While gas is normal, flatulence, burping, and farting can be annoying and can make you feel painful and uncomfortable. If you experience this problem for a long time, try to find out the trigger foods and then stop eating them. Exercise can also improve digestion, such as taking a leisurely walk after eating which can help reduce gas in the stomach. There are many medicines that can treat gas in the stomach. However, these drugs have different ways of working. So you should be able to choose a medication that is formulated to specifically relieve the symptoms you are experiencing.
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Method 1 of 3: Changing Your Diet
Step 1. Observe the trigger foods
If your stomach is often filled with gas and bloating, keep a record of all the food and drinks you consume. So when you experience symptoms, you can open this log and find out what foods might be triggering them. Try to stop eating these foods and see the benefits.
- For example, you may fart frequently and feel bloated after eating a bowl of ice cream. Reducing or stopping consumption of dairy products may reduce these symptoms.
- The effect of food for each person is different. So, try to find out the cause of the problem you are experiencing. You may find that all types of gas-causing foods can cause problems, or that 1 or 2 foods trigger your symptoms.
Step 2. Stop eating 1 type of food at a time to find out the cause
Foods that cause gas most often contain carbohydrates, fiber, and lactose that are difficult to digest. For that, try to avoid intake of dairy products for 1 week and see if your symptoms improve. If your stomach is still bloated, try to avoid intake of beans, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage.
If you are still experiencing gas in your stomach, try reducing your fiber intake. See if quitting whole grains and husks can help too
Step 3. Avoid foods that contain sorbitol such as candy, chewing gum, and soft drinks
Sorbitol is an artificial sweetener that can cause gas. While sorbitol alone can cause gas, products containing this ingredient often cause or even aggravate gas in the stomach in other ways.
- For example, carbonated drinks can cause gas, and soft drinks containing sorbitol will be even more difficult for the body to digest.
- Swallowing air can also cause flatulence, and you'll swallow more air while chewing gum or sucking on regular candy. The gas in your stomach will increase, especially if you chew or suck candy containing sorbitol.
Step 4. Stay away from nuts, vegetables, and fruits that can cause gas
Nuts and some fruits and vegetables contain carbohydrates that are difficult to digest. So, avoid or reduce consumption of broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, apples, pears, prunes, and plum juice.
- However, fruits and vegetables are important components of a healthy diet. So, don't stop taking them altogether. It's just that, choose the types of fruits and vegetables that are easy to digest such as lettuce, tomatoes, zucchini, avocados, berries, and grapes.
- To make them easier to digest, soak the beans in warm water for at least 1 hour before cooking. Be sure to discard this soaking water and cook the beans in new water.
Step 5. Try to reduce the consumption of fatty foods
Try as much as possible to avoid eating high-fat foods that can slow digestion and cause gas buildup. Examples include fatty red meat cuts, processed meats (such as bacon), and fried foods. Switch to lower-fat, easier-to-digest foods such as poultry, seafood, egg whites, and easy-to-digest fruits and vegetables.
Step 6. Chew food until soft before swallowing
Larger pieces of food are more difficult to digest. So, chew your food until it's soft. In addition, the more you chew, the more saliva you produce. Saliva contains digestive enzymes that break down food debris so that it is easier for the body to digest.
Cut the food into smaller pieces and chew for at least 30 times until it has a mushy paste-like texture
Step 7. Eat and drink slowly
Swallowing food and drinks too quickly will make more air into the digestive tract. Swallowing air is a common cause of gas in the stomach. So try your best to eat and drink slowly.
- Also, try not to talk while eating or open your mouth while chewing food. Swallowed air will be much reduced if you close your mouth while chewing.
- It's also easy to eat too much food if you eat too fast. Make sure to eat enough food, and not too much.
Step 8. Start eating probiotic foods or taking supplements
Probiotics will help improve gut health by maintaining a balance of bacteria in the digestive tract. Try eating probiotic foods or taking supplements daily. Probiotic foods include:
- Yogurt
- Kefir
- Sauerkraut
- Miso soup
- Kimchi
Method 2 of 3: Increase Physical Activity
Step 1. Exercise for 30 minutes every day to improve digestion
Regular exercise gets your blood pumping, trains your core muscles, and improves overall digestive health. Upright aerobic exercise is the best option. So start walking, jogging, running, or cycling every day.
Try to inhale through your nose during exercise even if you are gasping for air. Keep in mind that swallowing water by mouth can cause bloating and cramping
Step 2. Walk for 10-15 minutes after eating
Regular exercise is important, but taking a leisurely walk after a meal can be very helpful. Movement during walking will make food enter the digestive tract smoothly. However, vigorous exercise can make you feel nauseous. So, make sure to take it easy and slow.
Step 3. Reduce the time you lie down
Although your digestive tract can work while you're lying down, gas will pass more easily if you sit up straight and stand up. To prevent and relieve gas in the stomach, avoid lying down after eating. Try as much as possible to only lie down while sleeping.
Sleeping position can also affect the accumulation of gas in the digestive tract. Try sleeping on your left side. This position can facilitate digestion, while reducing stomach acid and helping gas out of the body more easily
Method 3 of 3: Using Drugs
Step 1. Take an antacid to treat burning pain in the upper stomach
If you feel a burning pain in the upper part of your stomach or chest, you may experience a burning sensation in your chest or heartburn. To fix this, try taking an over-the-counter antacid one hour before a meal. Be careful not to take antacids with food.
Use the medicine according to the directions on the package. Talk to your doctor before taking antacids on a regular basis if you have kidney or heart disease, are on a low sodium diet, or are taking other prescription medications
Step 2. Use an antiflatulence medication to treat gas in the stomach
Simethicone is an antiflatulence drug that is sold under various brands such as Alka-Seltzer, Gas-X, and Mylanta. These medications may be best used if you experience bloating or pain in the middle of your stomach. However, this drug has no effect on gas in the intestines and bloating in the lower abdomen.
Take medications containing simethicone 2-4 times a day after meals and at bedtime, or as directed
Step 3. Take enzymatic drugs to treat gas in the intestines or lower stomach
There are several types of enzymatic drugs that can relieve gas in the intestines by helping the digestion of sugar. Drugs that contain the enzyme alfagalactosidase, one of which Beano, can help the body digest nuts, fruits, and vegetables that trigger gas. If your symptoms are caused by dairy products, try taking a lactase-containing medication such as Lactaid.
- Most enzymatic drugs must be mixed with food just before they are eaten. Follow the instructions for use on the product packaging label before using it.
- Heat can damage enzymes. So, mix this remedy only after the food has finished cooking.
Step 4. Take activated charcoal tablets to treat gas in the intestines
The usual dose is 2-4 tablets with a full glass of water about 1 hour before a meal and once again after a meal. Although the effectiveness of its use is not uniform, activated charcoal may be able to help relieve gas in the intestines or bloating in the lower abdomen.
Consult your doctor first before using activated charcoal if you are also taking other medications. Activated charcoal can greatly affect the absorption of drugs by the body
Step 5. Talk about using prescription drugs with your doctor
See a doctor if you can't get rid of this problem with just over-the-counter medications and dietary changes. Tell your symptoms, diet, and bowel patterns. Your doctor may recommend taking a prescription antacid, simethicone, or laxative based on your specific symptoms.
