A Guide to Treat Flatulence, Gas and Bloating

Linguistic Definition of Flatulence

Before we define flatulence, the best way to understand what flatulence is to know the origin of the word. Its etymology is that it has been derived from two Latin words: Flatus and Ulent.

The literal meaning of the word “flatus” is blowing or the act of blowing or breaking wind. “ulent” or “ulence” which means “having in quantity” or something “full of”. So if the linguistic definition of flatulence would be “the act of blowing or breaking wind in quantity”. Putting it in simpler words it means to blow or break wind.

This Article Table of Contents
Introduction to Gas
10 Causes of Excessive flatulence
Connection Between Flatulence and Other Diseases
10 Natural Home Remedies for the Treatment of Flatulence
Symptoms of Flatulence
Four Herbal Formulas to Get You Rid off Gas

What is meant by Flatulence today?

As time passes, words and phrases change their meanings or adopt new meanings due to linguistic flux. Today when we talk of flatulence, words like stomach, gas, canal, food, intestine, bacteria etc. come into our mind. This is simply because today it has acquired new meaning associated with a certain state of health condition in which gas or wind is produced in the intestine and then passed through the rectum. So, medically speaking, it is both a state and an act or process. It is state of having a certain amount of gas or wind in the intestine and then a process by which that wind or gas is passed out of the body via the rectum. Top

Is it a disease?

If we think a disease to be a certain state of ailment or medical condition or a continuous discomfort or when the body normal functioning is not normal, then it is a disease. However, there are sometimes, finer distinction just between a disease and a reaction of the body known as symptoms. For instance, it is generally considered that headache or fever itself is not a disease but a reaction of the body to certain other conditions behind it. Similarly, one may ask if flatulence itself is a disease or just a symptom of a condition. If it is just a usual production and expulsion of say 10 to 15 times a day then it is nothing more than normal functioning of the body. However, if it is excessive and more frequent than that then it is best to call it an ailment as it has causes behind it..

So to summarize it and answer the question what is flatulence, it can be simply said to be a state and a process where gas or wind is accumulated in the intestine and then expelled. It is a natural condition, and in many cases is nothing to be worried about. However, in case of abnormal or bad flatulence it might require attention to find its causes and look for its treatment. Top

10 Causes of Excessive and Bad Flatulence

Best way to get rid of any disease or a health conditions is to find its causes. With life becoming faster and faster, we have a number of quick solutions to many of the health problem. These solutions are either short term or just a symptomatic relief. The basic idea behind such solutions is to just push or suppress the symptoms without ever looking at the cause of the problem. The result is that a temporary and quick relief is achieved but the problem resurfaces often as the root cause have not been treated or addressed. In this article we shall enumerate some of the most common causes of flatulence. The effect of these shall, indeed, vary from an individual to individual as the reasons for the gas in the stomach is produced for a variety for reasons. Nevertheless, the basic assumption is that if these causes are taken into account, then flatulence, whether bad, foul, smelly, odorous or odourless, can be effectively reduced or cured. Here is a list of 10 common causes. This list is, by no means, exhaustive and there may other reasons too.

1. Diet and Excessive Flatulence

We need food on daily basis and several times a day right from day first till we breathe our last. Obviously, something which our very life depends on must have an enormous effect on us. In many cases, bad and chronic flatulence is very often the cause of our food. There are certain foods which are notorious for producing gas in the stomach and hence big culprits in causing bad, severe and constant flatulence. Here is the list of common foods which may be one of the causes of really bad and full of odor flatulence.

1. Beans
2. Cabbage
3. Bran
4. Cauliflower
5. Broccoli
6. Onions
7. Prunes
8. Raisins
9. Brussels

2. Gas producing Fruits

Fruit is an important source of nutrition and must be consumed regularly in order to stay healthy. Who does not know the traditional 5 a day advice or the saying that “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Our body needs several vitamins and minerals for its proper functioning. We, therefore, need a good range of different fruit so that we are not deficient in certain important vitamins and minerals. There are certain fruits which contribute to excessive wind or flatulence. Here is a list of fruits which are known to be associated with chronic and too much flatulence.

1. Apple
2. Pear

3. Sugary Food

Sugar food is a common cause of terrible flatulence. Fructose is found in sugary foods like honey, apple, pear etc. It is difficult for the stomach to digest fructose and so it says in the colon. Bacteria in the stomach thrive on such undigested fructose and cause bad or severe flatulence. There are other elements like Sorbitol, xylitol and mannitol found in sugar and sugary products. These substances are not easily digested and when they get to the colon part of the intestine, the bacteria there lie in its wait. They grow on them and so produce smelly, foul, constant, and very bad flatulence.

