Lots of us suffer from flatulence. (My grandmother called it “passing the wind” but that is another
The Fighting Temeraire
matter). Indeed it has been the source of schoolboy jokes for generations and listening to my children I assume it always will be.
Flatulence can be caused by diet or by swallowing too much air. It is also a symptom of a number of medical conditions; these include Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) (see our previous blog on IBS https://patienttalk.org/?p=962), Celiac disease (have a look at our blog on Celiac we ran earlier this year https://patienttalk.org/?p=349), gastroenteritis and our old friend constipation.
So what can help get rid of flatulence without resorting to medications?
Well there seem to be three major options:-
a) Yoghurt. I’ve taken to making my own yoghurt over the last few months. I was making some this morning which in fact gave me the inspiration for this blog. Natural yoghurt with a live culture is considered a great way of preventing flatulence. It does so by restoring the balance of microorganisms in the human gut. Charcoal tablets. I have to say these sound worse than flatulence and I’ve never tried them. That being said they come highly recommended. According to experts charcoal tablets absorb some of the toxins associated with flatulence. You should consult a medical professional before you use charcoal tablets as they aren’t right for everyone. It has also been suggested that they can help with weight loss. And apparently we have been using charcoal for the last 3,500 years but I do wonder who thought of it first.
b) Diet. Some foods are associated with flatulence so it is worth reducing their presence in your diet. They include sprouts, prunes, beans and lentils, cabbage, onions and apples.
That being said what works for you? I’d be really keen to hear your suggestions. Also can you suggest other flatulence causing foods to eliminate from our diets? Feel free to use the comments box below.
Thanks in advance.