Ayurvedic Tips and Remedies to Avoid Bloating

Bloating has become a generational problem. It is a feeling of fullness or tightness in the abdomen, often accompanied by abdominal pain and discomfort. Occasional bloating or gas is normal, but when it becomes persistent, it is a sign of digestive imbalance and requires special health care.  

A significant amount of gas entering the stomach and small bowel can lead to bloating and flatulence.   

Ayurveda is the gatekeeper of good health and a metaphor for all metabolic functions in the body. According to Ayurveda, Vata aggravating factors such as improper diet and lifestyle (Vata Prakopaka Aahara and vihara) cause an abnormal state of digestive fire (Aagnidushti) and disrupt the function of the stomach and intestines. Leading to impaired digestion and flatulence (Adhmana).  

According to a study, people experience flatulence between 8 to 14 times a day. Let's find out the reasons behind flatulence.  

What causes flatulence?   

1. Swallowing Air  

It is natural to normally swallow a small amount of air during eating and drinking. But frequent swallowing of more air leads to flatulence and may also cause burping.   

Eating chewing gum, smoking, drinking carbonated beverages, and eating or drinking too quickly lead to flatulence.  

2. Dietary choices  

Your food choices matter the most. Carbohydrates, for example, cause gas, whereas proteins and fats tend to cause less gas.   

Some foods like beans, cabbage, broccoli, dairy products, peas, potatoes, and processed foods can cause flatulence.  

3. Constipation 

Constipation also leads to frequent flatulence. As waste sits in the colon, it ferments and releases extra gas. If the person has constipation, the waste may be in the body for much longer than usual, causing excess gas to build up.  

4. Overeating   

Overeating strains the digestive system, causing flatulence and bloating. Overconsumption of spicy, fatty foods, carbonated drinks like soda, and food like beans, certain vegetables, and whole grains may also cause flatulence.   

5. Underlying conditions   

Sometimes you don't consume many carbohydrates or sugars, and you don't swallow excessive air. Excessive flatulence may be caused due to temporary or chronic digestive problems like gastroenteritis, lactose intolerance, GERD, eating disorders, or even diabetes.   

6. Menstruation   

Flatulence before the period and during is usually caused by hormone fluctuation. The higher estrogen level causes gas, constipation, and trapped gas and air in the intestinal tract.  

Other causes may include medical conditions such as:  

• Infection
• Inflammation (e.g., diverticulitis)
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
• Liver disease (abnormal fluid collections in the stomach or pelvis)
• Blockage of the bowel or bladder
• Cancer (ovarian, uterine, colon, pancreatic, or stomach cancer)
• Psychological factors such as anxiety or depression
• Some medications

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The best advice to balance digestive fire (Aagnidushti) is- 

• Eat only when hungry.
• Keep a gap of at least three hours between meals so the previous meal is digested.
• Avoid smothering aagni with wet, cold, spicy, oily, and fried foods.

What is Bloating according to Ayurveda? 

Flatulence with bloating (Adhmana) is purely a Vata condition. Vata can be aggravated due to improper dietary habits, stress, sleep disturbances, inadequate daily or seasonal regimen, and forcible suppression of natural urges aggravates Vata Dosha.  

When Vata is aggravated, it causes impurities like gas and fecal matter, resulting in flatulence (Adhmana).   

Also, the corruption of Samana Vata impurity causes gastric and intestinal dysfunction, resulting in impaired digestion, flatulence, and gas.  

Natural Remedies to Eliminate Gas and Bloating  

1. Follow a Vata-soothing diet-   

Since Vata will always play some role in causing gas and bloating, it is advisable to follow a relatively strict Vata-balancing regime during treatment. While there are many rules for a Vata-soothing diet, here are some of the essential Vata-reducing diet rules one needs to follow:  

1. Avoid all raw, cold, dry, and harsh foods are it raw vegetables, cold juices, smoothies, salads, crackers, dry cereals or granola (especially with cold milk), popcorn, dry toast, frozen foods, hard foods, and iced or cold drinks.
2. Eat warm, well-cooked meals with lots of warming spices (ginger, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, etc.) and healthy oils.
3. Drink hot water between meals.
4. Avoid heavy, hard-to-digest proteins like meat and a few beans. Chicken, fish, and beans (soaked mung beans and red lentils) are consumable.
5. Avoid processed, canned, and refined foods (basmati rice is good, though!).
6. Nuts can be difficult to digest during certain times of high Vata and should be eaten in moderation or omitted if needed.

