V. Vemuri, Pleasanton, CA
Am I still going to be read after this? "Passing gas" is certainly embarrassing; it is an uncomfortable subject. Having the courage to talk about it is not a laughing matter either.
An average person produces 7 to 11 quarts of gas a day, mostly in the large intestines. Most of this is reabsorbed; but some of this escapes, or passes, about 14 times a day. One may succeed in silencing it, but it is hard to bring it into total submission. Doctors call this flatulence. Just as the body finds it necessary to eliminate solid and liquid waste products, it is also forced to expel gas, one way or another. If the gas escapes from the mouth, we call it belching. If infants belch, it is burping. In some societies, belching after a meal is taken by the host as a compliment. In a belch, we expel air swallowed while eating. If a sour after taste in the mouth follows a belch, it is a symptom of indigestion. It also means we are expelling gases formed in the stomach, not swallowed air. In the west, escape of gas from either end of the alimentary canal is a faux pas.
Gas is always formed as a result of incomplete digestion. Food must be broken down into simple sugars and amino acids to be efficiently absorbed by the body. Complex sugars found in certain foods, however, resist this process, perhaps because the enzyme that does this work is either weak or the person does not produce this enzyme. These complex sugars pass intact through the stomach and small intestine and enter the bowels where they settle and ferment. This produces carbon dioxide by a process not too unlike the one that produces bubbles in champagne.
High-fiber foods like cabbage, whole-wheat bread, broccoli, and beans have been cited as the culprits in producing gas. The very same foods are touted for their beneficial role in preventing cancer. It looks like the choice is between flatulence and cancer! Not all foods produce gas in all people, except, of course, the champion -- beans! Gaseous distention can also be caused by lactose intolerance; people who lack the enzyme called lactase, which breaks down the complex milk sugar lactose, often find themselves passing large amounts of gas after drinking milk. Among others, greasy fried foods, and pulses have received their share of blame. In Andhra, a spicy powder made from lightly fried toor dal carries the picturesque nickname, Gunpowder. If gas continues to give a problem, then it is a good idea to try an elimination process to identify the culprit. Improved bowel habits may also help. Some people find that taking Charcocaps, charcoal capsules, are useful because charcoal helps in absorbing gases. But they may absorb any medications you may be taking. Ladies, be careful with Charcocaps if you are on the pill; gas, perhaps, is better than unwanted children!
Flatulence rarely needs the attention of a doctor. I remember a childhood story where the personifications of this "ghastly gas," which we shall call the Silent Killer, and a beautiful Jasmine Bud competed for the favor of a king. The vain king favored Jasmine. The Silent Killer was furious. Constipation attacked the king. The rest of the story is well known until the king came down to his knees.