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 | | FIGHTING THE GASSY EFFECTS OF GOOD EATING, FROM THE HARVARD HEALTH LETTER | | | Harvard Health Publications | | 02/10/2007 | | | Flatulence isn't much fun for the person having it - or those nearby. The October 2007 issue of the Harvard Health Letter lists tips for dealing with intestinal gas. For example:
-- Slow down your eating: A little bit of air goes down with everything you swallow. To reduce the amount of air, eat and drink slowly and chew food thoroughly. -- Avoid airy drinks and foods: Air also gets into the gut if it's incorporated into food and drinks like beer, soda, or sponge cake. -- Don't smoke: Some air gets swallowed when people smoke. Perhaps flatulence should be added to the list of ill consequences of smoking. -- Shun sulfur: The bad smell of flatus comes from gases that contain sulfur. Putting less sulfur into your system can reduce the amount that comes out. Avoid sulfur-rich foods like eggs, meat, and cauliflower. -- Cook those beans: When colon bacteria feed on the sugars in beans, they produce a gas by-product. You can reduce beans' gas potential by boiling them briefly, letting them sit, and then cooking them again in fresh water--or just by cooking them longer. -- Consider Beano: A study found that high doses of the over-the-counter product Beano reduced flatulence, but a normal dose did not produce statistically significant results. -- Go low on high-fructose corn syrup: Foods containing this sweetener can cause bloating and flatulence in people whose small intestines can't absorb large amounts of fructose. -- Adjust the ecosystem: Too few or too much of particular bacterial species in the intestines can produce excessive flatulence. Talk to your doctor about probiotics; in certain cases, an antibiotic might be worth considering.
Also in this issue:
-- Making prescription bottles clearer -- Radon in homes -- Cranberry juice and warfarin -- Selenium, diabetes link -- Sugarless gum sweeteners -- By the way, doctor: Snoring solutions
The Harvard Health Letter is available from Harvard Health Publications, the publishing division of Harvard Medical School, for $28 per year. Subscribe at http://www.health.harvard.edu/health or by calling 1-877-649-9457 (toll free).
Media: Contact Christine Junge at Christine_Junge@hms.harvard.edu for a complimentary copy of the newsletter, or to receive our press releases directly.
SOURCE Harvard Health Publications | |
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