Flatulence can have many causes – but it can usually be countered and even prevented with simple remedies. Flatulence is caused by increased swallowing of air, increased gas formation during digestive processes or obstructed gas outflow in the intestines. If one has flatulence, the abdomen is distended and feels tense. The accumulated gas creates a feeling of fullness or pressure, and sometimes bloating is associated with painful intestinal cramps.
Causes of bloating
Bloating can have many causes. Most often, they are caused by eating or drinking too hastily, or because the gastrointestinal tract has problems digesting the food it takes in. Meals that are too rich and contain cabbage, legumes and other vegetables not only challenge your intestines, but push them to the edge of their capacity. If excessive alcohol, nicotine or coffee consumption is added to this, flatulence is pre-programmed.
Although sweets, sugar or sugar substitutes are broken down by the intestinal bacteria, more intestinal gas is produced than during the metabolism of healthy food.
Healthy does not necessarily mean raw food: Especially when changing the diet to raw food, many people complain about increased flatulence attacks, which means that you should also make sure that healthy foods are digestible for you. Sometimes flatulence also indicates disturbances in the composition of the digestive juices, besides stress, anxiety or depression can promote flatulence.
5 Tips to prevent flatulence.
Follow these tips to prevent uncomfortable bloating:
- Eat slowly and chew thoroughly. So less air gets into your stomach, the food is well mixed with saliva, which already takes some work off your stomach.
- Take better many small meals and not a few large ones, so each food process is better digested.
- Avoid flatulent foods, sweets, alcohol and nicotine. Try what works for you flatulence. Not everyone reacts to lentils, peas, beans with unpleasant body exhalations. Sometimes even fresh wholemeal bread is not tolerated or yeast pastries.
- Instead of raw vegetables try better cooked, so often more foods are tolerated.
- Moderate physical activity prevents flatulence and also helps to expel it again. The short walk after the meal helps in the further transport of the food pulp.
Treatment of flatulence
If you do suffer from flatulence, the following tips can help treat the discomfort:
- Get rid of too tight pants or a constricting belt, then the intestines in your abdomen can move better.
- Help also brings a hot water bottle or a warm belly wrap. Anything that produces moist heat will be found helpful by your intestines. Try out whether a light massage in a clockwise direction gives you relief.
- Fennel, caraway or anise as a tea or in drops work against flatulence and bloating. Many other herbal agents also relieve flatulence and cramps: yellow gentian, ginger, coriander, marjoram, peppermint, wormwood are just a few of them.
- Herbal bitters such as gentian root, centaury or angelica root have a digestive effect; ready-made preparations can recommend your pharmacist.
- He can also advise you on defoaming preparations: Dimethicone and the like as a chewable tablet or suspension destroy the gas bubbles in the intestine. Enzyme preparations can possibly help if the digestive power of the gastrointestinal juice is reduced – but also ask your doctor about this.
Flatulence – when to the doctor?
Usually flatulence disappears after a short period of self-treatment.
However, if your symptoms are very severe, with the measures described here no improvement or you suddenly suffer from flatulence again and again, see your doctor. He will rule out more serious disorders or diseases, such as lactose intolerance, a disorder in the flow of bile or a chronic inflammatory bowel disease, which can also occur at an advanced age.