Sugary food and sweet fruit may be a rich source of fiber. Fiber intake is an important requirement for staying healthy. It is, therefore, important not cut on whole fruit altogether as it will reduce the required amount of fiber. In order to avoid the possibility of excessive and increased flatulence one may take the following 2 steps.

1. Reduce or eliminate sugary juice and drinks and instead take whole fruit.
2. Introduce the intake of fibre slowly and maintain the required quantity to stay healthy.

4. Dairy Products

Certain dairy products like milk are a major source of flatulence especially if you are intolerant to lactose. In case, it is difficult to give up milk, the best way is to buy lactase enzymes from pharmacies and add it to milk. There are also certain products labelled as low lactose and can be substituted for high lactose products.

5. Cold and congentions

Runny or congested nose often produces burping and bloating. Taking some warm drink or using decongestants can reduce the effect. Consider sipping healthy herbal teas like, honey, peppermint, ginger or chamomile.

6. Tight Clothing

If you are suffering from constant or chronic gas problems and fullness of stomach, then putting on tight dress, wearing tight belt etc may even worsen the situation. So think loose.

7. Chewing gums

Chewing gums can make the terrible in two ways. First, most chewing gums have sweeteners and substances difficult to digest and second, a lot of air is swallowed while keeping the mouth open or talking. So best is to avoid it.

8. Not Chewing Food Thoroughly

The process of digestion should start in the mouth and not in the stomach. Chewing food completely has many benefits:

• It adds saliva and necessary digestive enzymes to food before it is passed on to the stomach.
• It slows down the pace of eating and hence less eating that leads to weight control.
• Less eating and easy digestion shall avoid frequent and terrible flatulence.

9. Fizzy Drinks

Many people mistakenly think that fizzy drinks help digestion. Rather it slows digestion and causes bad flatulence.

10. Eating quickly and Swallowing Air

Eating quickly brings about two harms i.e. 1) it adds to eating more 2) It makes digestion difficult. Both in turn cause constant and excessive flatulence.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge has rightly that “O Lady! We receive what we give! Ours is her wedding garment, ours is her shroud!” We taken in we give out. Diet such as dairy food, sweet fruit, certain vegetables, fizzy drinks etc are the known causes of excessive and too much “bad” flatulence. If we overcome the causes of the problem, we are sure to see no more frequent and odour producing smelly gas. Top

Connection between flatulence and other diseases

Wind in the abdomen is not a disease by itself, but it may be a symptom or the cause of other conditions. For example, one may be suffering from constipation or IBS, or may be taking medicines for some other conditions and hence experience flatulence. Here are a few diseases which have a close relationship with flatulence.

Flatulence and Diarrhoea

Does diarrhoea increase gas? In case of short term diarrhoea, the symptoms may either increase or decrease. A number of causes have been associated with abdominal wind during diarrhoea. These may be lactose intolerance, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, bacterial infection, irritable bowel syndrome and others.

Flatulence and Constipation

There can be a close connection between constipation and wind. In constipation it becomes hard or difficult to pass the stool which in turn may produce gas in the intestines. When it is hard to pass the stool and one tries to force it out, a pressure is built through the anus and there are more chances of passing out wind or gas. Irritable Bowel Syndrome or irregularity in bowel may lead to both constipation and flatulence.

Flatulence and Bowels

They have definitely a close connection. Among the many causes of abdominal gas and pain associated with it, there could be a bowel problem like irregular bowels or irritable bowels, constipation etc. There are high chances that if the bowel movement is regulated to its natural course, flatulence may go away.

Flatulence and Cancer

If you have normal intestinal wind, you don’t need to worry about cancer. It is not gas that causes cancer but cancer treatments in the abdomen may cause flatulence. A couple of preventive measure with the advice of your doctor may help reduce the symptoms of gas during cancer treatment. Top

10 Natural Home remedies for the Treatment of Stomach Gas and Flatulence

“Stomach is the mother of all diseases” is a famous saying. And it is true. What we eat have a tremendous effect on our body and health. Excessive gas in the stomach is very common these days and people are always looking for ways to control it. To get relief from stomach gas or flatulence, there are several home remedies, which are simple and easy, yet very effective to cure and prevent gas. Here are some homes or kitchen based remedial solutions for the treatment and control of intestinal gas relief.

