Excessive Flatulence Causes

Love is the fart
Of every heart:
It pains a man when 'tis kept close,
And others doth offend, when 'tis let loose. ~ Sir John Suckling

Well, I am pretty much aware that the above quote is predominantly about love and the allusion to fart has been made as a way of drawing a comparison and pointing out the nature of love when it is confined within one's heart and when it is openly proclaimed. Indeed, the comparison couldn't have been more apt! As far as the relevance of such a comparison with a discussion on excessive flatulence causes is concerned, remember the times when, after a heavy luncheon, you feel a gradual pressure build up in the lower recesses of your abdomen till it reaches a point when, at the risk of embarrassing yourself, you feel you cannot hold on anymore? Picture yourself looking around frantically, trying to locate the way to the restroom or excusing yourself abruptly from your company only to hurry (trying not to be too obvious at the same time) to a secluded area where you can vent out all those pent-up billows!

I'm sure such a situation has come in everyone's life multiple times. Knowing about excessive flatulence causes and ways to avoid public embarrassment comes handy for people who have a tendency towards gas. This knowledge would not only save you from embarrassment but will also rescue the nostrils of your company from the random attacks of your biological weapon (if you know what I mean)! Hence, read ahead to spare yourself the awkwardness and save your surroundings from such an unsavory contribution.

Excessive Gas Causes

Ever wondered what causes flatulence? Ever noticed how you always get excessive flatulence after eating certain kinds of food? Wondered what causes excessive flatulence at night leading to bloated stomach symptoms such as rumbling stomach and gas pains? Well, first of all, let's understand where all this excessive gas in our stomach comes from. Well, gas is the by-product of bacterial action in our digestive system that aid in the digestion of anything we consume. When these bacteria break down food particles, the result is nutrients that are absorbed by the body and waste materials that are in solid, liquid as well as in gaseous form.

The solid wastes are expelled from the body as feces or excreta, the liquid wastes are expelled as urine and the gaseous waste is released from the rectum in the form of flatus. This flatus is primarily composed of nitrogen with moderate amounts of carbon dioxide and trace amounts of methane and hydrogen. Sometimes, skatole, indole and certain sulfur based compounds such as hydrogen sulfide, methanethiol and dimethyl sulfide are also present which lead to unpleasant and excessive flatulence odor. Now, coming to the causes, let's see what are the excessive gas causes.

Certain food items, especially those that are high in natural sugars, fibers, starch and certain complex proteins are the most common dietary culprits behind the formation of gas. Basically, those food and nutrients that the body finds difficult to break down leads to the formation of gas most of the time. The more effort digestion takes, the more gas is produced. Common gas inducing foods include dairy products, wheat, legumes, prunes, lentils, corn, oatmeal, pasta, potatoes, foods containing synthetic sweetening agents, apples, bananas, apricots, onions, carrots, cabbages, sauerkraut, chicken, etc. Drinking a lot of carbonated beverages is also a leading cause behind getting more gas.

Swallowing air is a fairly common reason behind mild flatulence and this can happen while you are chewing gum, swallowing food or water very fast, eating candies, smoking, using a straw to drink, wearing dentures that have become loose, drinking fizzy beverages, etc.

Certain medical conditions may also lead to an excessive gas build-up in the stomach. Such conditions commonly include lactose intolerance, gluten intolerance, celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, acid reflux disease, Cohn's disease, stomach ulcer and ulcerative colitis.

As you can see, the most common causes of excessive gas depend upon what we consume and, as such, can be easily controlled. Therefore, when you're going out for a dinner or are expecting company over a meal at your place, avoid eating those food items that you know would bloat you up. In case you have already developed a bad case of flatulence and are suffering from physical discomfort, you can try out various natural stomach gas remedies such as chewing carom seeds or drinking lemon water with a pinch of rock salt. You can also try a cumin decoction or garlic soup for relieving gas. There are a lot of anti gas medications available over the counter that you can keep with you if you have a chronic gas problem. However, if none of these seem to fix the problem, it is best to see a doctor. As it is said, you are what you eat. Hence, eat wisely if you wish to avoid the stink bomb title!