The most common cause of intestinal flatulence is chemical reactions that occur after eating certain foods.Likely culprits are foods which contain indigestible carbohydrates such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts. Cabbage, cauliflower, onions and beans. In some people milk or milk products induce wind or bloating due to lactose intolerance. Excessive flatulence can be due to disorders that hinder normal digestion such as coeliac disease. Stress can also interfere with digestive processes resulting in incompletely digested food passing into the large intestine. Air swallowed at times of stress can also pass down the gut and cause flatulence.

What you can do?

ü       Avoid carbonated drinks or products containing the sweeteners sorbitol and xylitol found in many commercial products.

ü       Chew food thoroughly. Large lumps of food can cause wind when they pass into the large intestine without being completely digested.

ü       Eat slowly. If you eat too quickly, you tend to swallow more air.

ü       Soak beans before cooking; this removes some indigestible sugars. Discard the soaking water and cook the beans in fresh water.

ü       Try probiotics such as acidophilus and biphidus which keep in check the growth of gas-producing bacteria in the gut.Fructo-oligosaccharides also promote the growth of friendly bacteria.

ü       Activated charcoal may be worth a try which can absorb the gas in the intestine and reduce the accompanying odour.

ü       If you think it may be lactose intolerance try giving up dairy products for a few days to see if the condition improves.

ü       Herbs that can help include, ginger, peppermint, caraway seed, fennel and aniseed which have carminative properties which means that they can improve the coordination of the digestive processes and so less gassy fermentation occurs in the large bowel. Herbs such as wormwood, gentian and artichoke have bitter properties and work by stimulating the secretion of digestive juices. These are best taken about half an hour before meals.

I should see your doctor if the flatulence is accompanied by stomach pain that persists for several days or you are also losing weight for no apparent reason.