Excess gas or ‘wind’ can be a source of great stress – some people can laugh it off, but for many, especially women, it can be mortifying.
Linda explains excess gas
Wind, fart, flatulence, gas, trump, bottom burp, rectal turbulence, anal salute, whoopee, thunder from down under – we all have our favourite euphemisms for the random acts of the digestive tract.
Call it what you like, releasing wind rectally is universal. It’s a perfectly normal biological process so there’s no need to feel embarrassed or ashamed about it. Wind is produced as a result of the digestion of food and drink. We release wind approximately 15 times a day. However, if you are constantly breaking wind and it is very smelly, there may be something out of balance in your digestive system.
It can be extremely embarrassing if you are in either a social or work situation, closely interacting with other people, and you pass offensive-smelling wind. Offensive, odorous, excessive wind can be a symptom of Irritable Bowel Syndrome and if you are an IBS sufferer, you will understand how embarrassing this particular symptom can be. Some people often try and hold in their wind, but this can cause abdominal pain, so is not really a solution.
Linda recommends
If you’re suffering from constant excess gas, consider taking a digestive enzyme with every meal. If you are over 50, the ageing process may have made you deficient in hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes – essential to help digest food. If you are deficient in these substances, excess wind can be produced. I’ve added calcium to my plant-derived Digestive Enzymes for extra digestion support.
Also try taking garlic – a wonderful gut microbial balancer. Take one of my high-strength Garlic tablets daily – they are thankfully low in odour!
I also recommend taking two of my activated Charcoal capsules before and after food. As the charcoal is passing through the intestines, it has the effect of reducing the size of the gas bubbles, allowing them to move more freely along the intestines to be eliminated in a gentler fashion!
A daily supplement of live bacteria (sometimes called probiotics) can also help – an imbalance in friendly and pathogenic gut bacteria can create smelly gas and bloating. Consider taking my high-strength multi-strain Live Bacteria capsules daily to help redress any bacterial imbalances in your gut.
Linda’s tummy tips
- Ensure you are emptying your bowels regularly, at least daily. If wastes are building up in your intestines, one of the by-products is smelly wind. If you are having issues with constipation, consider having colon hydrotherapy treatment to completely cleanse your large bowel.
- Chew your food properly – and slowly. Don’t bolt it down like it’s your last meal on earth. If you have dentures, ensure they fit your gums. As we age, our gums recede and dentures can become loose, affecting our ability to chew properly. Chew each mouthful of food at least 20 times.
- Don’t mix food and water – this will weaken your enzymes making your digestive system work harder to digest the food, and this can create gas. Drink water at least half an hour before and half an hour after a meal.
- Avoid foods that cause flatulence. A full listing can be found in my Excess Gas Plan.
- Don’t drink carbonated drinks and reduce your alcohol consumption. Beer in particular creates gas in the intestines.
- Avoid sweeteners, especially Sorbitol – this passes slowly through the intestines and this can create fermentation, leading to excess wind and, in some cases, diarrhoea.
- Be mindful of medication. Certain medications can cause smelly wind – statins, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and anti-fungals.
- Avoid foods that cause flatulence. A full listing can be found in my Excess Gas Plan.
For more in-depth advice, our Diet Plans section includes nutrition plans and lifestyle tips, plus my Excess Gas Plan.
