The 7 Best Natural Remedies for Gas & Bloating!
How often has this been you…
You’re standing in the supplement aisle of the health food store, eyes flickering from product to product. Your belly is gurgling and your pants feel too tight. You just want to get on with your day but all this gas and bloating is really putting a damper on things. You just want something to help you feel better! And how can there possibly be this many options in the digestion section?!
The above scenario also happens at home on the computer. You feel lousy and you’re going down the online rabbit hole – trying to figure out what’s going on with you and what you can order to help…
I’ve been there!
With so many health supplements out there, and so many different opinions in this day and age, it can be hard to know which products to choose for relief…
Even as a doctor, I still sometimes find myself staring blankly at the wall of supplements at my clinic - scanning labels, picking up bottles and putting them back down…occasionally throwing up my hands and walking away until I have time to think it through more.
Add feeling gassy and bloated to the picture and this doesn't add up to a relief-giving shopping excursion!
Fortunately, I’ve spent years studying and prescribing supplements to relieve gas and bloating, and now I’m going to break down the 7 best over-the-counter natural remedies for gas!
Keep in mind that works for you may be different than what works for your friend. That’s because gas can be caused by many different things! So rather than just giving you a list, I’ve also got some info on each product type. That way you can learn more and choose what’s right for you.
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Alrighty, here we go!...
#1 Peppermint
I love the smell of this herb when it’s fresh! Peppermint is not only refreshing and cooling, it reduces gas and bloating when they’re happening. It also relaxes muscles so it can help with cramping types of pains!
You can get it in capsule, tincture or tea form. It’s everywhere and cheap and a great option when you are feeling gurgly.
But there is one exception to peppermint’s wonderfulness…
It can make heartburn worse!
Weird, huh? Well, remember how relaxing we just said it was? It can actually make part of the digestive tract so relaxed that it lets acid come up when it shouldn’t…
So if you suffer from frequent heartburn or reflux, go easy with this one.
I myself learned this the hard way! ☹
#2 Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)
This is one that could help in the moment but usually works better ahead of time…
Take a tiny sip before meals (get ready to salivate!) and you’ll get your digestive juices flowing! When we digest our food better, we make less gas.
Give it a shot. You an even carry it with you in a little dropper bottle for when you’re eating out!
(Bonus info for heartburn sufferers: If this makes your heartburn worse you may have high stomach acid. Talk to your doctor about this.)
(And avoid if you have an active peptic ulcer.)
#3 Probiotics
Oh wow, are these critters making a name for themselves these days!
Probiotics are good bacteria that live in your gut and help keep you healthy. They are being studied like crazy these days, and are believed to have a role in everything from immune system to mental health!
We’ve already got lots of them inside of us, but because of things like poor diet, stress and antibiotics, a lot of us don’t have enough of the good ones compared to the bad bacteria. And when the bad ones take over then we get lots of digestive issues like gas and bloating. Eek.
FYI, you’ll want to take these daily to get the benefit.
#4 Lactase Enzyme
If you eat dairy, this could be the one for you!
LACTASE is the name of the enzyme in our body that breaks down LACTOSE – which is the sugar in milk. A lot of adults don’t have much lactase anymore and so milk products are not well digested – this is called lactose intolerance…
And, sadly, it makes all this yummy cheese a bit of an issue!
Lactose intolerance is so common that it’s always one of the first things I look at when someone complains of gas and bloating!
If you eat dairy and you’re not 100% certain that you don’t have any problem with it, then try taking lactase with all your dairy products – that means milk, cheese, yoghurt, butter, cream and ice cream…
If it helps then you are probably lactose intolerant!
Or another less popular option…
…You can give up all dairy products for 2 weeks and see how you feel! I know this sounds dreadful to a lot of us, but if you end up feeling remarkably better it might be the motivation you need to reduce your dairy intake…
You can treat it as an experiment and decide what to do with it later! Let me know how it goes!
#5 Digestive Enzymes
This one is kind-of like Apple Cider Vinegar on steroids. Whereas ACV stimulates your digestive juices (containing enzymes which break down food), DIGESTIVE ENZYMES actually give you extra of what your body naturally makes.
These are especially helpful with big or complex meals with lots of different types of foods…
You take them with your meal and digestion sails along more smoothly!
Ideally your body would make enough of what you need without you having to supplement these things…
So before you decide to use these long-term, check with your doctor to see if there’s a reason your body’s low on these digestive enzymes…
#6 Ginger
This is a sweet and spicy root that is so yummy! And it can be really helpful to improve digestion and keep your intestines moving – all of which equals less gas and bloating.
Take it with food… take it after food…
Just take it!
Like peppermint, you can get this is lots of different forms…
Tea, tincture, capsules, chews…
If you’re really brave just gnaw on a piece of raw root!
Bonus info: Ginger is THE BEST HERB for NAUSEA!
#7 Activated Charcoal
This is one that you get in capsule form – please do not try getting it from your charcoal grill!
Activated charcoal is a substance that traps chemicals and toxins and moves them out of your body, thereby eliminating gas!
This is one that you want to take away from food and medications so it doesn’t bind up and remove things you want your body to absorb!
Now you’ve got some solid info on the best products to buy to start getting relief today. You’re on the path to healthy digestion! ☺
If you find that nothing above is really helping, then you may have something more stubborn going on, like a food sensitivity or a bacterial overgrowth that needs to be treated…
Always consult with your doctor whenever you're not feeling well! If you like the natural, simple approach, consider a health consult with me.