Q: Hi Dr. Ketch…I really need your help on this. I have suffered from haemorroids for almost 9 months. They come and disappear after sometimes. So recently, I have been having excess gas and farts of more than 20 times a day and it’s even worse during the night. It’s so embarrassing for me especially when I am sharing a bed with someone who doesn’t really understand my condition. Some people can even term it as lack of manners or control. How can I reduce the flatulence and live a normal life again? I am looking forward to your response. Thanks in advance. Merry Christmas and a happy new year.

A: Thanks for writing in and I trust you had a merry Christmas too J Here’s wishing you and the rest of my ‘Healthy Living with Dr. Ketch’ family a happy new year in advance. There are still a couple of hours left of 2018. Make them count even while you’re already making plans for 2019 😀

‘Excess gas’ is produced in the body when we swallow it or when our body produces it as a result of what we have eaten. This is usually caused by the twin factors of what you have eaten and how you chose to eat it.

For what you have eaten, easy culprits are rich, fatty foods, beans, dairy (especially in lactose intolerant people), high fibre foods (if lots of water is not taken afterwards) etc.
How can the way you eat cause you a problem?

If you tend to over-eat or rush your food (eat it very fast or like a friend of mine would say, ‘inhale’ it :D), then you are a target for bloating (that feeling of being swollen with gas). The reason is that you eat so fast that you don’t give enough time for signals to travel to your brain from the stomach confirming that you are full. By the time that signal arrives, you are all stuffed up and bloated to boot! Note that it may take up to 20 minutes for those signals that confirm fullness to get to the brain…sounds like a long journey 😀

Other causes of bloating are swallowed air (which can happen when we eat too fast or drink too fast) and smoking.

Prevention?
This is really simple: Reduce portion sizes, limit your intake of fats, eat slowly, quit smoking and limit your intake of foods that cause this, if all else fails.

If your bloating is caused by swallowed air, avoid carbonated drinks (most soft drinks fall into this category), don’t drink with straws (at least on a regular basis) avoid chewing chord…oh, sorry! 😀 I meant to say, avoid chewing gum and stay off your candies that you suck so hard and suck in quite a bit of air too!

Remember that if this ‘gassiness’ continues ‘regularly, you should see your doctor to be sure this is not the symptom of something else.

For tips on what to do about haemorrhoids, please click on this link: https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/03/12/daily-health-tips-help-please-i-have-chronic-piles-haemorrhoids/

Have a great day! 😀