Home Remedies for Too Much Gas

Excessive gas, also known as flatulence, is a problem that affects many people. Stomach and intestinal gas passed from the anus stems primarily from the improper breakdown of undigested foods, but may also come from swallowed air, according to eMedicine Health. Poor dietary habits, inflammatory bowel disease, intestinal obstruction, poor thyroid function, lactase deficiency, sugar, and certain foods and beverages can cause an increase of gas. Home remedies and lifestyle changes can help stop embarrassing gas.

Natural Home Remedies

• Drink two to four cups of herbal tea daily to aid the digestion of your food. You can buy green tea, peppermint tea, anise tea, fennel tea, spearmint tea or chamomile tea in grocery stores that sell herbal tea in bags or you can buy these herbs fresh and blanch them to create your own homemade tea. Blanching means to place the herbs into boiling water. Once the herbs have steeped, remove them and drink the tea. Sweeten your tea with pure honey if you wish. Also try blanching dried dandelion leaves, lemon verbena leaves, parsley, passion fruit and peach leaves to eliminate gas and its pain.

  Garlic can help improve your digestion. Drink homemade garlic broth to decrease the amount of gas in your digestive tract. Combine a few cloves of garlic, black pepper, coriander, cumin and ginger with a cup of water and bring it to a boil. Allow the broth to cool then drink it slowly.

  Give fresh ginger root a try. The digestive enzymes in ginger can help relieve intestinal gas, reports Granny Med. Mix 1 tsp. of grated ginger and 1 tsp. of lime juice with about 6 oz. of cold water. You can also add a little pure honey to the mixture to sweeten it, if desired. Drink this mixture only once or twice daily after big meals. Granny Med warns that mouth irritation, mild heartburn or diarrhea may occur if you consume excessive amounts of ginger. If you have gallstones, avoid consuming ginger.

Preventive Home Remedies

• Changing the way you eat can affect the amount of gas your body releases, because flatulence often corresponds to your diet, according to eMedicine Health. Eat slowly, taking smaller bites of your food. Make sure to chew your food thoroughly before swallowing. Try to move around after eating to help your food digest better. Increase the amount of water that you drink daily and limit the amount of carbonated beverages that you consume.

  If you notice that you have too much gas after drinking milk or eating dairy you may be lactose intolerant. Lactose intolerance, or lactase deficiency, is an inability to digest and absorb the sugar (lactose) found in milk and milk products. Consuming lactose may cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as gas. Buy milk and dairy products that are lactose free. Alternatively, try buying lactase enzyme supplements that you take before consuming dairy products.

  Beans, cabbage, onions, and starches such as wheat, potatoes and corn are often responsible for causing too much gas. Eating less of these foods can eliminate gas problems. Try cooking with dry beans instead of canned beans, because they're easier to digest. Limit the amount of sorbitol that you consume. Sorbitol is a sugar commonly found in diet and sugar-free products, according to eMedicine Health.

Medical Treatment

• If home remedies aren't enough to stop excessive gas you may want to try an over-the-counter product such as Mylanta Gas, Gas-X, Phazyme or Mylicon. Seek medical attention if you experience excessive intestinal gas for an extended period of time to be sure that the gas you're experiencing is not a sign of a more serious medical problem.