Gas production happens in two areas of the digestive system. The first organ where gas is produced is the stomach. Here, gas production occurs due to the chemical reaction of acid, organic material, and alkaline substances. This gas escapes from the stomach through the esophagus and finally through the mouth, resulting in the familiar process called belching. The other organ where gas is produced is the small intestine – the last stage of food breakdown and absorption. Gas can build up here as well, and the only place from which it can escape is from the rectum causing flatulence. When gas is trapped for an excessively long time in the intestinal tract, the condition is called bloating.
The human digestive system is not a completely efficient machine and there are some types of food that cannot be broken down by the enzymes of the digestive system. This is especially true of foods that contain cellulose and polysaccharides. Therefore, just like herbivores, our gut requisitions the help of bacteria to break these down into simple sugars for absorption. There are many types of bacteria in the small intestine and colon. These specialize in processing certain types of food but the balance of colonies in the gut can be disturbed due to external pressures or even the use of heavy antibiotics. When this happens, some of the bacteria can be wiped out and any remaining strains will repopulate the gut. If these are not the correct bacteria to act on the food, the bacteria will cause a build up of gas on breaking down the food. Even without a wipeout of bacterial colonies this can occur. This is sometimes felt when you eat beans. Beans are rich in a carbohydrate structure called polysaccharides. These are very complex sugars and the body requires the intestinal flora to break them down. Unfortunately, a by-product of the reaction is gas. There are some other conditions that will cause intestinal disruptions like lactose intolerance, irritable bowel syndrome, food allergies, menstruation and menstrual cramps, PCOD, and a host of other diseases.
Treating a build up of gas requires that you first start chewing your food properly. This will avoid a bolus of food passing intact through into the intestines. Have some probiotic yoghurt every morning to ensure the correct bacterial populations in the stomach. Do not eat very spicy foods if there is a distinct connection between this and your occurrences of gas. Gas can also be the result of excessive antibiotic use. In this case, there is little that you can do except finish your course and tank up on probiotic yogurt after. You should also fast for a day to clear your intestinal tract completely.