Stop Gas and Bloating with These Eight Natural Cures

Plagued by embarrassing gas and painful bloating? Not only what you eat contributes to the problem, but how you eat can increase or decrease the amount of air buildup in your digestive system. Try these eight natural cures to put an end to embarrassing gas and painful bloating.

Chew Slowly

Chew each bite of food slowly and thoroughly. As food is being chewed, saliva is released in the mouth to start breaking down the food. The longer the food is chewed, the more salvia it receives, the faster the food is broken down and the faster it passes through the digestive system. Faster passing equals less gas production.

Sweeten with Sugar

Artificial sweeteners double the amount of gas your body produces. When possible, skip the artificial sweeteners, specifically those containing sorbitol and xylitol, and sweeten coffee and tea with sugar, honey or other natural sweetener to prevent gas and bloating.

Skip Chewing Gum

Chewing gum sweetened with artificial sweeteners pack double gas-filled punch. The act of chewing gum causes you to swallow air, which causes gas and bloating, plus sugar-free gum is the best choice for dental health, but the artificial sweeteners used in sugar-free gum significantly increase gas production in the digestive system.

Take a Walk After Eating

Regular exercise speeds the passage of gas through the digestive system. A short, en minute walk after eating will help prevent the buildup of painful gas.

Avoid Whipped Foods

Avoid foods that have air incorporated into them to make them light, airy and/or bubbly. Whipped foods like whipped cream and soufflés, airy textured foods like cheese puff snacks and bubbly sodas all contain air. Eat the foods or drink the beverages and that air goes straight into your digestive system causing belching, bloating, flatulence and pain.

Other Gas Producing Foods

High fiber foods are good for your overall health, but if gas is a severe problem, avoiding high fiber foods will help eliminate gassiness. Beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, apples, cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant, onions, raisins and prunes.

Artichoke Cure for Gas

Your liver produces bile to aid in digestion, artichokes increase the production of bile which in turn speeds in digestion and lessens gas. Artichoke leaf extract taken daily reduces gas and bloat. Take 500 - 1,000 mgs daily of this natural supplement.

OTC Gas Remedies

Beano is probably the most familiar brand of OTC gas remedies. It reduces gas by metabolizing the gas producing sugar in beans and other complex carbohydrates.

Lactaid and Lactrase process the sugar is dairy products to help prevent gas and bloating.