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Flatulence

In early American history, such great men as Benjamin Franklin taxed their minds trying to find a cure for "escaped wind." Today, scientists and others are still struggling with it.

While intestinal gas means different things to different people, it’s often associated with excessive bloating after eating, belching, or rectal gas (flatulence), or a combination of these symptoms.

For many people, the reason they “break wind” is because they don’t digest certain food well. And, as a result, bacteria in the large colon feed on this poorly digested food, producing a lot of gas.

But flatulence sufferers don’t have to just live with it. They can change their diet and take certain over-the-counter medicines to prevent or improve their symptoms. Here are a few ideas:

Lay off the lactose. If you are lactose intolerant, you could have flatulence problems from eating dairy foods. If you or your doctor suspects that your favorite dairy product is causing your problem, try eating it in smaller servings for a day or two until you notice when gas begins to be a problem.

Avoid gas-promoting foods. The primary cause of flatulence is the digestive system's inability to absorb certain carbohydrates. Though you probably know that beans are gas producers, many people don't realize that cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, onions, cauliflower, whole wheat flour, radishes, bananas, apricots, pretzels, and many more foods can also produce flatulence.

Fight off fiber-induced flatus. Some high-fiber vegetables and fruits may increase gas. If you're adding fiber to your diet for health reasons, start with a small dose so the bowel gets used to it. That lessens the increase of flatus, and doctors have found that most people's flatus production returns to normal within a few weeks of adding fiber.

Get quick relief from popular OTCs. Among the over-the-counter favorites: Gas-X, Maalox Plus, Mylanta II, and Mylicon.

Compiled by Farmers' Almanac TV staff.