Embarrassing: Gas, bloating,belching

Do you have excessive fart or gas problems. During every day life all of you, whether you admit it or not, have feeling discomfort with having gas causing distention of your tummy, passing excessive fart or burping frequently, sometimes when you are in public places or in a meeting or having chat with your friends or relatives, you feel embarrassed of passing out gas as fart or burping which makes some sound.

Maybe you were on a first date and ate something that did not agree with you. Or you were in a quiet movie theater, or thought you were alone, and pass gas out you were not. Embarrassing? Oh, yes. In fact, most people pass gas around 13 to 21 times a day. That is normal. But if you cannot control it, it is embarrassing. Even worse, it can start to affect your life.

Gas and bloating can make your body hurt. They can also make it hard for you to feel at ease, which can deal a serious blow to everyday life. When you are out with friends, at work, or sharing an intimate moment, nothing kills a good time like worrying about whether you will let one slip on accident. Between your physical pain and the anxiety in your mind, having excess gas can be a drag.

But there is good news: Truly excessive gas is pretty rare. Even if you think you have got a bad case, chances are you probably fall somewhere in the normal range if you have a good liver.

Track your triggers

But what if you don't? What can you do? For starters, keep a record of what you eat and how it makes you feel. Some foods are naturally gas-powered (beans, sweets, fatty foods, you magical fruit). But did you know that most carbohydrates cause gas? Steer clear of cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, onions, pears, apples, most dairy products, and anything containing high-fructose corn syrup,Ros malai, Pithas,Doi.

Here is the kicker, though: It is different for everyone. So while other family member might live on yogurt and cabbages and have no funky issues, those same foods may make you run for making gas problems.

That is why keeping a food dairy can help. Make it as easy for yourself as possible. Before too long, you will start to see patterns. Then, once you know your triggers, you can avoid them. It may really be as easy as that and it works. Here are some other things you can do to get your gas under control:

•             Spit out your gum. Lots of chewing causes you to swallow lots of air. Which causes gas. Stop it.

•             Slow your roll. Or whatever you happen to be eating. Chew more slowly, and you will swallow less air.

•             Lay off the bubbly. Fizzy drinks (soda like coke, champagne, even mineral water) are pumped with gas. That is what causes them to bubble. Choose non-carbonated drinks instead.

•             Stay away from fruit juice. Apple juice and pear juice make lots of gas.

•             Get properly fitted. If you wear dentures, make sure they fit snugly. Loose dentures can pull extra air into the digestive tract.

•             Stop smoking. You know smoking is bad for you anyway. But what if it is also making you gassy? Knock it off, stat.

•             Opt for less fat. Fat alone does not cause gas. But high-fat foods sometimes cause bloating. Avoid fast foods and street fried foods.

•             Give pause between meal and drink. After taking your food in lunch and dinner , drink water after 15-20 minutes, which help your tummy to mix with digestive juice properly.

What if you have done all these things and gas is still getting in the way? If it is interrupting your quality of life, it is a good idea to see your doctor who specialises in internal medicine or gastroenterology.

Occasional abdominal pain and bloating are very common. But other symptoms like weight loss, anemia, and tiredness, could point to a problem that needs attention. So talk to your doctor and have a healthy life.

The writer is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Z H Sikder Women's Medical College and Hospital, Dhaka.