Intestinal gas or flatulence can cause abdominal pain and bloating or swelling.It's happened to everyone at some point and somehow always at the most inconvenient moment. While this problem tends to resolve itself with time, you can take steps to learn how to prevent gas or flatulence, so you can control your bowel movements in your most important moments and events.
One of the factors of most important when you want to prevent gas or flatulence is your diet, as certain foods are more difficult to digest and, therefore, will create gases. You should thus avoid the following foods:
- Pulses or legumes
- Cruciferous vegetables
- Grains such a rice and wholewheat bread
- Cereal with fiber
- Dairy products
It's also important to highlight that some people have gas due to food intolerance, such as lactose or gluten, which is why it's useful to undergo medical tests to rule out this possibility.
You can take a look at our article on foods that prevent gas and bloating to adjust your diet accordingly.
Cut down on sodas and carbonated beverages. The carbonation of beverages can cause bloating and gas. Instead, drink non-carbonated beverages such as juices, teas and water.
It's also recommendable to avoid chewing gum, as it can lead to swallowing additional air, which can create intestinal gas. Use breath mints instead of chewing gum.
Not only what we eat can influence, the way we eat will also make a difference. We should always try to chew correctly and take our time when eating our meals. Eating too fast is also a common cause of flatulence, so relax while you're eating.
Also, limit the use of drinking straws as these also introduce air into the stomach, later causing uncomfortable flatulence.
If you want to prevent gas or flatulence, keep hydrated, so try to drink 8 glasses of water or 2 liters per day. Dehydration or lack of fluids can harden stools and cause constipation and intestinal gas; so remember that hydration is crucial for your organism.
On the other hand, it's fundamental to exercise at least three times a week for 30 minutes. This will help increase the intestinal contractions and relieve constipation; so going to the gym and doing physical activity such as walking or running will be good for your intestinal transit.
You'll also find several teas and infusions that will help prevent gases that accumulate in our stomach and intestine. We'd like to mention the following:
- Chamomile
- Anise
- Fennel
- Mint
Moreover, you can take a look at our article on the best teas to reduce belly bloating and discover all of them.
In some cases, it will be necessary to start pharmacological treatment to help you prevent the appearance of gas, always under medical supervision. Therefore, once your doctor has checked you and has an appropriate diagnosis, he or she will be able to determine the type of medicine you need to prevent gas.
This article is merely informative, oneHOWTO does not have the authority to prescribe any medical treatments or create a diagnosis. We invite you to visit your doctor if you have any type of condition or pain.
If you want to read similar articles to How to Prevent Gas or Flatulence, we recommend you visit our Diseases & secondary effects category.
- In case flatulence or abdominal pain persists consult your doctor.