How to Reduce Excess Gas

Although it can be annoying and embarrassing, excess gas usually doesn't indicate a serious medical condition.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Japanese Kombu
• Activated Charcoal
• Lactose Supplement

1. Slow down when you eat. The more slowly you eat, the less air you will swallow along with your food.
2. Watch your intake of gas-producing foods such as beans, cabbage, onions, brussels sprouts, wheat and wheat bran.
3. Keep a list of your food intake and note when you have gas. If you notice that gas and certain foods seem to go together, cut down on or eliminate those foods from your diet.
4. Find out if you are lactose intolerant. If you are, milk and dairy products can cause gas as well as general stomach discomfort.
5. Take supplements to aid in lactose digestion if you are lactose intolerant but want to eat dairy products.
6. Introduce high-fiber foods into your diet gradually. A sudden change from a low-fiber diet to a high-fiber diet can cause excess gas.
7. Reduce your consumption of high-fat foods.
8. Avoid or cut down on the use of sugar substitutes. People can't absorb them, which can cause gas.
9. Talk to your pharmacist about using Beano food enzyme, an over-the-counter product that breaks down the sugars in beans that cause gas.
10. Add Japanese kombu, a sea vegetable, to the water when you cook beans to make them more digestible and neutralize their gas-producing effect. Some cooks also use the Mexican herb epazote for this purpose.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are lactose intolerant, consider buying lactose-free milk.
• This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.