1. Deflate your Diet to Deflate your Stomach

There are certain foods which are notorious for producing excessive gas, wind or flatulence in the stomach. The main culprits are beans, cabbage, bran, cauliflower, broccoli, onions, prunes, raisins, brussels, pear, apple and the list goes on. Remember that fresh fruit and vegetables are very important for health and eliminating them is not advised at all. Best course is to reduce their intake and substitute them with fruit and vegetables which do not produce gas. The non gassy fruit and vegetables include kale, spinach, green beans, lettuce, tomatoes, cherries, grapes and a few others. If you just replace the gassy fruit with the non-gassy ones, you can significantly reduce the amount of gas produced in the stomach.

The list of wind producing food is not limited only to the fruits and vegetables but also include other sugary and dairy products. A judicious use of them can help a lot to control flatulence. The artificial sweeteners added to some products contains certain substances which are highly gas producing like sorbitol, xylitol, mannitol etc. Try to avoid them and you are saying a big “NO” to wind and flatulence.

2. Ginger, Super Home Remedy for the Treatment of Gas

Get rid of flatulence bloating in no time! Ginger is such a wonderful herb as it has tons of health benefits. One of them is to control and cure flatulence and also to reduce burping and bloating. Ginger is known for its digestive features and has been in use since ancient times. Ginger’s natural way of treatment is not only cheap and easy but also effective. It is highly anti-inflammatory, helps in digestion and reduces gas and easing bloating and burping. Ginger stimulates digestion and causes the stool to pass smoothly and quickly, leaving the stomach (intestines) behind clean and empty. As no food is left behind in the stomach so the amount of gas is highly reduced in the stomach. It also helps to control and avoid bloating and burping.

How to Use Ginger for the Treatment of Flatulence?

There is nothing as easy as to cure gas by using Ginger. Here are some of the simplest ways to use Ginger as a herbal remedy for the treatment of wind.

a) Ginger Capsule: It is available in capsule from many health and supermarket stores. 100 mg of ginger 2 or 3 times a day is enough to avoid bloating and prevent gas.

b) Also available in the form of tincture. 30 drops of tincture before meal is a great way of natural treatment of gas in the stomach.

c) Simply grate ginger and leave it in the boiled water for around 5 minutes and then sip it.

d) It is also available in tea bags from health food shops or super markets. A cup of Ginger tea after your meal will not only add a great taste to your meal but is also a great solution to be used as natural treatment for wind and flatulence.

e) If you cannot do any of the above, then the simplest way to use Ginger is just take a slice of ginger, bite it, chew it and swallow it….lol. Be ready for the fight! And don’t forget to take only a small amount of it.

3. Cardamom: Digests Food and Helps Control Gas

Cardamom is readily available from any shop including the corner shops. In the East and Asian countries, Cardamom is added to green tea to increase its digestive properties. It helps digest the food and the likelihood of gas in the stomach is reduced. Cardamom can be added to tea, boiled water or simply chewed.

4. Peppermint: A Herbal Solution to Avoid Bloating and Flatulence

It can be used as tea bags or just fresh leaves to be added to boiled water. The fresh leaves can also be chewed for the cure. Peppermint contains menthol which helps to reduce gas and bloating. However, it has been reported that not to use peppermint in case of

Gastroesophageal reflux or heart burn. So be cautious!

5. Papaya: Best Home Remedy(ies) and its Anti Flatulence Properties

Christopher Columbus called Papaya “fruit of the angels”. It is a wonderful fruit and has many health benefits. It is rich in vitamins C, A, K and E. It also contains antioxidants and flavonoids. It also contains an enzyme called papain which helps in digesting proteins thus helps to reduce gas in the stomach. Papaya enzymes are available as supplements. However, these should not be used without the advice of your doctor. Eating the whole fruit is much safer and beneficial.

Papaya is also used in the tea form. The tea is made of papaya leaves and can be purchased in the form of tea bags. The Proteolytic enzymes have the ability to break down protein into smaller and lesser complex structures. This makes it easy for the stomach to digest food easily. It has been reported that Papaya tea helps in the natural treatment of wind, yet at the same time it is diuretic and must be used with care. Always read the label and follow the advice by the manufacturer before using Papaya tea or other such products containing papaya enzymes.

