Flatulence Remedies

Flatulence is as unpleasant as it is embarrassing, which manifests itself with an abnormal accumulation of gas in the gastrointestinal tract. Released under pressure through the anal sphincter, the intestinal gas mixture produces a characteristic noise due to the passage of air through the anal fissure, while the gaseous mixture that characterizes it is responsible for the bad smell perceived by the subject and by those unfortunately next to him.

Flatulence is often the immediate consequence of an incorrect diet, both in terms of food combinations and choice of foods. Often, flatulence is caused by taking drugs and, less often, reflects pathologies such as lactose / fructose intolerance, irritable bowel syndrome, gastritis, celiac colitis.
Flatulence can be accentuated in the presence of stress, depression, nervous tension and dysbiosis (alteration of the bacterial flora). In addition to the excessive synthesis of gas in the gastrointestinal tract, flatulence is usually accompanied by a swollen stomach (bloating), belching and stomach pain.

The material published is intended to allow quick access to advice, suggestions and general remedies that doctors and textbooks usually dispense for the treatment of Flatulence; such indications must in no way substitute the opinion of the attending physician or other health specialists in the sector who are treating the patient. , the only effective remedy to avoid flatulence is to remove all foods containing lactose from the diet

Don't talk with your mouth full

In case of gluten intolerance (celiac disease), following a gluten-free diet is the only food remedy to reduce the symptoms derived from the pathological condition (including flatulence)

Practicing constant physical exercise: sport is a particularly effective remedy both for mood and for relieving flatulence

Maintain a fair intake of fiber and a good level of hydration (drink at least 2 liters of water per day)

Relieve stress. Even if taken for granted, decreasing daily tensions is an excellent remedy for relieving flatulence caused by excessive stress. Let's briefly remember that stress and tensions can also promote or foment flatulence

Wearing cotton underwear rather than synthetic fiber underwear is a decent remedy to avoid enhancing the bad odor resulting from a possible foul-smelling emission of intestinal gas. Deodorants and intimate perfumes can somehow mitigate bad odors. , however, not to abuse, to avoid irritating the genital area, which is already delicate in itself

and "junk" foods

Abusing heteropolysaccharide-based laxatives (fibers): these products (including herbal products) swell in the gastrointestinal tract, favoring flatulence and a swollen belly. For the same reason, it is recommended to limit the intake of foods rich in fiber

Go to bed immediately after the meal

Sedentary lifestyle

Smoking during meals

Chewing gum or sucking on too much candy can promote bloating and flatulence

Consume fried foods regularly

Eating large meals, greedily and voraciously

Wear synthetic clothing

Eat the meal on your feet and quickly

Drink habitually with a straw

away from meals, since these foods favor the fermentation of the foods they are associated with

Pair protein foods with fresh, boiled or steamed vegetables

Fennel: favors the expulsion of gases

Apple: intervenes in the regulation of intestinal fermentation

Blueberry: boasts anti-fermentative properties

Mint: fermentation decreases and a swollen belly

Supplementing the diet with fiber supplementation can promote intestinal peristalsis, reducing flatulence. However, it is recommended to weigh the consumption of fiber: an excess can favor the opposite phenomenon. Natural sources of fiber used as supplements are: agar agar, glucomannan, guar gum, psyllium, pectin and karaya gum

Spices such as oregano, cumin, fennel seeds and turmeric, in addition to flavoring foods, are an excellent dietary remedy to neutralize the synthesis of intestinal gas. Some authors are of the opinion that also the kombu seaweed can reduce flatulence

: chickpeas, lentils, peas, beans, green beans

Carbohydrates particularly rich in non-digestible oligosaccharides (legumes): it is good to weigh the consumption of these foods in case of predisposition to flatulence, since they can promote the disorder by stimulating the proliferation of bacteria present in the colon. Let us briefly remind you that these foods are indigestible and non-absorbable for man, but fermentable at the level of the large intestine by the local microbial flora.

Avoid the consumption of foods that are difficult to digest, such as dips, fries and foods rich in fat

Milk and dairy products: limiting the consumption of milk and derivatives is an excellent remedy to relieve or prevent flatulence and bloating in lactose intolerant subjects

Products containing gluten: celiacs must follow a "specific gluten-free diet (free of foods containing gluten) to avoid not only flatulence, but also all the symptoms of celiac disease

Combine many foods together (e.g. pasta, meat, fish, eggs, sweets and coffee)

Cabbage, Brussels sprouts, radishes, bananas, apricots, plums, onions, aubergines, yeast, carrots

Soft drinks, sweets and foods rich in sugars: by fermenting in the intestine, these foods promote or enhance flatulence

The combinations "Milk + eggs" as well as "legumes + meat" are not recommended in case of predisposition to flatulence

Whipped cream, milkshakes, smoothies, mayonnaise and puff pastry (they contain air, so they can promote flatulence)

Artificial sweeteners (mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol) and diet foods that contain them such as chewingum, jams, and diet juices

Foods rich in fructose: abstaining from the consumption of these foods is a food remedy indicated to eliminate flatulence in patients sensitive / intolerant to fructose

it is particularly effective in counteracting non-pathological flatulence. For this purpose, these natural remedies are extremely useful:

Coal - vegetable, animal, compound and medicated officinalis - is the best known and most effective herbal remedy to counteract non-pathological flatulence. Coal is the only substance capable of adsorbing gases. It boasts extraordinary adsorbing properties, such as to incorporate the excess air swallowed with the power supply.
Carminative plants also help reduce the abdominal swelling that characterizes flatulence. Unlike coal, these drugs exert their therapeutic action against flatulence by eliminating (rather than adsorbing) gases:
- Angelica (Angelica archangelica L) → † "spasmolytic, prokinetic and carminative activities
- Anise (Pimpinella anisum) → carminative, digestive and antimicrobial properties
- Chamomile (Chamomilla recutita) → spasmolytic, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial
- Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) → † "stimulating action on the motility of the stomach and intestine, anti-fermentative activity
- Melissa (Melissa officinalis) → † "relaxing, digestive, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic properties
Glutamine: very important amino acid for the metabolism of enterocytes (the intestinal cells responsible for completing digestive processes and absorbing nutrients)

they are only needed when the disorder has pathological roots. Most of the time, in fact, flatulence simply depends on an inadequate diet. In any case, it is the doctor's task to prescribe, if necessary, medicinal specialties for the treatment of flatulence:

Parasympathetic-mimetic drugs (muscarinic agonists): by promoting peristalsis, these drugs speed up the time for the removal of intestinal gas. For example: Bethanechol (eg. Myocholine)
Antibiotic therapy + supplementation of digestive enzymes: indicated to eliminate flatulence associated with bacterial contamination of the small intestine
Probiotic supplements: useful remedy in case of flatulence associated with meteorism. These drugs favor the establishment and proliferation of symbiont bacterial flora. Always consult your doctor before taking any drug: lactic ferments taken in excessive quantities, for example, could sometimes worsen the bacterial contamination syndrome, thus obtaining an opposite effect to the desired one
Laxative drugs: in case of flatulence associated with constipation they can be a good remedy to "clean up" the intestinal walls of food waste, before undertaking specific treatments to improve the absorption selectivity of the intestinal barrier

accompanying flatulence: this is possible thanks to the intestinal massage constantly exercised by the diaphragm during breathing See other articles tag Simecrin - Simethicone - Meteorism - Flatulence - Swollen belly - Carminative