I thought I'd post this since it has greatly reduced my gas. What I did is I started eating 3 or 4 meals a day with absolutely NO snacking. I also tended to eat pretty slow, and now I eat each meal in under 15 minutes. I'm not sure yet if the eating quicker or no snacks is reducing the gas, or both (two variables, oh well). I'd guess it's mostly the fact that I stopped eating a lot of snacks. I believe this also helps restore the gastrocolic reflex somewhat. I think IBS people tend to have an over-reaction of this reflex. I think that snacks probably cause problems just by constantly triggering it. By eating only 3 or 4 meals, my guess is you reduce these. Just a theory.As for the gas reduction, I really have no idea why not eating snacks would produce such a big change in gas production. I've also made sure during this "experiment" that I was eating at least as much as I usually do, and eating gas producing foods (in fact I probably am eating more now). I've gone from around 50 farts a day to around 20 most days. Maybe the gastrocolic reflex also brings things out of the small intestine quicker (less enzyme breakdown, hence more gas)? I don't know. Could also be that meals stimulate more enzyme production, therefore the food gets broken down better. Anyway, if you have a lot of gas you might want to try this since there ain't much to it. [This message has been edited by Ugh (edited 07-08-2001).]
Something that has reduced my gas
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I would agree with you that the gas reduction has atleast partially to do with the gastrocolic reflex because if I eat, I have gas within an hour of eating.( I used to think it had to do with the food I had just eaten until I came to this BB and discovered it was the gastrocolic reflex). So reducing the number of times I eat will reduce the number of times I pass gas. I too discovered this by accident. But what do you mean when you say
. Do you no longer have the gastrocolic reflex after eating meals. Cos I have been pretty disciplined about eating 2-3 meals a day for over a year and I still invariably get gas after a meal.The other thing about gastrocolic response is even drinks can trigger it. I know for sure milk triggers it. So it might be necessary to cut down on drinks too. However maybe only certain drinks trigger the reflex . I don't know. [This message has been edited by bonniei (edited 07-08-2001).]
I would agree with you that the gas reduction has atleast partially to do with the gastrocolic reflex because if I eat, I have gas within an hour of eating.( I used to think it had to do with the food I had just eaten until I came to this BB and discovered it was the gastrocolic reflex). So reducing the number of times I eat will reduce the number of times I pass gas. I too discovered this by accident. But what do you mean when you say
. Do you no longer have the gastrocolic reflex after eating meals. Cos I have been pretty disciplined about eating 2-3 meals a day for over a year and I still invariably get gas after a meal.The other thing about gastrocolic response is even drinks can trigger it. I know for sure milk triggers it. So it might be necessary to cut down on drinks too. However maybe only certain drinks trigger the reflex . I don't know. [This message has been edited by bonniei (edited 07-08-2001).]
KateyKat:Gastrocolic refers to the fact that, when the stomach fills (as in during a meal), it stimulates peristalsis (progressive wavelike movement that occurs involuntarily in the alimentary canal). That means that your gut moves faster after you eat a meal.echris[This message has been edited by echris (edited 07-08-2001).]
KateyKat:Gastrocolic refers to the fact that, when the stomach fills (as in during a meal), it stimulates peristalsis (progressive wavelike movement that occurs involuntarily in the alimentary canal). That means that your gut moves faster after you eat a meal.echris[This message has been edited by echris (edited 07-08-2001).]
Bonniei, I didn't mean to say I think I have less gas now because of the gastrocolic reflex. I don't know if it affects the small intestine, so that was just me wondering out loud. I don't believe that I have less gas as a result of less gastrocolic reflexes. What I mean is I don't think less peristalsis in the colon and so less gas is pushed out is why I have less gas. I know some gas can be absorbed if it isn't expelled, but I don't think the difference in my case could be by absorbtion alone. My best guess is that it has something to do with the amount of enzymes released (less when eating a snack?), but I really don't know.As or the restoration of the reflex...what I mean is I usually don't have the normal defecation part of the reflex after a meal. It seems like not eating snacks has increased that part of the reflex when in fact I do eat. Again, this is just my feeling. The only thing I can be certian of is that it has reduced my gas greatly. Jenifer7, I've tested negative for lactose intolerance. I should mention that I only drink water between meals, which may or may not affect it, but I would think it would with milk. As for milk being a food or a drink... I'm not sure why the semantics matter, since I'm treating anything that isn't water as something that has to be eaten with the 3 meals. [This message has been edited by Ugh (edited 07-09-2001).]
