The feeling of discomfort and heaviness in the stomach may be due to the following reasons:
1. Aerophagia
We often swallow air without realizing it while eating or drinking water. Eating too quickly, talking while eating, drinking drinks through a straw, and chewing gum can cause excess air to enter the stomach.
2. Foods that are difficult to digest
Gas is produced when some foods are not completely digested in the small intestine and are broken down by bacteria in the large intestine.
Example: nuts, peas, tubers (potatoes, yams), and flour dishes.
3. Carbonated drinks
When you drink soda and other soft drinks, the carbon dioxide contained in them directly reaches the stomach. This increases gas and bloating.
4. Lactose Intolerance
Some people do not have the ‘lactase’ enzyme needed to digest milk or dairy products. In such people, drinking milk can cause gas in the stomach and diarrhea.
5. Constipation
When waste accumulates in the large intestine, gas cannot pass out smoothly. This causes air to accumulate in the stomach and severe abdominal pain.
6. Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)
A change in the amount of good bacteria in the intestine or an overgrowth of bad bacteria causes food to ferment quickly (fermentation) and produce gas.
3 simple ways to reduce gas:
Jeer water: Drinking lukewarm cumin water after meals can facilitate digestion.
Chew food well: Chewing food slowly will prevent air from entering the intestines.
Ginger tea: Ginger has the ability to stimulate digestive juices, which can help reduce gas.
