Embarrassing question: Gas
It's very embarrassing for me, but I'm having a lot of problems with bloating and gas. It's hard during school for obvious reasons. I've actually had problems like this on and off for over a year, but it seems a little extra bad right now (I don't think I've changed anything in my diet). I've started taking probiotics and simethicone to help and I'm going to try eliminating all soy and whole grains from my diet to see if that helps too. I'm thinking that maybe I'm eating too much fiber? But that seems hard to believe. I'm also going to try eating flax seeds only a couple of times a week rather than everyday. I've also started drinking peppermint tea which helps a little bit. Any other suggestions? I really want to get rid of this problem as soon as possible. I know I'll always have some gas because that's natural, but it's been way too much constantly and it's very stressful and painful.
Re: Embarrassing question: Gas
Re: Embarrassing question: Gas
Quote:
Pascale
I'm also going to try eating flax seeds only a couple of times a week rather than everyday.
Give up the flax seeds. The worst gas I have ever had was after eating flax seeds. If you are really concerned about ALA, look for another source or take a supplement. The flax seeds are not worth it.
Re: Embarrassing question: Gas
It could be too much fibre, or too much of one particular kind of fibre - I think more people have trouble with the "insoluble" kind, including wheat bran (my personal bete noire!). You may need to experiment with temporarily eliminating or reducing different foods to find the cause.
If it's bad you might want to see a doc to help you find out what's causing it.
Re: Embarrassing question: Gas
Most people I know fart. We think farting is normal.
It is not normal to suffer pain and bloating though!
Always make sure your dry beans are soaked at least 24 hours before cooking and then cook them until they are very soft.
Never eat rice which has not been cooked long enough.
Always throw hummus away after max 3 days, it ferments and causes severe discomfort if it is starting to ferment.
Also cabbage type veg must be very fresh, if they are going off a bit they will give you too much flatulence.
Keep a food diary and see what gives you the pain and bloating.
The pain and bloating could be IBS. If it does not respond to your efforts to find trigger foods, chat to your doc.
A song I recall from childhood (1960s)
proves farting is normal:
Beans, beans they good for y' heart,
the more you eat the more y' fart,
the 'more y' fart the better y' feel,
so eat y' beans at every meal.
Doe anyone know the origins of this song? Is it an advertising jingle?
Re: Embarrassing question: Gas
It's a misconception, unfortunately, that peppermint tea is good for digestion - indeed it's known to make these things worse. Peppermint tea is good for you brain though and increases mental alertness.
What is good for the belly, in terms of tea, is either camomile or ginger tea.
Another thing that's helped me when I've eaten something my belly doesn't like is to eat, raw, a handful of fresh parsley. Doesn't taste great but I find it helps almost immediately.
Re: Embarrassing question: Gas
interesting dreamqueen i fin peppermint helps and fennel tea also :)
Re: Embarrassing question: Gas
I know peppermint is to be avoided if you have heartburn, but a lot of people seem to find it calms intestinal problems. Agreed - fennel's good too.
Re: Embarrassing question: Gas
What's fennel tea taste like though? I've tried roasted fennel before and didn't like it at all.
Re: Embarrassing question: Gas
I've never had fennel tea either, but I like most teas so I'd like to give it a try.
As for peppermint, it is known to help with gas. I used to take gas pills until I looked at the ingredients and found "peppermint extract" right at the top. Now I just forget the pills and drink the tea instead.
Re: Embarrassing question: Gas
Quote:
Roxy
What's fennel tea taste like though? I've tried roasted fennel before and didn't like it at all.
It does have a bit of an aniseed-y flavour (which on the whole I'm not a fan of either) but it's quite mild, depending on how long you leave the teabag in of course :D Some people also chew fennel seeds, but you might not like that.
Re: Embarrassing question: Gas
Quote:
Yoggy
I've never had fennel tea either, but I like most teas so I'd like to give it a try.
As for peppermint, it is known to help with gas. I used to take gas pills until I looked at the ingredients and found "peppermint extract" right at the top. Now I just forget the pills and drink the tea instead.
Hmm, well I guess I've been misinformed about peppermint. :rolleyes:
I stand by my ginger tea and camomile tea recommendations though!
Fennel tea is good too, and helps with stress as well.
Re: Embarrassing question: Gas
Quote:
Yoggy
I've never had fennel tea either, but I like most teas so I'd like to give it a try.
As for peppermint, it is known to help with gas. I used to take gas pills until I looked at the ingredients and found "peppermint extract" right at the top. Now I just forget the pills and drink the tea instead.
Get some whole fennel seeds, crush them and make a cup of tea out of them. Really simple, and tastes very good. :)
Re: Embarrassing question: Gas
carbs and gas - anyone know anything about this at all - if they can produce gas/bloating?
