Remedy for Trapped Intestinal Gas

Intestinal gas is a common and generally harmless affliction that can be caused by eating high-fiber foods or cruciferous vegetables, drinking carbonated beverages, inhaling too much air when eating, or eating while in a state of agitation. Though certainly not life-threatening, it can become extremely painful, not to mention embarrassing. If you don’t have an over-the-counter remedy on hand, relax. The cure may be as close as your kitchen cupboard.

Peppermint or Chamomile Tea

Chamomile oil works to alleviate gas pain, specifically by relieving inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, and by relaxing the mucous membrane of the digestive tract. Additionally, the flavonoids in chamomile can prevent gas from occurring in the first place, though it also alleviates gas bloating and pain that has already occurred.

The essential oil found in peppermint contains menthol, an organic compound that prevents spasming of the digestive tract smooth muscles.

Both peppermint and chamomile are generally taken as teas. Fresh peppermint and chamomile herbs can be used for steeping tea, simply by cutting them into strips, placing them in a pan of water to boil, and straining the tea into a cup.

Fennel Seed

When leaving a restaurant that serves spicy foods, take notice of whether the establishment serves fennel seeds in a dish by the exit. It’s not just there for patrons’ breath.

The seed that gives licorice its flavor, fennel is loaded with the aromatic compounds anethol and fenchone. Anethol and fenchone help reduce spasms in the intestinal tract muscles. The essential oils in fennel seeds may also work as a mild pain reliever and possible anti-microbial agent.

Ginger

Ginger is most commonly known as an effective herbal treatment for nausea, but it’s also an effective remedy for intestinal gas bloating. Like peppermint and chamomile, ginger is considered a carminative, a substance that prevents the formation of internal gas, and promotes its expulsion. It’s also excellent for stimulating a lagging digestive process, particularly after overstuffing oneself with a large meal, though the natural heat it produces after consumption may not be appreciated by those with delicate systems.

The fastest way to get ginger into your system is in liquid form; mince some fresh ginger root into a cup of boiling water with the fine grating end of a cheese grater, add lemon juice and honey to taste, and stir.