Do you feel discomfort and / or pain in your abdomen and want to confirm that it is gas? Do you doubt if it is really an accumulation of air in your intestine but do you suspect that it may be something else? What to do if you really suffer from intestinal gas and how can you avoid it in the future?
Normally the intestines are filled with gases that are transmitted from the small intestine to the colon.
The amount of gas transmitted depends on several factors, including the effects of colonic bacteria that process undigested food that reaches the colon, as well as the rate at which the gas passes through the digestive tract.
Excessive is a subjective term whose meaning depends and varies from one individual to another; However, some of the consequences of excess gas are belching, flatulence or the feeling of bloating in the abdomen.
Although the presence of gas is normal in people, when symptoms become chronic, such as presence of pain in the navel area, stomach or abdomen, it is usually necessary to see a doctor to put you on treatment if you need it.
Find out if they are real gases
Belching has always been associated with the presence of air in the stomach, although the reality is that there are other reasons why someone may be having excessive belching.
Although it is true that the presence of burps is usually related to gas, only if after doing it the individual feels relief, then he will be closer to being able to admit that it is gas. If you do not feel better, the cause is probably not gas, so if the discomfort persists, the best option is to go to a health center.
Detect the cause of gases
Flatulence or farts serve to release the gas that passes through the intestine through the anus.
Although a normal person must release gases less than 20 times a day, the reality is that these gases can only be caused by two things:
- Air that we have swallowed. This can produce intestinal gas, although it is in the least of the cases.
- A bacterium. The most common cause. The foods that have not been digested before reaching the small intestine are usually non-digestible sugars and polysaccharides, they are processed by a bacterium that produces carbon dioxide that is absorbed by the intestine that, finally, results in the typical discomfort of intestinal gases.
Check your diet
It has been detected that there is a group of foods that is responsible for generating those uncomfortable gases in our intestines, so there are already many people who try to limit the presence of these foods in their diet.
To remove gases and improve your digestion You just need to know which foods are the ones that facilitate excess gas.
Oligosaccharides
Lettuce, garlic, asparagus and leeks belong to this group of products that facilitate the appearance of gases.
However, we also find grains, such as wheat, rye or barley, as well as legumes: lentils, chickpeas and beans are likely to act as causes of intestinal gas.
Disaccharides
Those derived from cow, sheep or goat milk, such as cheese, ice cream, margarine, yogurt, cheese or evaporated milk.
Monosaccharides
Fruits such as apple, mango, pear, watermelon or figs produce intestinal gas, but corn syrup also intervenes, through fructose and honey.
Polyols
Some fruits such as apples, pears, blackberries, cherries, apricots, plums, or nectarines.
Cauliflower, green pepper, mushrooms, pumpkin and some sweeteners such as mannitol, sorbitol or xylitol are also found here.
Acts against gases
Treatment of excess intestinal gas varies depending on what causes it.
If it is indigestion or poor absorption of nutrients then a more accurate diagnosis is necessary for better treatment. In this way, the remedy can be applied directly to what is causing the gas.
If there is an obstruction that prevents the stomach from emptying and, therefore, does not allow the passage of food, liquid and gas, a surgical intervention will be necessary to resolve this situation.
However, in some cases a doctor may recommend medication to promote and achieve movement of the stomach and intestinal muscles.
If it is due to overgrowth of bacteria, then your doctor may recommend antibiotics to treat it. However, this method is usually not very effective, since the symptoms will revert once the treatment is stopped. It is the most difficult condition to treat.
Try the best natural remedies against gas
Not always that we suffer from gas it has to be due to such a severe condition and that is when some of the natural remedies to eliminate gas are practical. Many times we can act ourselves to try to expel gases quickly.
If gas is due to poor digestion, it may be due to the presence in your diet of sugar, lactose, sorbitol or fructose. The solution is usually to restrict sugar in our diet.
Although there is a long list of foods that produce gases, it is true that there are certain types of fruits and vegetables that contain nutrients that our intestines have difficulty digesting, but that bacteria can take advantage of to produce gases.
Among these foods, we find: beans, lentils, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, onions, carrots, apricots, plums and raisins.
Milk and its derivatives are other of the many foods that facilitate the appearance of stomach and intestinal gas, although many people say that cheese, unlike other milk derivatives, is the one that produces the least gas due to its contained lactose it has been partially broken down by bacteria.
By reducing the presence of these foods in our diet, it should help you reduce intestinal gas.
