Avoiding Gas

When someone reports GAS, we need to first read the person’s mind; what exactly are you referring to? Do you mean:

  • Distracting burping (eructation of air)?
  • A sense of bloating?
  • Are you passing wind?
  • Is your stomach making painless noises of digestion?

Each may need to be addressed in a different way, and all are not the same. On this page we are dealing with the situation where you feel you are passing excess air from your bottom.

In these Covid times, when everyone is wearing a mask, there could be a difficulty in normal nasal respiration. We may be unaware we are breathing through the mouth, thus there is a tendency to swallow air. 

Mouth breathing is common in persons with respiratory conditions and allergies, asthmatics as well.

Smokers who stop have reported a sudden relief from passing wind; they were ingesting some air while inhaling.

Drinking water without bringing the glass / bottle to the lips risks you from swallowing air with every gulp. So too, if you prefer your hot beverages (tea, coffee) piping hot – you tend to sip it slow.

Chewing gum (and paan, gutkha, khaini, etc) risks swallowing air inadvertently.

Poorly fitting dentures and speaking during eating prevents you from your socially conscious habit of keeping your lips closed during chewing and eating. 

Fermentation of food is the only other way air is introduced into the gut. 

A high fiber diet is always a healthy thing, but fiber could be used as food for the gut bacteria, which then create ‘wind’. Thus, it is a by-product of a good thing. You could check, if by omitting salads, sprouts, sauté and shallow cooked vegetables and beans; your symptoms suddenly seem to be under control. 

Large quantities of fruit juices introduce an overwhelming amount of fructose to the gut; which it may not have the means to digest – thus will ferment and form gas. 

Odor to flatus (and sweat) is due to sulphur in the food. Fish, egg yellow, cauliflower, cabbage, masalas & Indian spices, onion, garlic and ginger are some examples of sulphur containing foods in our meals.