You're eating healthy now trying to consume more fruits and vegetable in your diet. As a result you go through your day feeling like you have more energy to handle your daily schedule and more. All of a sudden you're standing there and you start to get that funny feeling in your stomach. Uh oh - Gas, flatulence or breaking wind. No matter what you call it, it's embarrassing! How do we control and try to regulate unfortunately one of the nasty consequences of eating healthy?
I've been seeing the same dentist now for over 10 years. He's known me before I had my children, while I was pregnant with both my children and also for my weightloss journey after my children. Recently after one of my appointments I was standing in the hallway talking to him after my cleaning. During our conversation I started to get that certain rumble in my stomach. I also have IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) so I get stomach pains during digestion as well. I ignored the feeling thinking it was the latter and kept speaking to my dentist when all of a sudden, it happened. Right there in front of my dentist, the staff and all the people in the lobby, I broke wind! Oh and it wasn't even the kind you can't hear and try and pretend like it didn't happen. It was one of those LONG and LOUD ones which made my face feel like it turned a very bright red. My dentist is a very kind man and even though to me is sounded like a bomb had gone off in the building he was very professional about it and continued the conversation as though nothing had happened.
I didn't want to be known as the girl who passed gas in the lobby but unfortunately on that day, I was. I can't even remember getting into my car that's how fast I walked out of there without even making my next appointment. As I sat there with my head in my hands I thought to myself it's because of my diet. Sometimes very healthy food such as fruits and veggies have their consequences. Believe it or not your body has to get used to eating healthy foods and digesting them. It takes your digestive system time to process and breakdown certain foods. When that happens your body will produce gas, albeit socially unacceptable, it's still going to happen anyway. What are some things we can do to avoid these types of embarrassing situations?
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Some of the foods to try and stay away from when you don't want to have gas and bloating are as follows: apples, artichokes, asparagus, beans, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cheese, corn, fruit drinks, ice cream, milk and milk products, onions, pasta, peaches, pears, potatoes, prunes, soft drinks and whole wheat. But you say there are a lot of healthy things on this list - exactly! I didn't say avoid them from your diet all together I just said to be careful what time of day you decide to incorporate these food items into your meals. Unless of course you LIKE being the center of attention.
I, on the other hand, do not. So I have taken to purchasing certain over the counter pills that will help prevent the vapors from happening and carry them in my purse at all times. I feel a little more secure knowing that if I'm about to go into an appointment I can pop one of those little guy's into my mouth and hopefully won't be offending anyone that day. My phone rang the other morning, it was my dentist's office. They wanted to know the next time they could schedule me to come in. After I checked my calendar and made my next appointment I also made myself a little note on that day as well: DON'T EAT BEFORE YOUR APPT! I'm pretty sure I'll remember next time but just in case I don't, I'll bring the GasX.
