While some gas and flatulence is a normal daily occurrence for many people, some may suffer from excessive gas and painful bloating. Most of the time, this can be relieved by a few home remedies for gas. Changes in a person's diet may be all that is needed to help control gas. Other times, certain herbs and spices may help. Exercising and reducing the amount of air swallowed throughout the day can also help relieve gas and bloating.
Many physicians claim that one of the best home remedies for gas is changing what is ingested during the day. Certain foods may cause more gas than others. Beans, fatty foods, carbonated beverages, and foods high in fiber are known to cause gas in most people. Since some foods affect certain people differently, though, it is recommended that individuals with excessive gas keep a food diary. This can often help them avoid certain trigger foods, or those that cause more gas.
Dairy foods are another common cause of gas in many individuals. The exception to this rule is most kinds of yogurt. Since this food can help promote the growth of bacteria needed for proper digestion, it is sometimes used as one of the home remedies for gas. Also, eating smaller meals throughout the day can be helpful for avoiding gas. These smaller meals allow the food to be digested a little more easily, thus resulting in less digestion problems.
The way in which a person eats can also determine whether he gets gas. Eating quickly can result in swallowing more air than usual. This, in turn, will often result in excess gas and other digestion problems. Other things that can cause people to swallow too much air include smoking, chewing gum, and wearing ill-fitting dentures.
Some individuals believe certain herbs can also be used as home remedies for gas. These can be added into food, brewed into tea, or simply chewed on. Peppermint is one of these herbs. Although it can be drank as a tea to relieve gas, eating peppermint candy will also have the same effect. Chewing fennel, caraway, or anise seeds are also home remedies for gas.
Regular exercise is also considered to be a treatment for gas, since it helps promote digestion. There are also specific exercises used as home remedies for gas. Although these will not usually prevent gas, they can help relieve gas pain and bloating by making it easier to pass gas. One simple exercise involves lying on the back or side, and raising one's knees to his chest.