Gastroenterologist
I suggest you
keep a daily food journal
to help pinpoint exactly which foods
and situations are causing your gas.
If you're reacting to beans, taking
Beano before a meal could help calm
your stomach; if dairy is the problem,
Lactaid may provide relief. You can also
take an over-the-counter drug like
Gas-X or Phazyme, which will break up
gas pockets. If you still feel discomfort
after using these medications, you
could have a wheat allergy or other
type of food sensitivity. In this case,
your physician may put you on an
elimination diet to cut out your trigger
foods. Be sure to tell your doctor if
you're experiencing weight loss, diarrhea,
back pain, abdominal cramps,
vomiting, or rectal bleeding—these
could be symptoms of a more serious
condition such as acute colitis, a
chronic colon infection.
—Sharon Molinas, M.D., member of
Gastrointestinal Associates of Rockland,
a gastroenterology practice in New York
Nutritionist
Because the underlying cause of gas
is a lack of digestive enzymes in the
stomach and intestines, I tell my
patients to
take a papaya supplement
containing papain, an enzyme that
helps break down food. Follow the
instructions on the bottle-the usual
dosage is one or two pills with meals.
In addition, daily probiotic capsules, like
those made by Culturelle or Metagenics,
promote the growth of healthy
bacteria that assist with digestion.
Steer clear of asparagus, fried foods,
cruciferous vegetables (like Brussels
sprouts, cabbage, and cauliflower), and
the sweetener sorbitol—these are all
known gas producers. And avoid chewing
gum, which causes you to swallow
more air than you normally would. If
you do get gassy, sip fennel, chamomile,
or peppermint teas, which can be found
at most health food stores.
—Marissa Lippert, M.S., R.D., founder
of Nourish, a nutrition and lifestyle
counseling center in New York City
Chinese Herbalist
One way to prevent gas is to
avoid
eating fruit when you're eating vegetables
or protein. Because your body
processes these foods at different
speeds, combining them can weaken
your digestive qi and lead to gas. If you
already have gas,
chew a Hingoli tablet
after a meal-it's an Ayurvedic formula
that contains asafetida, an herb that
reduces flatulence. The homeopathic
remedy Carbo veg 30C can also help by
absorbing intestinal gas bubbles. Take it
with water 20 minutes after a big meal,
following the dosage on the package.
And to replenish your supply of digestive
flora,
eat a cup of yogurt mixed
with ¼ teaspoon of powdered turmeric
(an anti-inflammatory) in the morning
on an empty stomach. I recommend
goat's milk yogurt—it doesn't contain
casein, a protein in cow's milk that
causes allergies in many people.
—Letha Hadady, D.Ac., author of
Feed Your Tiger (Rodale, 2007) and
the blog asianhealthsecrets.com