2- Short walk after meals-   

Taking a walk after eating is an excellent way to help the digestive process, as it provides movement in the GI tract and relieves stress and tension in the body (which is also important for good digestion). On the contrary, sitting or lying down or being sedentary after eating will certainly hinder digestion as a movement in the GI tract will be inhibited, leading to stagnation and blocked ducts.   

Make it a daily goal to walk at least 10 mins after every meal. If you are time restricted, it is recommended to after every large meal or after eating heavy food after dinner.   

3- Drink Ajwain and Fennel Tea before or between each meal-

Ajwain is one of the most potent herbs to expel and prevent excessive air in the digestive system and correct Vata flow. It accelerates metabolism and helps in reducing sudden indigestion and acidity.   

Fennel is also an essential Ayurvedic spice for treating digestive problems and strengthening digestive fire. It is packed with antibacterial properties.   

 Drinking ajwain and fennel tea in between meals strengthens and reduces air in the digestive system, expels toxins, and prevents digestive issues such as gas and bloating.   

Ajwain and fennel seed works as the best ayurvedic medicine for gas one can intake  

How to make   

Boil 4 cups of water and add 1 tablespoon of fennel seed and 2 teaspoons of ajwain seed. Simmer it on low heat until only 2 cups are left. Strain into a cup and drink one cup of tea between breakfast and lunch. And the other cup between lunch and dinner.  

Drink another cup an hour after the evening meal for excessive gas and bloating.   

**For a bonus, add 1 teaspoon of freshly grated ginger to the brew.  

4- Avoid wrong food combinations-

Food is vital in building healthy metabolism or causing extreme digestive issues. Certain foods that may be healthy on their own may cause an extreme digestive problem when combined with other foods incompatible with digestion. Wrong food combinations are high on the list of most common causes of gas and bloating.   

One of the most important examples is fruit. It should always be eaten alone. Fruits digest quickly and move from the stomach to the colon within 30-60 minutes. However, when mixed with other foods, the transit time is extended, and the fruit remains in the stomach and small intestine for much longer than it should. This, in turn, leads to fermentation in the intestines, and, thus, flatulence and bloating occur.  

Foods like grains and animal protein are incompatible. They both require different enzymes to be broken down.   

When wrong food combinations are ingested regularly, it weakens the digestive fire, causing toxicity and blockages in the system and perpetuating the cycle of gas and bloating.  

Also read: Ayurvedic Ways to Improve Digestive Health  

Ayurveda is a lifestyle with a solution to all your problems. Although you may have been suffering from digestive tract issues for a long time, it is possible to achieve lasting relief with proper treatment, forbearance, and patience.  

Some of the ayurvedic medicines for gas and bloating that can be taken with proper regime treatment are:  

Gasonil Syrup  

Hingwastaka churna  

Avipattikar churna  

Sutshekhar ras  

Note– It is advisable to consult an ayurvedic consultant before starting with any ayurvedic medication to avoid inappropriate dosage consumption.   

Conclusion  

You cannot cure digestive issues in a day; it requires a consistent diet regime, lifestyle, and herbal remedies for a noticeable sign or to resolve gas and bloating completely. Although you may have been suffering from these ailments for a long time, it is possible to achieve lasting relief with proper treatment, forbearance, and patience. If the condition is severe, please avoid self-diagnosis and treatment without proper guidance.   

If you are suffering from major digestive problems, it is advised to book an Ayurvedic consultation with our experienced Ayurveda doctors, specialists in their field of work. HealthyBazar offers a holistic cure to lifestyle tips and multiple ayurvedic products according to your personal needs.