Photo by toehk

Maybe you’re embarrassed. Maybe you’ve been too polite to ask me. Whatever the reason, know that you’re not alone.

The number of questions I get from people about bloating, gas and other digestive problems is not small, and since it is a sensitive subject I’m sure the questions I get represent just a fraction of those of you with concerns.

It’s not uncommon to experience digestive discomfort when you change your diet. For one thing, any drastic change in eating can be a shock to your system, even if it’s for the better. Also vegetables, legumes and other healthy foods contain a number of nutrients such as oligosaccharides, soluble fiber and natural sugars like fructose that can produce excess gas in the intestine.

Fortunately there are several things that can help prevent the embarrassment and discomfort that can be caused by eating these foods. However it is important to remember that everyone’s digestive environment is unique and different things will work for different people. This means you’ll need to experiment with the following tactics in order to identify what works best for you.

How To Prevent Gas and Digestive Problems

1. Chew thoroughly

When food reaches your intestine that has been only partially digested the bacteria in your gut cause the food to ferment, producing a substantial amount of (smelly) gas. More chewing helps your stomach acids do their job more effectively and can dramatically reduce the bacterial gas that gets formed.

Chewing is even more important when you’re eating vegetables and high-fiber foods, because they are more difficult to breakdown in your mouth and stomach than, say, a slice of Wonder Bread. This means you need to grow accustomed to chewing each bite of food more than you did for processed foods.

2. Take smaller bites

For the same reason it is important to chew, taking smaller bites can help ensure that large chunks of food do not reach your intestine undigested. People who take smaller bites also tend to eat slowly, which helps prevent overeating—another cause of poor digestion.

3. Don’t get too full

Overloading your stomach will eventually overload your gut, which can prevent proper digestion and cause discomfort. Both chewing and taking smaller bites can help with this, but there are many tricks you can use to eat less without noticing if this is a problem for you.

4. Eat balanced meals

On a similar note, you don’t want to overload your gut with one kind of food. If all you’re eating is a giant mound of vegetables for dinner and you’re having trouble digesting it, try balancing out your meal with more protein and fat. These will enable you to feel satisfied with a smaller volume of food (remember point #3), as well as decrease the load of any one nutrient that may be causing problems.

5. Increase vegetable and fiber intake gradually

Going from fast food every day to lots of vegetables can be shocking to your system. The bacterial environment in your gut is accustomed to a certain flow of nutrients, and drastically changing this can cause gas and bloating. Your gut can acclimate to a new diet over time, and the key to avoiding discomfort is to make changes gradually. If you’re really struggling with all that broccoli, cut back a little and see if it helps. Once you’re comfortable you can try adding more if you like.

6. Experiment with probiotics

Most of the gas in your intestine is produced by bacteria, but there are also strains of bacteria that have the opposite effect. Adding probiotic foods to your diet can help populate your gut with helpful bacteria that can ease digestion and reduce gas. There are several strains of probiotic bacteria, and research suggests that different strains work better for different people. Experiment with different kinds, and when you find one that works stick with it to maintain the benefits.

Examples of probiotic foods are yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha and miso. Keep in mind that when you cook these foods you will kill some of the active bacteria, so try to eat them raw whenever possible. I did an entire Summer Tomato Live episode on probiotics if you’d like to learn more.

7. Soak your beans

Beans are infamous for producing excess intestinal gas, but proper preparation can mitigate this problem. Instead of buying canned beans, get dry beans and soak them for at least six hours before cooking them. Soaking beans and discarding the soaking water eliminates the majority of the oligosaccharides that cannot be digested, reducing bacterial fermentation and intestinal gas.

8. Eliminate wheat

Some people have chronic stomach problems that are caused by food intolerance. Wheat sensitivities are the most common, and eliminating wheat and gluten is often the only solution. If you’ve tried everything and are still in pain, it may be worth giving up wheat and gluten for 4-6 weeks to see if it helps. If it works, now you know. If it doesn’t, at least you tried.

9. Eliminate dairy

Like gluten, many people have sensitivities to lactose, the sugar in milk, that can develop over time. Cutting it out for a few weeks is an easy way to tell if it is a problem for you.

10. Avoid fake sugars

Sugar alcohols such as sorbitol and xylitol can cause digestive problems similar to the oligosaccharides found in beans. If you’ve been relying on artificial sweeteners to cut back on real sugar, this may be a cause of your digestive issues.

