Flatulence (Gas) – Causes, Home Remedies, Recipes to Avoid Farting

Reviewed by: | Author: Manoja Kalakanti

If you are suffering from any kind of digestive issues, it’s okay to pop a pill or eat something to get rid of it, but what if others come to know about it? Yes, flatulence is embarrassing and it kind of breaks all social etiquettes and norms. It’s like announcing to the world, “Look I have a problem with my digestion, do you hear?” Even if you have heard all kinds of jokes on you-know-what and don’t mind chortling over them on the sly, experiencing it first and amongst a crowd is an embarrassment at its worst. So here’s the lowdown on how to stop flatulence.

home-remedies-to-get-rid-of-flatulence-a-lifestyle-embarrassment

What Causes Farting?

That’s the question that bothers most of us, what causes bloating and gas in the first place? Can’t we do something about it? Doing such a thing in the midst of somewhere crowded is not only cringe-worthy but people do not take very kindly to these things. Repeated offences can make you the butt of their jokes; you hardly know where to flee and all you wish is for the earth to swallow you up so you don’t have to face the humiliation. So in order to avoid it you need to know the reasons which cause flatulence in the first place.

  1. Air swallowing-You can belch because you swallow too much air. Now isn’t that surprising? You can swallow air in a number of ways, like by chewing gum, smoking, sucking hard sweets or pen tops, having dentures that don’t fit properly, and also swallowing food quickly without chewing it properly. Your obsession for fizzy drinks like sodas can be the chief cause of flatulence and gas too. The carbon dioxide in your stomach can cause belching and farting. So get rid of gas and bloating by avoiding these drinks.
  2. Food and Drinks which cause Belching-There are many foods like carbohydrates which are hard to digest and the bacteria in the gut finds it difficult to break the food down, causing belching and bloating. Some of the foods which are notorious for causing belching are beans, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and apples. Also, a few of the artificial sweeteners cause bloating. These can be found in some of the packaged foods, sugar-free gums and similar. So if you are trying to get rid of gas, avoid these foods.
  3. Some Health Conditions- If you are drawing yourself in knots thinking about how to stop intermittent flatulence, you need to know these that there are some diseases which cause you to dispel excessive gas like- celiac disease, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, gastroenteritis, malabsorption and so on. These are conditions where the gut is unable to break down the nutrients properly for the blood to absorb, and hence the problem of flatulence.what-causes-farting
  4. Anxiety giving way to flatulence- Have you noticed when you are anxious you tend to be more flatulent?There could be two reasons for it. One would be when you are anxious you are more aware of your bodily functions. Also, the second reason could be that you simply swallow in more air, making your gut overactive and hence have to face the consequences.
  5. Growing old-Sometimes people who are on the older side tend to be more flatulent. Our bodily functions weaken and digestion slows down considerably as there are fewer amounts of digestive juices to aid digestion. So food passes into the large intestine undigested, and when bacteria works on them the result is unpleasant and tiresome.
  6. Giving Birth– After giving birth to a child, a woman suffers from flatulence as the muscle around her anus weakens and sometimes gets damaged, so it is difficult for her to hold the flatulence. This affects most women after giving birth.
  7. Smoking– While you smoke you take in too much air, which gets confined in the esophagus or stomach. So if you are wondering about how to stop flatulence quickly, you must stop smoking. If there is too much of air trapped,the only way to find release is by passing gas.

Home Remedies to Control Farting

  1. Now, we have often heard a person complain that despite following these norms they still can’t stop making an embarrassment of themselves. So are there any home remedies for flatulence which will help you get rid of this habit? Yes, there certainly are, you just need to make certain lifestyle changes.
  2. Organic Ginger – Consuming ginger is one way of getting relief from flatulence and gas. Taking small sips of ginger tea and consuming fresh grated ginger gives relief from flatulence. Try and include ginger into your foods, they also add a zesty flavor to the foods and help in digestion.
  3. Asafoetida-This is a spice found in most larders in Indian households, considered to be unique in taste, and some foods cannot do without the individualistic taste it brings in. But do you know it can also help you get rid of flatulence? This is a leaf straight out of a grandmother’s home remedies book. Apply asafoetida thickly on your stomach by making a thick paste with water. Rub it slowly right from your navel going outwards. Let it dry off completely. This will help you get rid of gas, bloating as well as the cramps and the flatulence that comes with it.
  4. Organic Caraway Seeds– Caraway seeds are excellent for digestion. They also reduce flatulence and belching. So ensure you add them to recipes so that you can consume more of them, particularly to recipes which consist of vegetables known to produce gas.home-remedies-to-control-farting
  5. Garlic-This spice finds its place in most kitchens for its flavor and health benefits, and freshly grated ones are a wonderful way of getting rid of flatulence.
  6. Parsley– Freshly minced parsley can help you to get rid of flatulence, especially when added to foods which produce gas. It helps to get rid of gas, especially from foods which produce gas like cabbage, Brussels sprouts and so on. Parsley is an ideal answer to your question of how to eliminate flatulence.
  7. Fennel-Fennels are indeed a wonderful remedy which helps get rid of flatulence and belching. We Indians have this penchant of chewing fennel seeds right after a meal. If you boil fennel seeds and sip it, you will get similar benefits.
  8. Activated Charcoal– Charcoal absorbs very well. So if you include a charcoal supplement, you will get multiple benefits from it, one of them being getting rid of flatulence.
  9. Take a Probiotic Supplement– Supplementing yourself with a probiotic will help you get rid of flatulence. Increase the number of gut-friendly bacteria which will aid digestion effectively by taking probiotics.
  10. Baking soda-If you are looking for natural remedies to get rid of flatulence, baking powder is the go-to ingredient. It has been used by people from time immemorial to alleviate problems like flatulence. A concoction of lime juice with a teaspoon full of baking soda can provide quick relief. Try it the next time you feel uncomfortable with too much gas accumulating in your stomach.
  11. Carom seeds-This is another way to get rid of indigestion and flatulence. Popularly known as ajwain,it can help you get rid of problems such as bloating and flatulence in a jiffy. Chew on a few seeds followed by a glass of water and feel your discomfort gradually ebbing away.

