gas prob

March 15, 2008

Actually the more you eat them, the more your body gets used to it and produces

less. All folks get gas from food, especially the cabbage and beans family of

veggies, but we still need to eat them. Try some beano or gas-X. Don't stop

eating foods that your body really needs.

Intestinal gas is a normal byproduct of digestion. Producing intestinal gas is a

sign your digestive system is working properly.

Everyone's familiar with the consequences of excess intestinal gas - flatulence,

burping, bloating and, sometimes, social embarrassment. Although intestinal gas

is perfectly normal, it can be bothersome. Modifying your diet or taking certain

medications may help prevent or reduce intestinal gas.

What is intestinal gas?

More than 99 percent of intestinal gas is a mixture of the same odorless gases

that are present throughout the environment. These include nitrogen, oxygen,

carbon dioxide, hydrogen and sometimes methane. But the exact composition of

this mixture varies from person to person, depending on body chemistry and diet.

The nitrogen, oxygen and most of the carbon dioxide in intestinal gas come from

the air you swallow when you eat, drink, chew gum or smoke. Chemical reactions

in your stomach also produce some of the carbon dioxide content of gas.

Bacteria normally present in the large intestine produce the hydrogen and

methane in gas. These bacteria feed on undigested food and release gases during

a process called fermentation.

Which foods cause intestinal gas?

Carbonated beverages may cause gas. So can carbohydrates because they often

contain indigestible sugars, starches and fiber. For example:

a.. Lactose. Milk and milk products such as cheese and ice cream, as well as

some processed breads, cereals and salad dressings, contain the sugar lactose.

While most people can digest lactose with no difficulty, some have trouble

because they don't produce any or enough of the enzyme lactase, which splits

lactose into digestible parts. Without lactase, milk and other lactose-rich

foods ferment in the intestine, releasing excessive gas. People of African,

Asian and American Indian descent are most likely to be deficient in lactase.

b.. Fructose. Onions, artichokes, pears, wheat, and some soft drinks and

processed foods contain this sugar, which may be difficult to digest.

c.. Sorbitol. Apples, pears, peaches, prunes, and some sugar-free foods,

candies and chewing gum contain the sugar alcohol sorbitol, another compound

that's hard to digest.

d.. Raffinose. This sugar is found in beans, cabbage, brussels sprouts,

broccoli, asparagus and whole grains.

Rice is the only starch absorbed almost completely by the small intestine.

Because rice starch never reaches the large intestine, gas-producing bacteria

don't break this starch down. But other starches, including potatoes, corn,

noodles and wheat, are gas producers. Dietary fiber, found in beans and wheat

bran, also tends to produce gas. When research subjects ate a diet in which half

of their calories came from pork and beans, they experienced a tenfold increase

in their normal gas production.

Do some people have more gas than others?

Yes. The average adult produces one to four pints of intestinal gas a day and

passes gas 14 to 23 times a day. Vegetarians, gum-chewers, people who eat or

drink quickly, and smokers tend to produce more than the average amount of

intestinal gas, as do people who eat lots of gas-producing foods.

What can you do to reduce intestinal gas?

The most common ways to reduce intestinal gas are to change your diet, avoid

swallowing air and take over-the-counter (OTC) medications.

Change your diet

If you're deficient in lactase, the enzyme needed to digest milk, your doctor

may suggest that you eliminate dairy products from your diet and get the calcium

you need from calcium supplements or consume milk products with added lactase,

which allows for digestion of lactose or milk sugar. Otherwise, there's probably

no need for you to stop eating entire classes of food. Instead, try cutting out

or reducing your intake of a few gas-producing foods for a week or two. If your

symptoms improve, your problem is solved.

Swallow less air

To swallow less air - which makes its way to your intestine - don't suck on hard

candy or chew gum, and steer clear of carbonated beverages. Avoid drinking

through a straw because this causes you to swallow more air. Of all the reasons

you shouldn't smoke, the fact that you swallow air and get gas from smoking is

among the least compelling. Still, quitting smoking may be beneficial if you're

troubled by gas.

Take OTC gas-reducing medication

Products that contain antacids and simethicone, a foaming agent that pulls gas

bubbles together (Mylanta, Di-Gel, others), have no effect on intestinal gas.

