Did you know that the average person passes gas 14 to 23 times a day? While it’s healthy and normal, it can still be embarrassing. If you’re tired of dealing with bloating and gassiness, we’ve got some simple tips to help you take charge.
Our friendly gut bacteria help digest foods that our bodies struggle with, but they also produce gas during digestion. Some foods that are often linked to gas include:
- Beans and lentils
- Asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and other vegetables
- Fructose found in artichokes, onions, pears, wheat, and some soft drinks
- Lactose found in milk
- Fruits, oat bran, peas, and other foods high in soluble fiber
- Corn, pasta, potatoes, and other starch-rich foods
- Sorbitol, an artificial sweetener
- Whole grains like brown rice, oatmeal, and whole wheat
But you don’t have to completely cut out these foods. “Some people have problems digesting milk. Others don’t,” says Lawrence R. Kosinski, MD, MBA, a spokesman for the American Gastroenterological Association. “And food sensitivities may change with age. Many people develop problems digesting milk products as they get older, for instance.”
Here are two simple steps to help you find out which foods could be the problem:
- Keep a food diary and look back over the foods you’ve eaten when you experience bloating or gas.
- Experiment with the foods you suspect by eating them one by one to see if they give you gas.
To reduce gassiness, try avoiding problem foods. If a healthy food gives you gas, reduce the amount you eat and gradually increase it over time to give your system time to adjust. You can also try supplements containing digestive enzymes to help break down hard-to-digest foods.
Swallowing too much air can also cause bloating and gas. Chewing gum, drinking carbonated sodas, eating too quickly, smoking, and wearing loose dentures can all make you swallow more air than you need.
Stress can also cause you to swallow air, leading to bloating and gas. Remember, it’s one thing we all do, but there are ways to help manage it. For more tips and information, check out the full article here.
