Home Remedies for Smelly Flatulence

If someone tells you they never pass gas, don't believe them. Everyone has gas -- air that passes through the mouth as burps or through the anus as flatulence. Carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen and sometimes methane make up this gas, which can be quite noxious if the gas contains a lot of sulfur. If your flatulence causes you to shy away from public events because of its odor, you can take certain measures to help alleviate your discomfort and embarrassment.

Beans are known for their gas-producing power. (Image: Jose Barrera/Hemera/Getty Images)

Natural Relief

Consuming certain natural herbs and spices may help wake up your digestive tract -- so that digesting and fermenting food -- which can cause the gas, exits more quickly. Ginger root, ginger tea, ginger candies or a bite of raw ginger are all options -- it just depends on which ones you can tolerate and which ones taste best to you. A strong cup of peppermint tea may also help accelerate digestion and lesson the gas. Raw fennel seeds are an ancient remedy for improving digestion and alleviating gas. Fennel seeds contain a volatile oil, which stimulates the release of gastric juices. It also contains aspartic acid, a known anti-flatulent. Chew about 1/2 teaspoon of whole seeds after meals.

Physical Solutions

If abdominal cramps accompany gas and bloating, lie down on your back and pull your knees tightly to your chest. Gentle yoga in the privacy of your bedroom, which involves twists and the Child's pose, may also help. A short walk outside, where the gas can disperse, may help empty your intestines more quickly. Gas empties faster when you stand, rather than when you lie down.

Prevention

An easy way to stop smelly gas is to keep it from starting in the first place. Certain foods are more likely than others to cause gas. Identify your triggers by keeping a food diary.

Skip the common producers of gas, which are beans, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, onions, prunes and raisins. Other offenders include egg yolks, Brussels sprouts and fruits such as pears, apples and peaches. If you're lactose intolerant, consuming milk products can also cause smelly gas. Increasing your fiber intake quickly or consuming "diet" foods, which contain sorbitol, mannitol and xylitol, are other reasons you may have smelly flatulence.

Chew your food slowly and consume probiotic foods, such as yogurt, kombucha and sauerkraut, as part of your regular diet, which helps enhance digestion and moderates smelly episodes.

Need for Treatment

If home remedies don't help and you suffer from gas regularly, speak with your doctor. Certain digestive diseases, including irritable bowel syndrome, may be associated with chronic, smelly flatulence. Your doctor can also offer over-the-counter or prescription remedies to use at home the next time you have an attack.