Many a time, intestinal gas is a cause for humor. But for the person who experiences gas in a public place, it is no longer a laughing matter.<\/p>\n
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As many as 30 to 40 per cent of people experience bloating and gas, which they attribute to gastric trouble. Most of the patients even refrain complaining about flatulence, excessive belching, increased intestinal gas and bloating to the physician, as they are embarrassed.<\/p>\n
Our intestines cannot digest everything we eat. The leftovers are passed on to the colon. The processing or fermentation of leftover carbohydrates by the colonic bacteria leads to the formation of intestinal gas.<\/p>\n
While it may appear that some people pass too much gas compared to others, there may not be any difference in the amount of gas produced in the complainers and the non-complainers. It is just that some people are more sensitive and feel it more than others do.<\/p>\n
Several factors cause people to swallow air. For instance, if dentures do not fit well, the person tends to swallow more saliva, which carries air bubbles with it. If the patient has post-nasal discharge, then he tends to swallow more often, carrying more air to the stomach. Smoking a cigar or pipe may also increase the amount of saliva produced and swallowed, contributing to excess gas.<\/p>\n
Some patients have a habit of belching frequently. To do this, they swallow air, which they then belch. Unfortunately, the patient is never able to belch out all of the swallowed air, thus producing intestinal gas. Rapid eating increases the amount of air that people swallow. Gum chewing and sucking on hard candies also increases the amount of air swallowed. Avoid carbonated drinks. Some gas is also created as the carbonated drink enters the mouth.<\/p>\n
However, the most common source of intestinal gas is beans. Beans cause gas, as the body cannot digest the complex sugars they contain. These starches pass into the intestine, where they become food to the bacteria present there. While they use the starch as food, gas is passed as a by-product. Similarly, milk is gas forming in adults.<\/p>\n
Incomplete digestion of milk can lead to gas, stomach cramps, bloating and diarrhea. Certain medicines like narcotics, calcium channel blockers slow the gut, and may lead to gas being trapped in the bowel, due to slow movement.<\/p>\n
In ayurveda, flatulence is called as Aadhmaana. Treatment modalities include measures to promote deepana (by carminatives), paachana (by digestives) and vaataanulomana (by gas expellers). <\/b><\/p>\n
Self-Help Guidelines & Ayurvedic Remedies<\/span><\/p>\n \u2022 Drink a cup of warm water with two drops of peppermint (pudina), cinnamon (daalchini) or ginger extract.<\/p>\n \u2022 Dried ginger and ajwain in equal weights should be steeped in double the quantity of lime-juice, dried and powdered. Add a little black salt to the powder. Two grams should be taken with warm water as and when needed.<\/p>\n \u2022 Tie two handfuls of bajra and a handful of crystal-salt in a bag, warm it over the hot plate and foment the abdomen.<\/p>\n \u2022 If the sufferer is a child, you can apply a pad of cotton wool or cloth steeped in hot water, in which asafetida has been dissolved. Alternately, one part of turpentine oil and two parts of castor oil can be applied over the abdomen in lukewarm condition. Warmed castor leaves can also be wrapped over the abdomen.<\/p>\n \u2022 Prepare a compound powder by taking equal parts of fried asafoetida (hing), black-salt (souvarcha lavana), cardamom (elaichi), ginger (sonth) and Solanum-xanthocarpum (kantakaari). Take in doses of 3 to 5 grams.<\/p>\n \u2022 Mixture of two parts of celery seeds (ajamoda) and one part of fennel seeds (saunf) and sugar, taken in doses of half to one teaspoonful, helps relieve flatulence.<\/p>\n \u2022 For children, there is an ‘user friendly’ preparation to use. Take fine powders of 5 parts of rutagraveolens (sadaab), 4 parts of celery seeds (ajamoda), 3 parts of mint (pudina), 1 part of saffron, 2 parts of black pepper, and 10 parts of honey. Keep in fresh bottle and use as and when required, in a dose of one to half teaspoonful.<\/p>\n \u2022 The common prescription for flatulence consists of Hingwaashtaka choorna in a dose of one teaspoonful, twice daily, mixed with one teaspoonful of ghee, followed by hot water. Also, taking Kumaari aasava in a dose of 20 ml, twice daily after food with an equal quantity of warm water, improves the condition.<\/p>\n \u2022 Don’t eliminate all the gas producing foods at once. Instead, avoid one food at a time.<\/p>\n \u2022 Dentures should be fitted properly.<\/p>\n \u2022 If you’ve post-nasal discharge, then you should take treatment for the same.<\/p>\n \u2022 Slow down when you eat, avoid gulping food and chew each bite thoroughly. Don’t talk while eating.<\/p>\n \u2022 Avoid drinking through straws or narrow-mouthed bottles. Use a glass or cup instead.<\/p>\n \u2022 Don’t lie down immediately after eating. Sit for a while.<\/p>\n \u2022 Eliminate carbonated beverages from your diets. Remember that beer also contains gas.<\/p>\n \u2022 Cut down on fatty meats.<\/p>\n \u2022 Exercise regularly. Reduce undue mental stress. Yoga is a good option.<\/p>\n \u2022 Don’t use synthetic drugs. Self-medication is dangerous.<\/p>\n \u2022 Be cautious about ‘recycled’ restaurant tea, as it irritates the inner lining of intestines, thereby forming gas.<\/p>\n \u2022 Hingutriguna taila in the dose of 2 teaspoonfuls on empty stomach with warm water, relieves gas and constipation. Ark pudina (liquid) if taken, gives results in minutes. Raj vati, Lasunadi vati are also effective for flatulence.<\/p>\n Foods That Produce Gas<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n \u2022 Beans<\/p>\n \u2022 Nuts (especially groundnuts and cashew-nuts)<\/p>\n \u2022 Pulses (black gram and bengal-gram)<\/p>\n \u2022 Vegetables such as potato, cabbage, onions, garlic, cauliflower, radishes, cucumbers, peas<\/p>\n \u2022 Prunes such as jujube fruit<\/p>\n \u2022 Apples, grapes, bananas<\/p>\n \u2022 Bran and whole grains<\/p>\n \u2022 Dairy products and milk<\/p>\n \u2022 Eggs<\/p>\n \u2022 High fat foods<\/p>\n \u2022 Fried foods<\/p>\n \u2022 Fermented foods such as dosa, dietary fiber and salads<\/p>\n \u2022 Fatty meats<\/p>\n \u2022 Rich pastries<\/p>\n \u2022 Uncooked chutneys<\/p>\n \u2022 Rich sauces, gravies<\/p>\n \u2022 Thick saambaar<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Many a time, intestinal gas is a cause for humor. But for the person who experiences gas in a public place, it is no longer a laughing matter.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-266","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ayurveda"],"yoast_head":"\n