They may, however, help you belch away excess stomach gas. Anti-gas medications

containing activated charcoal (Nature's Way Activated Charcoal, CharcoCaps,

others) work well for gas and upset stomachs .

The digestive enzyme lactase (Lactaid and Lactrase) may relieve excess gas

caused by dairy products. Another digestive enzyme, alpha-galactosidase (Beano),

may reduce the gas caused by beans and other carbohydrates containing the sugar

raffinose.

When should you see a doctor because of intestinal gas?

By itself, intestinal gas is rarely a sign or symptom of a serious condition.

But you see your doctor if your gas is persistent or severe, or if it's

associated with vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, unintentional weight loss,

blood in the stool or heartburn. Excessive gas may be a sign of another

digestive disorder such as celiac disease, gastritis, gastroesophageal reflux

disease (GERD) or irritable bowel syndrome.

You swallow air every time you eat or drink. You may even unknowingly swallow

air when you're nervous, eat too fast, chew gum or drink through a straw. Some

of that air finds its way into your lower digestive tract. But most lower

intestinal gas is produced when bacteria in your colon ferment carbohydrates

that aren't digested in your small intestine.

Unfortunately, healthy foods - such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and

legumes (beans and peas) - are often the worst offenders. That's because these

foods are high in fiber. Fiber has many health benefits, including keeping your

digestive tract in good working order and regulating blood sugar and cholesterol

levels. But fiber can also lead to the formation of gas. Fiber supplements

containing psyllium, such as Metamucil, may cause such problems, especially if

added to your diet too quickly. Carbonated beverages, such as soda and beer,

also are important causes of gas.

Other causes of excess gas include:

a.. Another health condition. Excess gas may be one of several signs and

symptoms of a more serious chronic condition. Examples include diverticulitis or

an inflammatory bowel disease, such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease.

b.. Antibiotics. In some cases of excess gas, antibiotic use may be a factor

because antibiotics disrupt the normal bacterial flora in your bowel.

c.. Laxatives. Excessive use of laxatives or constipating drugs also may

contribute to the problems with excess gas.

d.. Constipation. Constipation may make it difficult to pass gas, leading to

bloating and discomfort.

e.. Food intolerances. If your gas and bloating occur mainly after eating

dairy products, it may be because your body isn't able to break down the sugar

(lactose) in dairy foods. Many people aren't able to process lactose efficiently

after age 6, and even infants are sometimes lactose intolerant. Other food

intolerances, especially to gluten - a protein found in wheat and some other

grains - also can result in excess gas, diarrhea and even weight loss.

f.. Artificial additives. It's also possible that your system can't tolerate

the artificial sweeteners sorbitol and mannitol found in some sugar-free foods,

gums and candies. Many healthy people develop gas and diarrhea when they consume

these sweeteners.

Anything that causes intestinal gas or is associated with constipation or

diarrhea can lead to gas pains. These pains generally occur when gas builds up

in your intestines and you're not able to expel it. Gas pains are usually

intense but brief. Once the gas is gone, your pain often disappears too. The gas

you pass is a combination of oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, carbon dioxide and

methane.

Intestinal gas can cause discomfort and embarrassment, but it's usually just a

sign of a normally functioning digestive system.

Judy

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jeannieh h

Saturday, March 15, 2008 12:14 AM

Re: gas prob with......Re: SOY beans

I love anything " soy " . My only problem is that soy products give me gas.

Does anyone else have this problem??

What can you do to avoid this??

jeannie

Liudwih Frankiscdohtar <liudwih wrote: Our 6 yo son adores roasted

soy " nuts " . We pack them in his lunch several

times a week.

Liudwih

Visit my food blog: www.everydayvegetarian.net

---

March 15, 2008

I appreciate the effort you put into your post, and the education I got from

it.

This is why I am so happy to have found this group.

wwjd <jtwigg wrote: Actually the more you eat them, the more

your body gets used to it and produces less. All folks get gas from food,

especially the cabbage and beans family of veggies, but we still need to eat

them. Try some beano or gas-X. Don't stop eating foods that your body really

needs.