Who Farted?

For the past eight weeks I have worked hard to improve my diet. Changes include:

• Whole grain bread/pasta/tortillas
• Brown rice/long grain wild rice
• Salads daily
• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• More protein from beans and eggs
• Less processed foods

Good news: I've lost 13 pounds and my fasting blood glucose levels are between 95 and 115.

Bad news: GAS!

Apparently, this is a common problem. In fact, if you Google "healthy foods and gas" you get several pages of articles. I'm not going to delve into what causes gas -- it's pretty much everything that I'm supposed to be eating. Nor am I going to go into the why. What's important to me right now is what can I do about it? I'm not going back to my old ways, but I don't want to be a walking whoopie cushion either. Here are a few of the tips that I found:

• Give the gut time to adjust. Often the body will get used to the added fiber and cruciferous vegetables.
• Increase fiber slowly. At the same time, increase water consumption. Drinking more water can help decrease the effects of both gas and constipation.
• Rinse beans. Whether soaking overnight or opening a can, rinse those beans before cooking. The liquid the beans are in will contain much of the gas producing carbohydrate.
• Chew slowly and thoroughly. Added air can cause belching, farting and bloating. On the same note, sip water not gulp it.
• Beware of sugar free options. Lower calorie sugar alcohols like sorbitol and xylitol can produce a lot of gas. Who knew?
• Drink peppermint tea. Peppermint tea can naturally enhance digestion and relax intestinal muscles. However, beware of sweeteners. I don't like it strait. Usually I'll add Splenda (to avoid using sugar) but after what I discovered above . . .
• Look into probiotics. Adding helpful bacteria to the gut can ease digestion and reduce gas. Apparently not all probiotics are the same, and some can make it worse, so experimenting is recommended.
• Use over-the counter-medications. Things like Beano and Gas-X can help. Keep them in the medicine cabinet or purse to use as needed.

So, I'm going to go through the list and see if I can stop this flatulence fest. Until then, I suggest everybody stay clear.

What I feel like right now!