Excessive flatulence – causes and remedies

Excessive flatulence – causes and remedies

by Sanjay B

Excessive flatulence and burping is a disorder which is typically a characteristic reaction to unhygienically cooked food. What happens when there is cause for excessive flatulence is that most of the bodily functions are affected and disturbed due to accumulation of gas. This gas is most often produced due to putrefaction of food that is ingested.

Most people turn a blind eye to early symptoms of flatulence. Little do they realize that excessive gas formation in the body can crowd, distend and dislodge internal organs from their original position, thereby causing diseases, disorder and acute misery.

A host of symptoms can be triggered off by excessive flatulence ranging from a mild headache, circulation problems, cramps, sluggishness of the mind, dullness of perception and of course, acute indigestion, aches and pains. Excessive flatulence if disregarded can undermine health; result in loss of memory vertigo, eye troubles, depressive symptoms, paralysis and so on. Flatulence can trigger off palpitations of the heart too. Sharp stabbing pains though the heart can shut off breath for a few seconds, causing patients to believe that death is round the corner.

If not looked into and treated, excessive flatulence can cause a diseased condition of the heart. Strain on the heart due to repeated congestion of blood vessels lowers its vitality and changes the steady rhythm of the heart beat. Fainting fits can occur due to the sudden congestion brought about by gas crowding around the heart, drawing blood from the brain. If this blood circulation to the brain gets deprived constantly due to excessive flatulence, it can result in acute deprivation of nourishment to the scalp and hair starts falling out in tufts.

Flatulence natural remedies and curesCauses of flatulence

Food has to be properly chewed or masticated before it is swallowed. Otherwise, gas formation can occur. Cooked foods do cause flatulence or gas formation since they are both demineralised and devitalized; the body cannot absorb or eliminate them properly due to these reasons. As a result, undigested and fermented food remains in the bowels for a long time, leading to putrefaction. They harden, dry out and when more food is ingested, new accumulations are added to this fermented mess. Naturally, gas is produced out of these decomposed deposits in the bowels.

Raw vegetables and uncooked food do not cause so much damage but yet, even these have to be properly masticated before swallowing. The stomach cannot digest unmasticated lumps of food. And hence they lie, get decomposed and ferment causing flatulence, discomfort and even intense pain. Raw foods have to be thoroughly chewed to a creamy consistency with the teeth before swallowing. Otherwise they have the capacity to cause digestive disturbances due to their highly nutritious properties. Thorough chewing of food causes the stimulation of salivary glands and may in turn secrete salivary juices. Mashing of food with salivary juices is absolutely necessary for perfect digestion and assimilation of food into the body.

Excessive flatulence is not to be taken too lightly since this can get distributed through out the body, paralyzing nerve centers and even actually affecting the respiratory organs. Most often we find people complaining of a bloated stomach after a hearty meal. But they do suffer hunger pangs after just two hours of having partaken of a good meal. This is due to the deficiency of nutritive content in food and also due to improper mastication. Yet again, the stomach is unable to properly grind down the food ingested to a proper consistency quite able to facilitate assimilation and the nerves start clamoring for more food.

How to avoid Excessive flatulence

A stomach that is either bloated or one that is under nourished, become tender and sensitive to touch and the nerves too are disturbed. To avoid excessive flatulence, make sure that you avoid partaking of over cooked foods since they ferment fast causing flatulence. Avoid drinking liquids during meals. When you do so, the food becomes drenched and soggy and this triggers off immediate fermentation of food. Avoid taking too much white breads, potatoes, beans and rice. They contain starches which trigger off fermentation and produce gas.

Remember to clean out your bowels often. Exercise regularly. Take in deep breaths and exhale and while doing so, massage the abdominal area to work the gas down. Make it a habit to fast at least once a month. This rids the system of poisonous accumulation. After fasting, follow through with a diet of fruit juices and copious amounts of water to wash out your system. After this, follow through with a diet of raw foods. But make sure to chew your food thoroughly.

Instead of large meals, opt for frequent small meals and that too in smaller quantities.  Eat only when you are hungry. If a sudden pang of acute gastric pain assails you, drink a glass of hot water. Keep sipping in small quantities. After about five minutes, follow through with another glass of hot water. Drink slowly since the hot water helps to alleviate congestion which produces intense pain, and causes it to move about in the abdominal area.

Starting with the appendix, massage the abdomen slowly in a rotary movement pressing into the flesh deep enough to move the organs. If acute discomfort persists, remain in bed. Lie on your left side with the right knee drawn up. This helps to open up the sigmoid flexure, a curve of the lower bowel and allows the gas to be expelled. Apply hot water bottles to the abdomen. As soon as a little relief is experienced, clean out the bowels with an enema. Follow through with doses of mineral oil.

Make it a point to avoid controlling or delaying bowel movement. Avoid lying down immediately after a meal since gas from the stomach passes more easily into the intestine in this posture.

Remedies

Flatulence is a common problem and affects everyone at some point of time. Here are some easy to use home remedies to cure excessive flatulence. Herbal teas like mint, sage or anise tea help to cure flatulence and do aid digestion. Lactose intolerance is a very common cause for excessive flatulence. So drink milk with caution. Never use artificial sweeteners since they can cause more harm than good. And have been known to cause flatulence. Never partake of food while reclining on a couch. Lying down while eating can cause bends in the digestive tract that make it difficult for gas to move upward. Regularly practice Apan Vayu Mudra. It helps in relieving acidity, gas formation, eructation, belching, and strengthens the digestive system. My personal experience of doing this Mudra is very positive. I can guarantee you, just do this mudra for 10 minutes and you will relieve from all the gas in your stomach. Also by doing this mudra while sitting on commode, you will clear your bowel almost 100%. Also practicing Pawanamuktasana helps releasing the gases. Pressure on the abdomen while doing this yoga asana (pose) releases any trapped gases in the large intestine. (The name of the pose itself means releasing gas.)

To avoid excessive flatulence, make sure to eat slowly and do chew each morsel of food. Never drastically increase the intake of fiber in the diet. These foods cause flatulence and it would be prudent to limit their intake- beans, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli and peas. Reduce your intake of milk if you have lactose intolerance.

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