Month: June 2018

Intestinal gas is made up of oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, hydrogen and methane. And if you have gas in your digestive system, there are only two ways it can be expelled: upwards (burping) or downwards (flatus). Otherwise, it remains trapped in your digestive system and that’s when you get bloating. Yes, it’s embarrassing, all that flatulence! And like factories belching out their waste, it’s all too obvious when in public. So what to do? Well, there are three things to consider when reducing gas and bloating: your behaviour, foods to limit and helpful, natural remedies. What you might be doing to cause gas and bloating Eating too much rich and fatty foods: fat takes longer to digest than carbohydrates and proteins resulting in food staying longer in your stomach and therefore leading to fermentation which leads to gas. Swallowing air: at least half of the gas within your digestive system is theresult of swallowed air. By avoiding the following eating habits, you can reduce the amount of air you take in: Eating too fast Talking too much whilst eating Drinking through a straw Chewing gum Guzzling carbonated beverages Sucking on hard candy Foods to Limit The colon is filled with bacteria, yeasts and fungi, which break down the foods not digested by the small intestine, mostly different forms of carbohydrates. These bacteria particularly enjoy undigested carbohydrates, and the fermentation leads to gas production, hydrogen and methane expelled as flatus. Bloat-inducing foods: try limiting these difficult-to-digest foods (but don’t eliminate the healthy fibre foods altogether): Beans and lentils contain the indigestible carbohydrate raffinose. Brassicas such as Brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and carrots, prunes and apricots contain sugars and starches that may cause gas and bloating. Indigestible sweeteners such as Sorbitol, mannitol and fructose. Dairy products can be a source of intestinal distress if you lack the digestive enzyme lactase resulting in trouble digesting the milk sugar known as lactose. Onions and garlic Natural Remedies for Gas & Bloating The following herbs are great for soothing and calming intestinal distress: Peppermint tea Chamomile tea Anise Caraway Coriander Fennel Turmeric And because our Digestive Remedy works naturally to support and optimise your digestive processes, it will automatically help with gas and bloating too. 30 Aug 2018 A HAPPY TUMMY MEANS A HAPPY YOU 27 Jul 2018 HELP! MY KIDS ARE DRIVING ME CRAZY! 13 Jul 2018 CAN OMEGA-3 HELP WITH ADHD? 28 Jun 2018 A natural solution for digestive relief 25 Jun 2018 Myth or Fact: Digestion takes place primarily in the stomach. DIGESTIVE HEALTH, DIGESTIVE REMEDY™ June 19, 2018 Previous PostNext Post

Ok, so bloating and gas is definitely not as romantic as floating away in a hot air balloon but the image expresses very well the unpleasant sensation of being full of gas and having a distended stomach.  You know you’re suffering from gas and bloating if you have the following digestive discomfort:  Signs & Symptoms Abdominal bloating and swelling Abdominal cramps, discomfort and pain Belching Gas Flatulence What causes bloating, gas and flatulence? Bloating, gas and flatulence is a result of undigested food fermenting in the digestive tract. Inadequate digestion can be caused by stress and low levels of stomach acid as well as dietary choices and bacterial overgrowth in the intestine. Poor digestion starves the body of essential nutrients and is the underlying cause of all stomach problems. Stomach problems are digestive problems When food is not digested properly in the stomach, it ferments in the digestive tract which leads to a build-up of gasses and alcohols. This creates pressure in the stomach and causes bloating and discomfort. Factors which inhibit digestion Stress: digestion is dramatically impacted by stress. The body produces adrenaline and cortisol in reaction to stress – the body’s adrenaline response increases the heart rate and redirects blood from the digestive system to the muscular system. Without sufficient blood flow to the digestive system, food is unable to digest. Low levels of stomach acid: Many people with digestive problems are under the misconception that they are OVER producing stomach acid, but more often they are not producing ENOUGH stomach acid. Medication & Dietary Choices: Long term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or pain medication causes inflammation of the stomach and the erosion of the gastric mucosal lining. This inhibits the secretion of digestive juices so leading to food fermenting in the stomach. Certain foods also predispose one to gas and bloating:  carbonated drinks, spicy, fried or fatty foods, broccoli, cabbage and onions, beans, dried fruits and anything containing sorbitol, mannitol and maltitol, non-nutritive sweeteners found in sugar-free foods. Bacterial Overgrowth:  low levels of stomach acid allow certain bacteria such as H. pylori and E-coli to survive and proliferate inside the stomach and digestive system which can lead to serious stomach problems such as chronic low level inflammation in the stomach as well as ulcers. In our next blog we’ll be giving you some tips in how to manage or prevent bloating & gas. 30 Aug 2018 A HAPPY TUMMY MEANS A HAPPY YOU 27 Jul 2018 HELP! MY KIDS ARE DRIVING ME CRAZY! 13 Jul 2018 CAN OMEGA-3 HELP WITH ADHD? 28 Jun 2018 A natural solution for digestive relief 25 Jun 2018 Myth or Fact: Digestion takes place primarily in the stomach. DIGESTIVE HEALTH, DIGESTIVE REMEDY™ June 12, 2018 Previous PostNext Post