There are many causes for flatulence, such
as overeating, eating too quickly, excessive consumption of refined
carbohydrates or artificial sweeteners, food allergies and intolerance, a
deficiency of vitamin B, excessive consumption of alcohol, emotional stress and
parasites. One of the most common causes can be lactose, found in dairy
products such as milk and cheese. Many other healthy foods can also cause gas, such
as cabbage, beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, onions, cauliflower, whole wheat
flour, radishes, bananas and apricots. Luckily, with some adjustments in
our food choices and eating habits, the chances of this embarrassing malady can
be greatly lessened or eliminated.
Do not overeat, and chew food slowly. Try
to identify if it is a certain food causing the problem and eliminate it from
your diet. Try chewing a sprig of parsley after meals. Try lemon juice or apple
cider vinegar in water with your meal. You might also want to try sipping your
drinks slowly through a straw in an effort to minimize the amount of air you
take in during drinking.
Vitamin B complex, especially B3 (niacin)
rich foods like light-meat chicken, tuna, salmon, turkey, enriched flour,
peanuts, and fortified cereals can be helpful as they aid in the digestive
process and in converting food to energy.
Yogurts that have acidophilus and peppermint
oil in water sipped with the meal can also help with the digestive process. If the problem persists, you may want to try
and eat proteins and carbohydrates in different meals.
In addition, peppermint and fennel-based
teas are useful for occasional indigestion, particularly when there is
flatulence and a sensation of fullness. Ginger has been shown to promote the
flow of digestive juices, a normal process that supports the digestive system.