6. Fennel Seeds: Get rid of the problem in No Time

Chewing fennel seeds after meals not only cure bad breath but also cure wind. Half a spoon of fennel seeds can be chewed after meal to get the desired result. The terpenoid anethole in fennel seed is great for digestion, gas in the intestinal track, and for the relief of cramps. It is often seen in the Indian Restaurants in bowels. Some restaurants have them coated in sugar. Best to treat stomach gas is the take them in pure form i.e. without any sugar coating.

7. Camomile Tea: An Effective Solution

When we talk of home remedies or natural treatment, it is incomplete without mentioning the benefits of camomile. Camomile tea can be bought in the form of tea bags from super markets or health food shops. A hot cup of camomile tea is a great way to treat the condition and help reduce abdominal wind.

8. Eat Bio-Yoghurt

Stocking up on good bacteria is another natural way to treat wind in the stomach. It is not only a great way but also the easiest among the home remedies. Although, probiotics can be taken in capsule form, the best way, however, is to eat any bio yoghurt containing the live cultures. This is more natural and stomach friendly. The acidophilus or biphidus bacteria in yoghurt balance the stomach environment against the gas producing intestinal bacteria in the stomach.

9. Prevention is Better than Cure

It is a wise saying and if applied practically, it can save us from many miseries. It is better to avoid some of the bad habits and food causing flatulence. Here a few simple things to follow.

a) Don’t Chew Gum: You will take in wind which needs to be passed out either way.

b) Avoid Fizzy Drinks

c) Eat Slowly

d) Chew Food Thoroughly

e) Chew with your mouth closed i.e. keep the lid shut.

f) Avoid gassy foods

g) Introduce fibre into your diet slowly

h) Soak beans before you cook them

10. Exercise and Flatulence

Last, but not the least, exercise is a great way to stay healthy. Is it a home remedy or natural treatment or just a tip? Call it whatever, a mild exercise like walking, swimming, gardening, or any other physical activity have great health benefits and, of course, a massive help and a effective solution to reduce wind and flatulence.

There are certain other home remedies like taking garlic, coriander, turmeric etc. Whatever natural treatment you take for the treatment of flatulence, it is always advised to talk to your doctor before doing so. If you are taking capsules, tablets, teas, tinctures etc for the treatment of intestinal wind or any other stomach ailments, always read the detailed instructions by the manufacturer. Special care should also be taken in case of pregnancy, babies and adults when they are on any other prescribed medication. Top

Symptoms of Flatulence

The primary method of knowing a certain medical condition or a disease is known its symptoms. Symptoms are alerts or warnings of the body informing that something is not going the normal route and must be paid attention to. Like another health issue, there are a number of symptoms which indentify flatulence. Here are some of them listed below.

1. Passing wind often

Passing wind is a natural process of the body to expel some gases. 10 to 15 times a day is quite normal and natural and there is nothing to be worried about. However, if the number of times is more than that, then it can be a symptom of flatulence. Some people passes wind even more than 100 times a day. This excessive passing of wind is definitely a symptom of stomach wind.

2. Smelly Flatus

Frequency may or may not be accompanied with smelly flatus or smelly gas. If it is more frequent than normal, then chances are that one is suffering from abdominal wind. Stinky flatulence is caused by the formation of sulphur and other gases in the stomach and when it is expelled it is felt in the form for stinky or smelly flatulence. Many foods such as beans, pear, cabbage and other fibre and carbohydrate rich foods are responsible for the production of very smelly and stinky flatulence. Cutting on such food may reduce the amount of gas.

3. Loud Flatus

When gas is expelled via the rectum, it may be passed out silently but sometimes it goes out and the mere pressure produces some vibrations. These vibrations cause loud flatus or farting. Loud farting or flatus (like the silent one) may be either odorous or odourless. It has, however, been found to be a major cause of embarrassment in many societies. In some cultures, it is even considered as a symbol of cowardice! However, it is nothing more than a natural expulsion of air and, many times one does not have a control over it.

4. Abdominal Distension and Discomfort

Generally, flatulence does not cause any pain or discomfort in the stomach. Some people, however, have been reported with other symptoms like that of stomach cramps, abdominal pain, bloating and even constipation.

5. Rumblings in the Lower Abdomen

As stated above, it may accompany other symptoms like those of cramps in the stomach, stinky air, abdominal pain etc. it is often accompanied with rumblings in the lower abdomen. The formation of gas bubbles and their bursting have been reported to be the causes of such ramblings in the lower abdomen. Taking soda, ginger tea or peppermint may relieve such symptoms.