Bonniei, I didn't mean to say I think I have less gas now because of the gastrocolic reflex. I don't know if it affects the small intestine, so that was just me wondering out loud. I don't believe that I have less gas as a result of less gastrocolic reflexes. What I mean is I don't think less peristalsis in the colon and so less gas is pushed out is why I have less gas. I know some gas can be absorbed if it isn't expelled, but I don't think the difference in my case could be by absorbtion alone. My best guess is that it has something to do with the amount of enzymes released (less when eating a snack?), but I really don't know.As or the restoration of the reflex...what I mean is I usually don't have the normal defecation part of the reflex after a meal. It seems like not eating snacks has increased that part of the reflex when in fact I do eat. Again, this is just my feeling. The only thing I can be certian of is that it has reduced my gas greatly. Jenifer7, I've tested negative for lactose intolerance. I should mention that I only drink water between meals, which may or may not affect it, but I would think it would with milk. As for milk being a food or a drink... I'm not sure why the semantics matter, since I'm treating anything that isn't water as something that has to be eaten with the 3 meals. [This message has been edited by Ugh (edited 07-09-2001).]
That is what I thought you meant. Sorry
Usualy a snack will have only one or two of the different food groups enzymes work on so I would guess there would be fewer enzymes when a snack is eaten according to the fewer food groups. But I don't see why that would make a difference as enzymes are released as are appropriate.I am surprised eating food faster has also helped in reducing gas as you give less of a chance for the enzymes of the mouth to work on the food. Anyways congrats for succeeding in reducing your gas!
That is what I thought you meant. Sorry
Usualy a snack will have only one or two of the different food groups enzymes work on so I would guess there would be fewer enzymes when a snack is eaten according to the fewer food groups. But I don't see why that would make a difference as enzymes are released as are appropriate.I am surprised eating food faster has also helped in reducing gas as you give less of a chance for the enzymes of the mouth to work on the food. Anyways congrats for succeeding in reducing your gas!
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What you were eating for snacks may also play a role.Often snackfoods are either starchy or sweet and starches tend to increase gas production. I don't know if they would caue more problems (but they might) if you eat them alone vs as part of a meal. Sometimes some things are more bothersom when eaten by themselves. For starch foods that are "high glycemic index" foods (they promote a particular insulin reaction in the blood) they are tested when eaten by themselves, but when eaten as part of meal the changes in insulin are generally not as big.K.------------------I have no financial, academic, or any other stake in any commercial product mentioned by me.My story and what worked for me in greatly easing my IBS: http://www.ibsgroup.org/ubb/Forum17/HTML/000015.html
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33,934 Posts
What you were eating for snacks may also play a role.Often snackfoods are either starchy or sweet and starches tend to increase gas production. I don't know if they would caue more problems (but they might) if you eat them alone vs as part of a meal. Sometimes some things are more bothersom when eaten by themselves. For starch foods that are "high glycemic index" foods (they promote a particular insulin reaction in the blood) they are tested when eaten by themselves, but when eaten as part of meal the changes in insulin are generally not as big.K.------------------I have no financial, academic, or any other stake in any commercial product mentioned by me.My story and what worked for me in greatly easing my IBS: http://www.ibsgroup.org/ubb/Forum17/HTML/000015.html
The milk thing is more than semantics - milk is thick and rich and doesn't have enough liquid in it to hydrate a person, so it's nutritionally more like a food. Good that you're drinking water between meals.The lactose intolerance test isn't very accurate. I saw on this board that people who've tested positive are able to tolerate a whole glass of milk with no symptoms - this makes me doubt the accuracy of the test. A better way to tell is to avoid dairy for at least 2 weeks and see if your symptoms improve. That's the test my doctor used on me, and it worked.
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Also, dairy isn't meant for people, it's meant for baby cows, and I think the less dairy you eat the better, intolerant or not. It's surprisingly easy to give up.
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