Few things are more frustrating to deal with than having gas. If you have a gas problem, it’s important to understand the root causes so you can work on a solution. We’re going to dive in to the causes of gas before we work on a plan for gas relief.
Believe it or not, the most common cause of gas is irritable bowel syndrome. You might be thinking, “Well, what causes irritable bowel syndrome then?” The answer is your diet. Certain foods that you are currently eating are causing a problem for you and your digestive system. This might come as a surprise, because it is widely accepted that as humans we can eat almost any food. This is true, but that does not mean that all foods are digested equally. A lot of food gives our stomach acids trouble and ends up making it to our intestinal system undigested.
Once it reaches the intestinal system, it starts to get broken down by the millions upon millions of intestinal flora that are living inside of our systems of this may come as a surprise, but these bacteria are absolutely necessary for survival. Without them, we would not be able to digest much of the food that we eat today. However, they are living beings who things so when they eat something, they must put out a waste product. In the case of the bacteria, this waste product is a mixture of gases – the gases that you are quite familiar with.
Change What You Eat
So, how are we going to help you get gas relief? The answer lies in primarily changing your diet. There’s something called the FODMAPS diet that is especially designed for sufferers of irritable bowel syndrome and those who have too much gas. If you want to fully understand the FODMAPS diet, check out our special section on it. As a short description, just remember that you must reduce as much fruit sugar as possible from your diet. It is this fruit sugar that is causing most of your digestive problems and creating all these embarrassing situations where you have way too much gas. There is nothing more embarrassing or off – putting then passing gas in polite company. It may be a joke amongst friends, but it can be a source of extreme social anxiety when out with business partners or a significant other.
Along with changing your diet, there are other steps you can take to curb your excessive gas right from the start. Because diet plans can take a little bit of time to activate, you may want to look at these methods as a quicker option for gas relief. First, over-the-counter medications can really help your gas problem if you absolutely need immediate gas relief immediately. These medications are especially designed for people with severe gas and should be used with caution. Make sure that you read the labels and talk to a medical professional before you take a lot of these pills. Irresponsible use could lead to more troubles than the gas that you’re trying to prevent.
Other Methods for Gas Relief
Of course, there are also some things that you can do at home to help with gas relief. If you have a mild case, simply lying down for a while might be enough to relieve your symptoms. Combining this with consumption of very mildly flavored foods has been shown in almost everyone to reduce their symptoms significantly. Although it may only be a short-term solution, it’s better than writing in pain and experiencing heavy amounts of gas. Sometimes your gas can be so severe that it actually prevents you from your daily routine, whether that be tending to the children at home or attending meetings at work. It is such an embarrassing condition that many people would rather forgo their normal activities then work through them with gas. That can result in hundreds of hours of lost productivity over the course of a year!
Gas Relief: It All Comes Back To the Diet
For most people though, their gas problems stem from irritable bowel syndrome. In this case they absolutely must work on changing their diet. At the start it is not required to make a drastic change, but over time it is recommended to limit your food significantly so that you never experience the symptoms again. Trust us when we say that the benefits of being gas free far outweigh the sacrifice of some of your favorite foods. Make sure to follow the diet strictly and keep track of how it is affecting your gas problems. Pretty soon, you will be experiencing gas relief on a scale that you never imagined possible!
