5 exercises to eliminate gas and reduce bloating

Do you have problems with gas? We know that they can be very annoying and sometimes cause such intense pain that it can even be paralysing. In addition to knowing the causes and factors that provoke gas, the 5 exercises to eliminate gas that we share with you can be great allies to help you feel less bloated.

Although food is directly involved in the production of gas, there are other factors you should consider, such as lack of movement from a sedentary lifestyle, anxiety or some digestive issues. If you suspect the latter cause, consult a digestive specialist, as gas may indicate disorders that need to be treated appropriately to prevent them from worsening.

There are many reasons why gas can occur. If it bothers you frequently, don’t worry. They can be eliminated with some methods, including gas elimination exercises. This article tells you how.

How gases are produced

As always, prevention is the key. Before learning 5 exercises to eliminate gas, it is a good idea to understand how it is produced. This way, you can avoid bad habits and try, as far as possible, to stop your body from creating them.

However, no one is exempt from accumulating gas in the digestive system. Sometimes it is unavoidable. For example, when faced with a good plate of pulses, we know that we are also likely to get gas in addition to fibre, vitamins and minerals. However, there are a few tricks that can help.

But first, let’s look at what habits or conditions cause us to accumulate gas in the intestinal tract. For example:

• Eating too fast and not chewing well.
• Talking while eating.
• Eating foods that are difficult to digest, such as legumes, dairy products, foods with a lot of fibre, etc.
• Food intolerances.
• Drinking soft drinks or carbonated beverages.
• Constipation, irritable bowel syndrome and other ailments of the digestive system should be consulted with a specialist.
• Bad habits such as smoking and chewing gum.
• Certain medications can also alter the intestinal flora and cause gas.

From the list above, it is advisable to eliminate bad habits – such as smoking – and fizzy drinks that do not provide nutrients; improve aspects such as eating slowly, not talking while eating, and paying attention to possible food intolerances. It is also advisable to choose the foods you eat wisely – for example; it is preferable to eat lighter, easily digestible foods for dinner and leave foods that can cause gas for lunch, as the activity you will have in the afternoon will favour the elimination of gas – as well as protecting the intestinal flora with probiotics if you have to take medication.

However, if you love pulses and know how nutritious they are, you won’t want to give them up. That’s why we’re sharing some tips on how to get rid of the oligosaccharides – the component that generates gas in the body – so that they disappear:

• Soak them for more than 24 hours to allow the oligosaccharides to soften and break down.
• You can also choose skinless ones, such as orange-coloured lentils.
• When cooking, add fennel, rosemary or thyme to the cooking process to aid digestion.
• Choose recipes where pulses need to be mashed, such as hummus.
• Adding a tablespoon of bicarbonate soda to the preparation is a good idea, which benefits your digestive system.

5 Exercises to eliminate gas

Now, let’s see which 5 gas-busting exercises can help you reduce bloating.

1. Brisk walking. This aerobic exercise facilitates bowel motility and breaks down gas bubbles. For efficiency, try walking briskly, keeping your shoulders back, back straight and breathing through your nose.
2. Cycling. Whether stationary or outdoors, it stimulates the gastrointestinal system and allows you to eliminate gas quickly. This is due to the body’s movements while on the bike, which involves lifting the knees towards the chest.
3. Yoga. Specific yoga postures or asanas can help to eliminate gas. There is one pose designed explicitly for this. It’s called the wind release pose and involves bringing your knees to your chest while lying on your back and trying to touch your nose to your knee. Another asana that works is the cobra.
4. Climbing up and down stairs. Again, this encourages lower body movement and triggers movements in the digestive tract.
5. Climbing up and down stairs. Again, this encourages lower body movement and triggers movements in the digestive tract.

In addition to these exercises, you can use other remedies to relieve gas and stomach discomfort. For example:

• Drink herbal teas that improve digestion after meals. Examples include peppermint, chamomile and horsetail.
• Eliminate anything that causes heavy digestion from your diet, e.g. artificial sweeteners, fizzy drinks, etc.
• Before eating, do breathing and relaxation exercises to activate the parasympathetic system.
• Massage your abdomen in a circular, back-and-forth motion to facilitate the elimination of gas. You can start by placing your fingers on the upper part of your stomach, just after your ribs, and moving them up and down several times. Then, place your hands on your navel and make clockwise circles from right to left. You can do this massage when you wake up and before going to bed.
• Supplement your diet with silica, which improves the discomfort caused by acidity, including gas. Did you know that horsetail is rich in silica? It is an infusion that we have already recommended for gas, and one of the reasons for this is precisely this.