responsible for beneficial effect on our digestive system, by improving digestion ginger tea will reduce the release of intestine gas or flatulence.
Simethicone is anti-foaming agent used for relief in bloating and pain/discomfort due to excessive gas. It is normally orally administered. Products containing simthicone (Maalox Anti-Gas, Mylanta Gas, Gas-X, Phazyme) cause gas bubbles to break up, and also decrease the surface tension of gas bubble allowing them to pass easily. Simethicone is not useful in reduction of gas formation but it helps in reliving the discomfort caused by the accumulation of this gas.
Activated Charcoal is very helpful in absorbing foul smell, charcoal tablets are easily available as over the counter drugs. Usage of charcoal for treatment of flatulence is very common, when activated charcoal medicine is taken. It not only absorbs the toxic material but also aids in absorption of flatulence. Thus preventing smelly intestinal gas.
Chewing gum, sucking on hard sweets and smoking cigarettes can all lead to swallowing excess air. Chewing your food properly helps prevent gas because you alleviate your tract's workload, while chewing gum gives people flatulence because it makes them swallow more air than usual and because it animates the digestive system. Sometimes you burp, but other times air goes too deep into the digestive tract, leaving only one alternative: farting. One should also avoid smoking as it is overall not good for health, also smoking cause too much swallowing of air leading to bloating and intestinal gas.
