DO you expel wind from the tail end every now and then, be it silent, noisy or smelly? If you are, then, don’t be ashamed. You are not alone. There are many out there farting.

Everybody passes gas, though, in different level. You and me are simply made that way. It is natural to all of us, for intestinal gas is a normal by-product of digestion. You begin producing it shortly after you’re born and can even continue producing it after you die. But if you have more than your share, it’s a major annoyance you need to solve.To understand where did this bad air come from, lets find out what happened to the foods we ate.

All the foods we ate need to be digested up to its tiniest molecular units in order to enter in the bloodstream. Once food reaches the stomach, all proteins are broken into amino acids, all fats into fatty acids and all carbohydrates (simple and complex) into glucose molecules before being absorbed in the small intestine. When food does not get absorbed into the intestinal wall, it cannot enter the bloodstream. Indigestible food and liquids are sent down to the large intestine as waste for liquid reabsorption.

The large intestine is the home to hundreds of different bacteria growing within it. These bacteria live peacefully and provide certain positive health benefits to the body. Most of the bacteria in the large intestine are harmless and cause no problems. These bacteria rely on the indigestible food we eat for their own nutrition. Though there are also gas former bacteria that thrive from certain foods. They generate gases such as hydrogen and methane. Most of the gases you fart are formed by these bacteria. And when so much air were produce in the intestine, there’s no other resort than to fart it out.

This flatulence, utot in Tagalog or in Bisaya, contains odorless gases, such as nitrogen, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and methane. But it also contains hydrogen sulfide, which causes the smell like rotten eggs, methanethiol, which smells like decomposing vegetables, and dimethyl sulfide, which smells sweet.

How much odor is produced also depends on the food you eat. Vegetarians might fart as often as meat-eaters, but their “serenades” do not smell as much because vegetables produce less hydrogen sulfide. The more sulfur rich the foods you eat, the more your farts will stink because bacteria will generate sulfides and mercaptans as they break down the nutrients.There are many reasons why our farts exceed than normal.

Primary cause is eating more carbohydrates. Of the three nutrients, carbohydrates are the big cause that can produce flatulence because sugar and flour it contents will be easily fermented.

Second is eating hard to digest foods like milk. For example, a cow’s milk is unnatural to the human body, which is why a lot of people are lactose intolerant that means the body does not know how to digest milk, so it sets it aside as waste.

Third is the amount of bacteria living in the large intestines. Each person’s intestinal fauna is composed differently so people do not react similarly to the same foods.

Fourth is chewing and swallowing air. Chewing gum gives people flatulence because it makes them swallow more air than usual. Each time food, liquid, or even saliva is swallowed, a small amount of air is carried to the stomach.

Fifth is intestinal infection. When a person has an intestinal infection, the lining of the intestinal track thins and nutrients, again, get sent to the large intestine without being absorbed.If your married, it might not be grounds for divorce but I’m sure it is a cause for complaint.

If you don’t want to be a lean mean farting machine forever, you can try these 10 easy ways to reduce farting.

1. Start to eat more healthily. Chew your food slowly, eat wholesome food little and often, rather than having large meals in the evening.

2. Change your diet to avoid hard-to-digest foods, like beans, raw onions, and some green vegetables like broccoli, cabbage and wholemeal bread.

3. Avoid eating too late at night. This may make it hard for your digestion to work properly.

4. Avoid sources of sulfur, which increase the risk of foul smelling wind. These include alcohol, preserved meat products, sausages, meat pies, salami and dried fruit that have been dipped in sulphur dioxide and squash.

5. Reduce your meat intake. The high protein content means a high content of amino acids some of which contain sulphur that might be turned into hydrogen sulphide.

6. Limit alcohol to one or two drinks a day. Heavy drinking can upset digestion, while the high sulphur content of wine and beer will often produce offensive smelling wind.

7. Take vitamin B supplements and friendly bacteria lactobacillus acidophilus.

8. Cut back on cigarettes. Smoking heavily can reduce the output of digestive enzymes by the pancreas which means some food may not be fully digested.

9. Eat two or three portions of fresh fruit and vegetables a day. The fibre and sugar content of these foods helps to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in the intestine, which can reduce the production of foul smelling wind.

10. Limit stressful situations, which may affect your digestion.All in all, diet plays a significant role in the production of gas, be it smelly or otherwise. Carbonated beverages are an important source of intestinal gas. So are carbohydrates because they often contain indigestible sugars, starches and fiber. Some of the foods known that contain high complex carbohydrates are eggplant, apple, popcorn, cabbage, nuts, beans, carrots, onions, raisins, cauliflower, peaches, soybean, broccoli, pears, tuna, yams, sweet potato, cheese, cashews, milk products and yeast on bread. Rice is the only starch absorbed almost completely by the small intestine. Because rice starch never reaches the large intestine, gas-producing bacteria don’t break this starch down.

Intestinal gas is rarely a sign or symptom of a serious condition. But you should see your doctor if your gas is persistent or severe, or if it’s associated with vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, unintentional weight loss, or blood in the stool. Excessive gas may be a sign of another digestive disorder such as gastritis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or irritable bowel syndrome.

Intestinal gas can cause discomfort and embarrassment. But like death and taxes, it’s a part of life. It can be delayed, diminished, or directed but not deleted. It is the exhaust fume of digestion, the necessary result of the bowel’s work and a sign of a normally functioning digestive system.

So, don’t fear my smelly friends. There is life after the gas chamber.

Tags: causes of farting, fart, farting, gas producing foods