Burp…Gurgle…Pardon me!

Bean, beans, good for the heart. The more you eat, the more you…

The unexpected expulsion of excessive human gas is the common theme of adolescent jokes. Yet, for many people, it is no laughing matter.

Everyone has gas. It’s a fact of life. Most people produce about 1 to 3 pints a day and pass gas about 14 times a day. If you feel that you have more than the usual amount of gas, it is important to check with your healthcare provider to determine the cause. Although most reasons for excessive gas are benign, it can also be the result of ulcers, Crohn's disease or colon cancer. It is important to obtain the proper care to ensure your optimal health.

“Excessive gas is experienced by many people and is usually very treatable,” says Louise Comtois, Registered Nutritional Consulting Practitioner (RNCP), Certified Colon Therapist, and Director of the D'Avignon Digestive Health Centre. “Poor diet, stress, and food sensitivities are some of the chief reasons that cause air and bad bacteria to build up in the bowels, resulting in more gas to release. This can be uncomfortable, even painful, for the individual."

Belching or burping is typically the result of swallowed air. Normally, people tend to belch or burp after a good meal, when the stomach is full of food. But eating on the run, chewing gum, drinking carbonated beverages, some medications and anxiety can all result in increased belching and burping.

Here’s an abbreviated summary on the digestive process. After eating, our digestive system starts to work on the nutrients so they can be absorbed and used by the body. The digestive system does this by breaking down the complex foods into more simple nutrients by enzymatic action.

The first part of this process takes place in the mouth. After chewing the food thoroughly an enzyme in the saliva breaks down starches into more simple sugars. After the food has been softened it is then pushed down the esophagus into the stomach.
Not much digestion actually takes place in the stomach. The only thing that is readily absorbed by the stomach is alcohol. The stomach creates an acidic environment (hydrochloric acid) for the enzymes to work in. The predominant stomach enzyme, pepsin, breaks down proteins into short chains of amino acids which can be used by the body. Most other nutrients are digested only after the food moves on out of the stomach, approximately three to four hours later.

"Belching or burping is typically the result of swallowed air"

The small intestine has an alkaline environment and this is where digestion is completed. After most nutrients have been absorbed, the food moves on into the colon or large intestine. The principle functions of the large intestine are to concentrate, store, and excrete food wastes. The colon contains large numbers of bacteria, which produces enzymes that act on the remaining food residues and fiber.

The products of this bacterial digestion and fermentation include short-chain fatty acids and gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and hydrogen. The food is held while water is absorbed from it before it is eliminated.

“Another common complaint among my clients is excessive flatulence,” says Louise. “Most people do not realize that flatulence is normal. It can be caused by sensitivities to certain foods. Too much flatulence, however, may be the result of gas-producing bacteria in your large intestine feeding upon proteins and carbohydrates that have been improperly digested.”

Louise works with her clients to alleviate gaseous symptoms through colonic irrigation, food sensitivity testing, and nutritional education and counseling.

Here are some simple everyday recommendations that Louise shares with her clients:

• Drink peppermint, fennel, chamomile or ginger herbal teas, particularly after big meals, to aid digestion.
• Increase the amount of still water you drink daily. But, do not drink water with your meals, as it will dilute the digestive enzymes in your stomach. Avoid carbonated waters.
• Good digestion begins in the mouth. Chew your food thoroughly.
• Avoid drinking with straws.
• Make time to eat. Don’t rush through meals.
• Get regular exercise.