How do i prevent flatulence

This can make the need to control its passing more challenging. If your intestines are sluggish, moving food through your gut too slowly slow motility , excess gas can collect. The longer food sits in your system, the more gas-producing bacteria build up , causing abdominal discomfort. You also produce more gas as you age due to slowing down of your metabolism and slowing down of the movement of food through the colon. Yes, even the intestinal tract naturally slows down over time. Excess gas buildup is also likely more of a problem if you have medical conditions such as diabetes , scleroderma, thyroid dysfunction, small bowel bacterial overgrowth, irritable bowel syndrome, diverticulosis, or if you have a sedentary lifestyle, Dr.

Lee says. Ultimately, Dr. Certain carbohydrates are common culprits, including those with fructose, lactose, insoluble fiber, and starch. These carbs are fermented in the large intestine and have a history of causing digestive problems.

Many people with irritable bowel syndrome IBS experiment with a low-FODMAP diet fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols , which avoids fermentable sugars. However, many of these gas-producing foods are an essential part of a healthy diet.

Food intolerances are different than food allergies. Instead of an allergic response, food intolerances cause digestive upset like diarrhea, gas, bloating, and nausea. A common food intolerance is lactose intolerance. Lactose is found in all dairy products. An elimination diet can help you narrow in on the cause of your excess gas. Try eliminating all dairy products from your diet.

Then, slowly begin to add foods back in one at a time. Keep detailed records of your meals and any symptoms that arise. Gluten is found in all wheat products, like bread and pasta. Being gluten-free will affect the accuracy of any testing that needs to be done to evaluate for celiac disease, so wait until you hear back from your doctor before removing gluten from your diet. The air bubbles found in carbonated beverages are notorious for their ability to produce burps.

But some of this air will also make its way through your digestive tract and exit your body through the rectum. Try replacing carbonated beverages with water, tea, wine, or sugar-free juice. Beano is an over-the-counter OTC medication containing a digestive enzyme called a-galactosidase. It helps breakdown complex carbohydrates. It allows these complex carbs to be broken down in the small intestine, rather than moving into the large intestine to be broken down by gas-producing bacteria.

A study from found that a-galactosidase significantly reduces the severity of flatulence after a bean-filled meal. Lactaid contains an enzyme called lactase that helps people with lactose intolerance digest dairy products. It should also be taken prior to eating. Certain dairy products are also available with reduced lactose. Shop for Beano and Lactaid. Your digestive tract is full of healthy bacteria that helps you break down food. Certain healthy bacteria can actually break down the hydrogen gas that other bacteria produce during digestion.

Probiotics are dietary supplements containing these good bacteria. Many people take them to reduce symptoms of digestive upset or to treat chronic conditions like IBS. Shop for probiotics. Every time you take a drag from a cigarette, cigar, or e-cig, you swallow air.

Smoking frequently can add a lot of extra air to your body. A person cannot completely avoid swallowing air, but certain habits can cause excess air to enter the body. Eating too quickly is one of them. Eating slowly with the mouth closed will reduce the amount of air a person swallows at mealtimes. People should try to sit down and take time over food rather than eating on the go. Many people chew gum to keep their breath fresh and to help avoid snacking.

However, those that do may find they have more gas than others. Chewing gum means continually swallowing air, which builds up and increases the number of times a person needs to fart.

Different people may be sensitive to different foods and may have allergies that bring about a reaction in the body. These can lead to gas and other unpleasant symptoms, such as bloating, nausea, and diarrhea. A person with excessive gas may find that an elimination diet helps. An elimination diet is where a person would cut out all of the known gas-causing foods before introducing them back in, one at a time, to find out which ones cause the problems.

Loose clothing helps to ensure a person remains as comfortable as possible should bloating occur. Wearing clothes that are not too tight also helps when gas does occur, allowing it to pass freely out of the body. Some foods are known to increase gas production. Carbohydrates that contain fructose, lactose, insoluble fiber, and starch ferment in the large intestine.

Gas releases as they ferment. Cutting these foods out entirely, however, is not recommended, as they are an essential part of a healthful, balanced diet. Fruit and vegetables can often cause gas, but eating several portions of fruit and vegetables a day is more important than eliminating gas. People who smoke swallow more air than those who do not.

The more frequently a person smokes, the more air they swallow. There are, of course, lots of other health benefits to giving up smoking, too. People who use e-cigarettes also swallow more air than people who do not, so avoiding e-cigarettes could also help when a person has excess gas. Regular exercise helps keep the digestive system in good shape. A gentle walk after large meals can also help kick the digestive system into action and move the food along smoothly.

This helps keep their stools soft, and so drinking enough through the day is essential. Also, a lack of fluid may cause constipation , which can result in smelly wind. People should try to drink a glass of water with every meal to help the body digest foods more easily. Carbonated beverages contain air bubbles, and a person who drinks a lot of carbonated beverages may find they burp and fart more than others.

When someone reduces or removes these types of drinks from their diet, it may help cut the amount of gas they have. These good bacteria help to break down food, and can even work to break down the hydrogen gas that is produced during digestion. Occasionally, probiotics may cause an increase in gas and bloating. This is usually short-lived , and it will probably lessen when the body gets used to the new bacteria. Many probiotic supplements are available online.

Research suggests that enzyme supplements can aid the breakdown of proteins and complex carbohydrates.