Natural Gas Remedies

One of the inevitable results of a change to a vegan diet is gas and bloating. The good news is that there are steps you can take to eliminate some of the embarassing effects of a high fiber diet.

What causes the gas?

When you comsume a large amount of fiber, your body loves you for the health you're giving it, but it doesn't always express it in the nicest way. The other way we get gas is just by swallowing too much air.

As your body breaks down proteins from your food, it can release sulfur and give you a not so pleasant odor. Gas producing foods are things like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower, as well as beans, onions, corn, peaches, pears, oats, potatoes, some breads, carbonated drinks, and dairy products.

But, it can vary. Some people don't get gas from any of those foods, but they do get it from others.

If you are really trying to avoid gas, say you are in a workplace and can't release it without bothering other people, stick to foods that don't lead to gas; such as rice, peanut butter, bananas, grapes, and citrus fruits.

There are a few things you can do to keep yourself from creating so much gas:

• Using dry beans rather than canned can help remove some of the parts of the legume that are harder to digest. Soak them overnight, drain off the water and rinse, and then cook in fresh water.
• If you use canned beans, rinse them well first
• Soy products are easier to digest than other beans
• Avoid carbonated beverages and drink plenty of water
• Fructose and sorbitol contribute to digestion problems, so avoid them
• Chew your food thoroughly and eat slowly to avoid allowing air into your digestive system. Air entering one end exits out the other!
• On the same note, avoid chewing gum and drinking with a straw
• Try taking a walk after meals, which stimulates the digestive system and moves everything through faster

Here are some natural gas remedies:

• Eat 1 tablespoon fennel seeds after eating
• Eat coriander seeds after eating, they relieve gas and gas pain
• Try two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar
• Find the ancient Mexican herb called Epazote that has been used for thousands of years for gas. It gives food a smoky flavor.
• Chew peppermint after meals to sooth the abdominal muscles
• Chamomile tea soothes the stomach and aids in digestion
• Ginger also helps with digestion- you can eat it whole, run hot water on it, sprinkle the powder in a drink,
• Hot water helps speed digestion, so drink it plain or add one of these few herbs after eating

Note: People have asked me about Beano. While I haven't found anything that tells me it's not safe in the long run, I am suspicious of adding things to my body to help it do its job. Also, it's made with gelatin (animal hooves and cartilage), so it's not vegan. There is a vegan version called Bean-zyme that you could try if all else fails.

Please contact me if you know of a fool-proof natural gas remedy that I didn't mention here.

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