11. Reduce fresh and dried fruit intake

Fructose can ferment in the gut, and too much will result in gas and discomfort. If you’ve drastically increased your fruit intake, this may be problematic for your digestion. Cut back until you find the amount you can tolerate.

(Note: I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt and assuming you’ve eliminated most of the high-fructose corn syrup from your diet already).

12. Use medication

Beano is an enzyme formulation that helps with digestion of oligosaccharides that can cause gas. If you simply cannot miss out on your grandpa’s famous chili, popping the occasional Beano at the beginning of your meal should help.

On the other hand, if you still haven’t figured out what you’re sensitive to and find yourself in an unpleasant state, Gas-X is an effective form of relief that can be used on occasion. It takes 20-30 minutes to work. As always, be sure to follow the safety instructions when taking any medication.

How strong is your stomach?

Tags: artificial sweeteners, balance, Beano, beans, chewing, digestion, fiber, fructose, fruit, Gas-X, gluten, lactose, probiotics, wheat

Photo by VirtualErn

Thanksgiving is a time to be grateful for all we have. And as Americans, we love to use this as an excuse to gorge ourselves stupid.

I mean, what self-respecting holiday doesn’t involve a feast?

We are thankful for that turkey! And for the ham, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, stuffing, biscuits, pumpkin pie, apple pie, pecan pie, and anything else that happens to be within eye sight.

Okay, maybe some of us are not thankful for the obligatory vegetable casserole, but we know Grandma will be mad if we don’t take at least a little scoop, so we find a small corner of the plate and plop some on. We are grateful for Grandma too, after all.

Yet deep down we all know this is not an isolated meal, but rather the beginning of a feast that lasts from the third Thursday in November until January 1. Holiday parties and family gatherings will start popping up week after week, and all the while the short days and cool weather thwart our best intentions to go for a jog.

Once Thanksgiving comes it will be six long weeks before we again remember to dust off our gym memberships and emerge from our cookie-induced daze as the reality of our new pants size starts to sink in. Yikes.

Health-wise, the holidays are difficult for us all. But don’t worry, I am not going to ask you to forego Thanksgiving dinner. Instead I have a few pieces of advice to keep this Season of Fat in perspective.

Thanksgiving Healthy Eating Tips

1. Try not to graze. Thanksgiving dinner itself is really not so bad. As much as I sometimes wish it were, this holiday is not Carnitas Day. Usually the most significant sources of calories during the holiday season is the casual eating we do outside of mealtime. When you aren’t in a sit down meal mentality, it’s easy to lose track of how much you are really eating. Avoid the midday chip bowls, artichoke dips and cookie platters, and you are on your way to minimizing the health risks of Thanksgiving.
2. Beware of the most dangerous foods: breads, sweets, dips, creams, chips, potatoes and cheese. These are the foods that pack in the calories with little nutritional value and minimal satisfaction. It is frighteningly easy to suck down 500 extra calories of chips and onion dip. In fact, you have probably done it. You do not even want to know how many calories are in pumpkin cheese cake (hint: possibly more than in your entire dinner). It is okay to eat these foods, just do not eat them blindly.
3. Watch your portions. When it comes to snacks, it is easier to be aware of your portions if you take the amount you want to eat and put it on a separate plate. Better yet, just eat structured meals. Trust me, it is way easier to eat less when you are seated and focused on your meal. If not-so-healthy foods are part of your actual meal, help yourself to a normal-sized portion, enjoy it and do not go back for seconds. Eat these foods slowly, savor every bite, and you will not feel deprived.
4. Eat a balanced meal. Make an effort to have at least half your plate filled with vegetables. No, mashed potatoes do not count (sorry). Even if the vegetables have some sort of cheesy sauce on them, at least they have fiber and nutrients and are low energy density. It is harder to stuff yourself with pie when your belly is full of veggies. The rest of your plate can be turkey, stuffing, potatoes and all the other stuff traditions are made of. Piling your turkey on top of your stuffing is cheating, by the way.
5. Stay hydrated. Overeating (which you should avoid, but may not succeed at avoiding) can cause dehydration, and thirst is often mistaken for hunger. Drink water throughout your festivities.
6. Enjoy yourself. The best part about the holiday season is being able to spend it with the people you care about. Your friends and family should be the focus of your holiday, not the food on your plate. Spend the day and meal talking with loved ones and savoring your food rather than silently wolfing it down. If you eat slowly, you are much more likely to eat proper portions and enjoy the food you do eat.

Happy holidays and be healthy!

Tags: balance, portion control, Thanksgiving