I read your column regularly and have noticed that you offer some really good suggestions to people with all sorts of medical problems. I hope you can offer me some help.

DEAR READER:
Gas can have several causes from the foods we consume to medications to medical conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome. Sometimes as we age, we simply have more gas, as well.

In your brief note, you don’t give an age, any health problems you may have or list any medications (including herbals and OTCs) you may be taking. I can, therefore, only given general advice.

First, is to watch your diet. Beans are notorious for causing gas. But so is broccoli, cucumbers and other vegetables. This doesn’t mean stop eating them, just simply reduce your intake, especially if you are consuming them on a regular basis. Even something as simple as milk and other diary foods could cause a problem for those who are sensitive or who are lactose intolerant. Don’t forget to avoid carbonated beverages.

In my opinion, food allergies are probably a leading cause of gastro-intestinal distress (including gas). They are also, likely to be under-diagnosed. To determine, if this could be the cause of your gas, I suggest you keep a food journal for a month or two. Be sure to record what you eat, when you eat it, how much you have eaten and if your flatulence is worse or better than normal. Once finished with the journal, you should be able to look back and hopefully see a pattern. Then you can start experimenting, by eliminating certain foods from your diet to see if you experience any improvement.

Medication could be another cause. If you are taking any prescriptions, herbals, supplements or over-the-counter drugs, carefully check the side effects. If increased flatulence is listed, you may wish to find an alternative. The pharmacist at your local drug store may also be aware of side effects that may not be listed, especially on OTCs.

If there is no identifiable cause for your gas, you may simply be one of the unfortunate individuals who gets “gassier” with age. There are several remedies for this, however. Products such as Beano can be added directly to food. Chlorophyll tablets, which can be found at most health food stores, can eliminate the odor of your flatulence. Another easy remedy is to simply add baking soda to water and drink. The gas should disappear shortly thereafter.

This tip and others can be found in my follow-up health report “More Compelling Home Remedies”. This report contains many new home remedies for common ailments, such as itchy ears, flatulence, sore throat, poison ivy and more.

To give you related information, I am sending you copies of my Health Reports “Compelling Home Remedies” and my newly written “More Compelling Home Remedies”. Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed, stamped number 10 envelope and $2 per report to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title(s).

I want to avoid Bean-O or other medications to prevent the problem. Please advise me what I can do.

DEAR READER:
Millions of bacteria grow within the colon and certain foods cause those bacteria to thrive. In fact, as much as 90% of intestinal gas is formed by bacteria that feed on certain sugars and carbohydrates.

You apparently have made the connection between diet and gas. Other than fried foods, wheat products, Brussels sprouts, legumes, cabbage, broccoli, asparagus, dairy products, potatoes, carbonated beverages and carrots all play a role. It would be impossible to eliminate everything from your diet, and each individual is different when it comes to gas production. If you consume lots of carbonated beverages, milk products or potatoes, for example, cut back. Moderation might be all that is necessary. It can be an interesting trial-and-error period for you to determining the true culprit(s) for your flatulence.

To give you related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “Digestive Gas”. Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed, stamped, number 10 envelope and $2 to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title.