Should Flatulence Bother You?

Passing gas isn’t life-threatening by any standards, although others around you may beg to differ. Though it makes you feel uncomfortable, it does not make you feel seriously ill and hence sometimes you tend to overlook it. But a few lifestyle changes can do the trick for you.

should-flatulence-bother-you

You react to different foods in different ways, few foods do not agree with us and cause more bloating, so we need to identify those foods and avoid them, like dairy and wheat. Also letting your body getting used to certain foods is probably a good idea, so introduce in small proportions and see how it goes from there.

Foods like beans, chickpeas are notorious for causing flatulence so having a lot of them at one go, could spell disaster for you and well, for others too. So you should skip them if you are planning for a public outing.

A Few Recipes that Will Help you Debloat

Flatulence and belching is not only annoying, but also makes your tummy look thoroughly bloated. A few lifestyle changes are just what the doctor ordered to attain that flat tummy and say a firm goodbye to bloating. Check out the following recipes to help banish the notorious bloat.

Coconut Pudding with Chia Seeds

This recipe if full of anti-inflammatory Omega-3 fatty acids and fiber, it’s a tasty way to debloat. It is a recipe you can make the night before and have it for breakfast. Easy and healthy!

coconut-pudding-with-chia-seeds

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup chia seeds
  • 1 cup light or full-fat coconut milk, depending on preference
  • 1/2 tablespoon honey

Directions

  1. Mix chia seeds, coconut milk, and honey together in a small bowl or glass mason jar. Let it set in refrigerator overnight.
  2. Remove it from the fridge, and make sure your pudding looks thick and the chia seeds have gelled. Top with fresh fruit and nuts, and enjoy immediately.

Cucumber Soup

Debloat with this cucumber soup, it is light and hydrating. Have it when you want to make your tummy resemble a washboard!

cucumber-soup

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pound English cucumbers, peeled and chopped
  • 1 cup chopped mint
  • 1/4 cup chopped chives
  • 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
  • 1 1/4 cup plain nonfat yogurt
  • 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • Pinch freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  1. In a blender container combine cucumber, mint, chives and garlic. Puree until smooth.
  2. Pour cucumber mixture into a large bowl and whisk in remaining ingredients. Chill in refrigerator for 2 hours to 4 hours.

Healthy Smoothie

Rejuvenate yourself with this smoothie and also get rid of flatulence. This recipe is a classic example of bye-bye bloat.

healthy-smoothie

Ingredients

  • ½ a medium banana, frozen
  • 1 cup strawberries, frozen
  • 1 cup pineapple, frozen
  • 1 handful spinach, fresh
  • 11/4 cups coconut milk from carton (do not use canned coconut)

Directions

  1. Place everything in the blender and blend until smooth.

Quinoa Bake

This recipe is quick to make and even easier to eat simply because It’s so darn delicious.

quinoa-bake

Ingredients

  • 1 cup uncooked quinoa
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 apples, peeled, diced
  • 1/4 cup raisins
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups vanilla soy milk
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1/3 cup almonds, chopped

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 7-by-11-inch baking dish (an 8-by-8 works too).
  2. In a small bowl, mix the uncooked quinoa with the spices. Pour into greased dish.
  3. Sprinkle the apple and raisins on top of the quinoa.
  4. In that same small bowl, beat the eggs. Whisk in the soy milk and maple syrup.
  5. Pour the egg-and-milk mixture over the top of the fruit and quinoa. Lightly stir to partially submerge the fruit. Sprinkle the chopped almonds on top.
  6. Bake for 1 hour or until the casserole is mostly set with only a small amount of liquid left.
  7. Allow to cool, and then cover and refrigerate. In the morning, cut a square, microwave it on a plate, and enjoy alone or with a few dollops of Greek yogurt.

Creamy Oats

Eating a lot of fiber and getting your bowel movements in order is important to get rid of flatulence and gas. Eat this to break your fast and consider this as one of the best home remedies to stop farting.

creamy-oats

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds
  • 2 tablespoons slivered almonds
  • 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

  1. Mix all the ingredients together in a glass jar. Stir well, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
  2. The next morning, remove from the fridge, top off with your favorite fresh fruit, and enjoy!

Strawberry Smoothie

A sure-shot winner as this is antioxidant rich thanks to strawberries and the fiber in the bananas help you to fill up without getting the calorie meter ticking furiously! Avoid embarrassing fart moments by eating this.

strawberry-smoothie

Ingredients

  • 2 cups fresh strawberries
  • 1 frozen banana, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons peanut butter
  • 4 ounces fat-free plain Greek yogurt or fat-free milk
  • 1/2 cup ice cubes

Directions

  1. Place all the ingredients in a blender, and mix until smooth. Enjoy immediately.

Flatulence is embarrassing and you cannot ignore it, thanks to its repercussions faced by others as well. Avoid extreme flatulence by incorporating simple lifestyle changes. Make sure you are known by your attitude and attributes instead of your digestion status!

What Causes Farts – Home Remedies to Avoid Farting – PDF

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