That frustrating, bloated feeling of trapped gas in your gut is never fun. And the need for quick gas relief never seems to come when you’re alone. Instead, it happens in crowded elevators, during work meetings, or at some other inappropriate time, making it as embarrassing as it is uncomfortable.
When you get the urge, you want to know how to get rid of gas as fast (and quietly) as possible. These are a few tips that could help you find relief, so you can get on with your normal activities.
Why Does it Happen?
When there’s a disturbance affecting the muscles in your digestive tract, you’ll typically experience gas pain. You may feel that you continually need to pass gas, especially after you eat a meal. Symptoms may vary in intensity, worsening as the day goes on, until they subside a bit at night.1
Trapped gas can also make you feel like you’ve just eaten a huge meal, even when you haven’t.
It’s a common problem, affecting as much as 19 percent of people in the U.S.2
Now, there are plenty of ways to find gas relief. These include dietary changes, home remedies for gas, and other methods. Here are some of the ways to finally get rid of that gas pain for good.
Probiotics for Gas Relief
Probiotics offer many potential health benefits, and one of them could be gas relief.
You see, probiotics are “good” bacteria that help reinforce the beneficial microbes that are already in your gut. Now, there are trillions of microbes in your gut. Many of them can harm you, but many others help you.
When there are too many harmful microbes in your gut, you’re at a higher risk for several kinds of digestive issues. Probiotics are meant to help make sure you have enough good microbes to balance out the bad ones.3
As far as gas relief is concerned, studies show that certain types of probiotics can help reduce excessive gas production in people with digestive issues.4
Look at Your Diet
When it comes to how to get rid of gas, one of the main culprits could be some of the foods you’re eating. Certain foods, especially those that are high in fiber, can create a lot of gas in your digestive tract. Foods that could cause excess gas include:
Oats
- Certain fruit (apples, oranges, grapefruit, and prunes)
- Beans
- Beets
- Carrots5
One thing you can do is to keep a diary of the foods you eat. That way, you’ll be able to identify which ones are causing your problems. Don’t make any sudden dietary changes, however, without talking to your doctor first.
Take it Slow
You might also want to look at how you eat in addition to what you eat. For example, eating too quickly could contribute to gas pain. Try to eat smaller portions, or putting down your fork between bites, if you tend to feel uncomfortable after eating a big meal.
One of the best home remedies for gas relief is simply doing a better job of chewing your food. This will help cut down on the amount of air that you’re swallowing, and it could also make you eat more slowly and mindfully.6
Try Peppermint Oil
One method of natural gas relief that may help you is peppermint oil. Research shows this substance helps to reduce muscle spasms in the digestive tract.7 This, in turn, could help reduce gas.
Several studies have shown peppermint oil capsules helps reduce bloating in people with serious digestive problems.8
Cut Back on FODMAPs
FODMAPs (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols) are molecules that your body can’t digest. They can often cause problems such as trapped gas in people with digestive issues.9 And research shows that people with these problems saw a reduction in gas-related discomfort after they changed to a low-FODMAP diet.10
Foods high in FODMAPs include the following:
- Garlic
- Cauliflower
- Apples
- Pears
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Beans11
Do You Have a Food Intolerance?
Now, some people experience discomfort from trapped gas because their bodies have a hard time tolerating certain foods. Fructose, for example, is a type of sugar that can often cause problems such as bloating.12
For those dealing with gas discomfort, consider using a Morning Complete promo code to try this daily blend designed to support digestive health.
Gluten is often times another source of issues. This is a protein found in many grains, such as barley and wheat.13
Constipated? That Could Also Lead to Trapped Gas
If you’re constipated and you have gas pain, that’s a double whammy that can be extremely hard to deal with. Constipation often makes discomfort worse, leaving you with the feeling that you need to pass gas all of the time.14
Consider increasing your fiber intake in order to relieve constipation. But if you already have trapped gas in your system, avoid high-fiber foods. That could increase your discomfort.
Thankfully, there are other ways to deal with the issue. For example, you could try to drink more water or get more exercise. Research shows that both methods are often effective in reducing constipation.15,16
Stay Away From Sugar Alcohols
There are several ingredients commonly found in foods that are known as sugar alcohols. These include xylitol, mannitol, sorbitol, and others. They typically come from fruits and are often used as sugar substitutes.17
For some people, consuming large amounts of sugar alcohols can lead to an increase in gas as the bacteria in your intestines digest the alcohols.18
Finding Gas Relief
If you’re wondering how to get rid of gas for good, you should talk with your doctor. They can help determine the reason for your problem and come up with a plan to address it.
If you experience trapped gas on a regular basis, you may have some sort of underlying health issue. This is especially the case if your gas is so bad that it starts to interfere with your everyday life.
Talking to your doctor will help you determine with the best way to address the issue, so you can get back to being as healthy and happy as possible.
Learn More:
A Healthy 2019: New Year, New Plant-Based Diet!
Can You Get Enough Vitamin K on a Healthy Vegan Diet?
How Digestion Works & Can You Improve Your Digestive System?
Sources
1.https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1365-2036.2007.03549.x
2.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2581929/
3.https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/drugs/14598-probiotics
4.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10811333
5.https://www.gicare.com/gi-health-resources/colon-gas-flatus-prevention/
6.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21775556
7.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9672344
8.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24100754/
9.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20659225
10.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21615553
11.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3966170/
12.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18223504
13.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21224837
14.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19491831/
15.https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/conditions/digestive_disorders/constipation_85,P00363,
16.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00365520510011641
17.https://www.joslin.org/info/what_are_sugar_alcohols.html
18.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6847853