6. Belching or Burping

Belching is the expulsion or excessive air in the stomach through the mouth. This expulsion is involuntary and often occurs more frequent after the meals. As the stomach needs to get rid of the excess air, it may adopt one of the two ways either via the rectum or through the mouth.

7. Other Symptoms

The one mentioned earlier are the major or most frequent symptoms. Here there are some other less common indications which may vary from individual to individual. These are:

1. Constipation
2. Diarrhea
3. Irritable Bowl Syndrome
4. Joint Pain
5. Bloating which persistent.
6. Weight loss
7. Bowel incontinence
8. Blood in stool
9. Muscle pain, high temperature
10. Vomiting and chills
11. Acute gastroenteritis
12. Giardiasis.
13. Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.
14. Lactose intolerance.
15. Malabsorption.

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Four Herbal Formulas to Get you Rid of Gas

After a lot of search and tests, I found the following four products to be of great help. Why have I mentioned all these four? The problem is that the condition varies with every individual. One product may work with one person but may be ineffective for another person. If you read the reviews of these products, some people have used a few of them or all of them. Some worked for some and other for others. The best way is to try them one by one and then go for the one which works for you.

1. Rezvera: Customer Report It WORKS!

People who bought this product earlier have reported that it works against the problem. The success rate is more than 99%. When I checked it with Amazon, it had only 1 star review by one customer. Other reviews were all positive and everyone who used it claimed to have successfully cured their gas and flatulence.

Rezvera is a herbal formula which contains only natural herbs and helps in breaking down excessive proteins in digestive system. Apart from improving colon health and eliminating gas, bloating and flatulence, it also works in helping the system to absorb essential nutrients from food.

The formula contains 18 naturally digestive enzymes. These enzymes are normally lost in cooking foods. RezVera replaces them all. According to the manufacturer, all ingredients are tested and are safe to improve colon health.

Here are some brief excerpts from some of the people who bought and used RezVera.

“Callie Worthington noted that she tried several other products, but none of them worked. When give RezVera a shot, it was all gone! She bought it for her husband who tried anything known to them such as Beano and a lot of prescription drugs. She high recommends by claiming that her husband is back to normal only after taking this wonderful herbal formula.”

“ YANILKA HERNANDEZ reviewed that she bought this product for the fourth time simply because it is effective. Krozum syas he suffered from gas and flatulence for more than 10 years which was a constant pain. This product helped him to get rid of the awful symptoms.”

“Chantelle bougth this for her son and found it very impressive. It cured his problem, he is a lot less smelly and a lot more happy”.

2. Digestive Advantage Once Daily Gas Defense Formula

The manufacturer claims that this formula stops gas before it starts to form. This is a natural supplement which contains friendly bacteria called BC30. It also contains digestive enzymes which help in digesting the gas and bloating causing carbohydrates. Taking one tablet daily before meals stops gas formation by the dual action formula.

There are 59 previous customers who left their feedback for this product on its effectiveness. Out of 59 users, 33 people reported it to be working brilliant and gave it 5 stars. 7 other reported to be working enough to reduce their symptoms, while 19 people found it not to be very effective or as effective as they had thought.

Following is a summary of one of the reviews left by a previous customer.

I suffered from bloating, cramps and gas for a very long period. I have been to the doctors for tests, prescriptions. I had culture tests, endoscopy and many other medical examinations. Nothing worked. Finally, when I saw other people reviews, I decided to give it a go. It works like a dream. I eat very high fiber diet and so have a lot of gas and bloating. This work wonders. The only downside is that I have to take it daily. If I miss it on any day, the gas returns. So, you have to take it whenever on a daily basis before your meals.

3. Activated Charcoal

It works by absorbing excessive gas in the stomach and intestine. It is cheaper than the other products. Many customers have reported relief by using activated charcoal. It also protects the body fro harmful overdosing of toxic substances. At the time of writing this post, there were 54 reviews on Amazon and most of them were positive. Here are some of the remarks in customers reviews.

“I wish I had know them long before. It works wonders.”

“It treated my symptoms of gas and I am nor more embarrassed.”

“I used to avoid eating in public for the fear of embarrassment. Now with activated charcoal, everything has changed.”

4. Beano

Beano is the most popular of all these four products. The success rate is around 80%. Some sufferers reported it to be absolutely brilliant. A few others reported it ineffective. May be, it works for some and not for others. During my search, I found this to be the most talked about and people referring it to others. To be honest, I tried it myself and did not work for me.

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