Gas (Flatulence): Watch Out! You Don’t Want to get too Close to Me

​Jeremiah 30:6 – Can a man bear children? Then why do I see every strong man with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor, every face turned deathly pale?

You know how it goes (no pun intended), I have a bowl of chili beans and then watch out! You don’t want to get too close to me.
 
Gas and cramping. Not exactly what you would think would be a good idea for a blog. But it is. For those who struggle with it every day no matter what foods they cut out of our diet, it’s embarrassing. It’s okay if you pass gas at home, but what happens when the pressure inside boils up while you’re in the car with someone. Quick! Roll down those windows.
 
Or maybe you’re sitting in church enjoying the singing and the pressure builds up and you make a mad dash, but that old lady with her walker gets in your way and you don’t make it to the bathroom in time. And then the gas makes such a loud noise that all eyes are on you as you turn six shades of red.
 
But gas (flatulence) is not a laughing matter. If you’re like me the cramps and air buildup inside your abdomen can make you keel over.
 
What’s a person to do? Well, there are some things that can help you avoid that embarrassing, painful gas.
 
First of all, learn the foods that cause the most gas. Here’s a list of a few of them from webmd.com, in their article, “Secrets to Gas Control,” beans and lentils, broccoli, cabbage, lactose, fruits, oat bran, peas, corn, pasta and potatoes. For the complete list, read the article. Also, the article has some ideas on what else other than not eating the foods listed you can do to help you with gas. There’s two simple steps you can take.

1. Keep a food diary and write down the foods that cause you gas look back over the past few hours at what you’ve been eating.
2. Experiment, one by one, with foods you suspect and see if you can further pinpoint your problem foods. Keep trying different foods on different days.

 
These two steps may help you when choosing foods to avoid and those that are safe for you. In addition, try supplements that help break down the gas that certain foods contain, avoid swallowing air from chewing gum or drinking carbonated drinks, exercise and see your doctor if you think it might be serious.
 
Even in Bible times people had problems with their stomachs even as bad as feeling like you’re in labor. Life is full of difficult foods and situations that can trigger a series of gas attacks. It may be embarrassing but it’s important to not try to hold the gas in your stomach, but safely let it pass. Everyone gets gas. No one is going to think less of you if you accidentally pass gas in public. Just say, “Excuse me,” and keep walking. God knows how you are made. He will help you learn what triggers gas for you so that people will still want you around. True friends can look past a few episodes of passing gas.

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