How to prevent farting and flatulence

Excessive flatulence or farting can become a real problem in your life affecting your working day, your social time and your personal relationships. Passing gas can be uncomfortable, not to mention embarrassing. It is however a fact of life. To put it really simply, people don’t like being around people that fart too much.

IF you don't want to be one of those people anymore, Lets have a look into all of the causes of flatulence and possible remedies for eliminating flatulence and farting from your life.

What is flatulence? The truth behind farting!

Believe it or not, passing gas 14-23 times per day is absolutely normal! Most people who have problems with gas don't actually have excess gas in their intestines, but rather an increased sensitivity to normal amounts of gas. If you're farting more often than 24 times a day (that's not a challenge, guys) or you're having difficulty keeping it from happening at inopportune times, you should take a look at what you're eating and how fast you're eating it. There are two major sources of intestinal gas: swallowed air and gas produced by bacteria in the colon. 

Air swallowing is the major source of gas in the stomach. It's normal to swallow some air while eating, but drinking carbonated beverages, drinking through a straw, chewing gum and eating too quickly can cause you to swallow an excessive amount of air. Most swallowed air is released through burping, but what doesn't come up must go down.

The second cause of gas is the digestive mechanism. During digestion, foods are broken down in the stomach and intestines by harmless bacteria and enzymes. While food is being digested, certain gasses like hydrogen, carbon dioxide and methane are produced. Usually, flatulence is odor less. However, some people do produce gasses that contain sulfur – due to the presence of certain bacteria in the large intestine -- which can cause malodorous farts.  

Why some farts smell so bad?  

Generally flatulence contains odorless gases, such as nitrogen, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and methane. Many times when you fart, there won’t be any smell as your body expels odorless gases. So why do farts smell? Fermented food produces different types of fumes like hydrogen sulfide, which causes the smell. 

So, in certain cases, your farts can be very very smelly. How much malodor is produced depends on the food you eat. Vegetarians might fart as often as meat-eaters, but their "serenades" do not smell as much because vegetables produce less hydrogen sulfide. The more sulfur rich the foods you eat, the more your farts will stink because bacteria will generate sulfides and mercaptans as they break down the nutrients. Beware: even though cauliflower is a vegetable, it also makes you stinky, so watch out!

Foods that make you fart?

Certain high-fiber and carbohydrate containing foods such as cabbage, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, beans, broccoli, onions, pears, apples, peaches, milk and milk products and some whole grains may not break down well in your digestive tract. When they come into contact with the bacteria in your colon they ferment and produce lots of gas. 

There is no particular list of foods that cause gas. While some foods can cause gas in some people, others may not have a problem. So cutting out a particular food or food group would not be advised, since you may be denying yourself essential nutrients.

Preventive steps

1. Eat slowly and chew your food well. Gulping down your food leads to swallowing larger amounts of air, which may leave you feeling bloated later.

2. Smoking and excessive chewing of gum or sweets also cause you to swallow more air than you should be.

3. When you know you are heading for a social gathering or meeting, it is advised that you do not overeat. When the stomach is full, it tries to ease the pressure by releasing trapped gas.

4. An obvious tip -- avoid fizzy drinks

5. Exercise regularly. This is a solution to most minor physical ailments. A regular exercise regime conditions all the organs of the body, keeping them working as they should.

6. Yoga is also a great way to improve the functioning of your digestive system.

7. Changing your diet to reduce foods like beans, cabbage and onions might help. However, before you decide to quit or reduce certain foods, keep track of your diet for a week or two to make sure you've got the right culprit.

8. Avoid sweeteners or health products containing sorbitol, which is used in sugar-free sweets and some medicines.

9. Tea and even red wine is found to help prevent flatulence.

10. Wear clothes that are comfortable and not too tight. This will prevent you from feeling uncomfortable in case of bloating and also allow the free movement of gasses within the body.

Simple Natural remedies to get rid of flatulence

1) Do not forget the basics of eating as this is the most natural and effective way to treat flatulence. Eat slowly and chew the food thoroughly. Do not gulp the food. This is the best way to cure the problem of gas.

2) Fennel tea is an exceptional aid to digestion and of great benefit in the treatment of gastrointestinal problems like bloating, stomach cramps, IBS and excessive flatulence.

3) Activated charcoal capsules come in very handy if you want to prevent bloating and gas buildup in your stomach and intestines, and you should consider taking them if you know that a food is going to cause gas problems.

4) Increase your intake of water. The more your drink, the less you fart. Drinking water flushes out the odor-causing toxins from the body.
 

5) In a cup of warm water, add 1/2 tsp of dry ginger powder with a pinch each of asafetida and rock salt. Drink this mix to get relieved from gas.

6) Take a cup of lukewarm water and add 2 tsp of brandy. Intake this before going to bed.
Soak some ginger slices in lemon juice. Chew this after every meal. This would help cure gas.

7) In a tsp of honey, add a drop of dill oil. Intake this after every meal to help treat flatulence.

8) Grind 1 tsp of pepper, 1 tsp of dry ginger and 1 tsp of green cardamom seeds. Add ½ tsp of this mixture in water and drink it one hour after meal.

9) Peppermint also proves effective in treating flatulence. Not only does it refreshes the breath, but also cures gas.

10) Peppermint tea is also effective in treating flatulence. The other tea includes anise tea, spearmint tea, and caraway tea. Spearmint or peppermint candy would also do the trick.

11) Avoid foods such as beans, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, yeast-containing foods such as breads and cheese. Carbonated drinks also produce gas.

12) Do not drink water after 15 minutes or during meals. It weakens the digestive system.

Drink warm water with lime juice before every meal. This can reduce gas problems.

13) Your bowl movements should be regular. Controlling or delaying a bowel movement is bad.

14) Keep calm and stress free. Tension can cause you to swallow air

15) Exercise regularly

Of course, excessive intestinal gas may also be a sign of a more serious problem. If the above steps don't help, be sure to go and see your doctor.