I was trying to figure out what to wear to my girlfriend's birthday party when I realized none of my skirts or pants were fitting, not even close! I looked in the mirror and was shocked to see I suddenly looked 9 months pregnant. I was very bloated.
I remembered that my father had told me about chewing on fennel seeds to help aid in digestion and eliminate gas. I chewed on a spoonful, swallowed it down, and sure enough, I returned to my normal size within the hour. Fennel seeds also freshen your breath really well. If you can't stand the taste, just boil the spoonful in a pint of water, strain, and drink hot or cold. Works like a charm!
By attosa from Los Angeles, CA
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
Looking for home remedies for bloating and gas. Gas goes up instead of down and out.
Jack from Oxford, FL
I use the old home remedy of baking soda in some water, stir and drink. Helps break up the gas quickly.
I use the old home remedy of baking soda in water. Stir and drink. About 1 teaspoon full in a glass of water, it breaks up the gas quickly, but does not taste great
Even a 1/4 teaspoon in a glass is enough. And drink plenty of water as I have heard this can be hard on kidneys if you use it consistently. Eat slowly, breathe through your nose and don't gulp down water.
Our family has an old remedy for this.
Take a dried bay leaf, any size will do.
Add boiling water to it in a coffee cup and steep it for 5 minutes.
You should start to 'bubble' (burp) fairly quickly. It also works for indigestion, acid reflux, and when you've eaten too much and can't digest and the food just sits there.
I've also heard that you can make a tea of dried fennel seeds (you can buy them in any grocery store in the spice section).
Take one teaspoon of dried fennel seeds.
Make a tea of it by adding boiling water to a coffee cup.
Steep 5 minutes and drink it as hot as you can and as quickly as you can. You can also try chewing dried fennel seeds.
Good luck to you! The bay leaf recipe is a time honored one we always use.
To add to my bay leaf remedy:
Gas will also go 'out' - graphic, but true!
Here is a time honored, old recipe from my family that never fails.
Take a dried bay leaf, any size will do.
Boil water and add it to bay leaf in a coffee cup, a large cup.
Steep 5 minutes.
Drink as hot as you can and as quickly as you can.
Burping or 'out' gas should begin quickly.
Also, don't lie down when you have any kind of digestion problem. I don't know why, but we get better results sitting up.
This remedy is also good for acid reflux, when you've eaten too much and the food just sits there or whenever there is a kind of digestive issue.
Good luck. It is a never fail remedy in our home. My mother used it on us and grandmothers on their children down the line!
Taking a walk will also pass the gas 'out'.
Don't forget to mention it to your doctor the next time you visit; bloating and gas are sometimes symptoms of bowel problems! A nurse.
The soft drink, 7up, usually works for my husband. When he doesn't have any of it, he uses Gaviscon successfully.
We try to keep Alka-seltzer on hand... $3 or $4 at Wal-mart gets us 24 doses, I believe.
However, hubby's favorite is a bottle of root beer - The carbonation really breaks up the gas, and it tastes better, too.
I find that any food that will give you gas won't do it as much if you add some sugar. I add 1 T. for every 4 oz. of tomato or chili product. Also, drinking some cold water with sugar in it is good, too. Keep in mind that most gas relief products are mainly sugar based products, so why spend the money!
Also, if carbonated drinks do the same for you, put in a couple shakers of salt in the top after the first carbonation "fizz" has gone down. It will fizz again for a few seconds, then it will be "no more bloat"!
