Thursday, January 24, 2013

Bodily Gas



Feleisha Antillon
Mr. Gowans   
Language Arts 12
January 14, 2013


Bodily Gas

Some people may think that bodily gas like, farts and burps, are improper and unmannerly, but in all reality it is just plain normal, everyday, bodily functions.  It is actually a good thing to let your gas out.  Any living thing that has a digestive system passes gas, every single day.  

There are many ways that your body will build up gas.  Exercise is a big way gas is developed.  “It’s long been suspected that runners---even moderate- intensity, recreational middle distance runners—are more prone to intestinal  gas than average, non-running adults” (What is normal 1).

An average person produces one to three pints of gas per day, but gets rid of almost all of it in about fourteen to twenty three passes.  Most of the time when you, or anyone else farts or burps, you smell a horrible odor that’s sometimes stops you from breathing…Okay that’s dramatic, but it seems that way sometimes.  But in reality, 99 percent of our bodily gas that escapes is odorless.  The non-harmful gas consists of carbon dioxide, oxygen, and nitrogen.  We produce those gases while consuming carbonated beverages, smoking, chewing gum, and many other ways.

Not all bodily gas is odorous.  Every living creature has a colon (Large bowel).  Our colons create a tiny bit of hydrogen gas and methane.  The gas is created by the fermentation of the leftover carbohydrates from the small intestinal digestive process.  It forms hydrogen sulfide, methanethiol, and dimethyl sulfide.  You can reduce the smelly gas production by eating less foods that produce high residues of indigestible carbohydrates.  For example, ”corn, noodles, and potatoes, and most foods high in dietary fiber. Fructose, found in artichokes, onions, pears, and wheat. Raffinose, found in asparagus, beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and whole grains, and Sorbitol, found in apples, peaches, pears, prunes, and candies and drinks that use it as sweetener”(Lipman 1).  So basically, I will have to starve myself in order to never have gas, those things are all I ever eat.  Just kidding.  By limiting yourself to those foods, means less gas for you to have to hold in, around your boyfriends/girlfriends.  You can tone down the rankyness by drinking Pepto-Bismol.  Pep to helps fight the smell of the hydrogen sulfide.  It is not safe to drink it everyday though, it is still a medicine.  

Have you ever wondered why our farts are so loud and squeaky sometimes, but other times they’re extremely quiet and deadly?  I have! Especially when I’m trying to hold it in as hard as I can so I don’t embarrass myself in front of handsome boys.  While reading through my information I came upon this, “passing the gas mixture causes the anal sphincter to vibrate, producing a veritable symphony of sounds depending on the force with the gas is expelled and resistance of the sphincter” (Roberts 1).  So, when you fart, the different sounds are caused by the amount of gas you realize, and the different types of gases that are released.

Bodily gases are no problem to the body.  In fact it is good to let one rip when you have to.  Burping is the same way.  Holding in all of those gases at one time causes our tummies to hurt, and eventually it will just slip out, because our stomachs build up a little bit of carbon dioxide on its own, causing you to bloat.  Holding them in will not hurt you long term at all, however it is very uncomfortable.  
    You may think that you burp or fart more than anybody you know.  Why?  You may ask.  It may just be that you eat a lot more than them, or consume a lot more gassy foods than them, but it could be caused by one of these “...irritable bowel syndrome, lactose intolerance, celiac disease, or gastroesophageal reflux disorder. In the vast majority of cases, flatulence indicates nothing more than that the patient is alive and eating a healthy diet”(Lipman 1).
These most likely won’t be the case, but if you just want to make sure, you are more than welcome to I guess.
   
    Our bodies start producing gases from the day we are born, to one, to, two days after we die. I was very shocked when I read this.  I thought that our bodies got rid of everything, a few hours or so after we passed. I was talking to my co-workers the other day, and one used to work with dead bodies, immediately after they died.  She told me when she would go to roll them on to their other bed, they would burp really loud, and it would freak her out.  When we die, our bodies let out all of the gases that were building up in the stomach.  Sometimes we fart and burp, or burp for a long time, or fart many times, after passing.
“It’s completely normal though, just something you have to get used to” Sherida told me.

Burping is completely natural and anything that makes you swallow too much air, such as, eating or drinking too fast, carbonated beverages, dentures that don’t fit properly, chewing gum, getting anxious and hyperventilating, can cause you to burp. Chocolate, fats and mints will make your burps louder, and stronger. They allow your stomach gas to escape by relaxing the lower esophageal sphincter, a ring of muscle that acts as a gateway between the esophagus and the stomach.
    When you really, really have to burp, but you can’t it can be very painful. Drinking some baking soda diluted in water could help solve the problem.

In order to avoid belching, you can remind yourself to eat and drink more slowly and avoid “triggers” such as carbonated drinks, gum, mints, and chocolate. You can also get treatment for any underlying gastrointestinal problems.

Surprisingly, excess gas may not be the prime problem of bloating. Research shows that people with bloating complaints don’t have any more gas than average in their intestinal tract. Overly sensitive pain receptors in the gut, sluggish bowel contractions, gas trapped in the folds of the intestines, gas-filled cysts in the large intestine, poor absorption of carbohydrates, diabetes and irritable bowel syndrome are causes of bloating. You can use constipation medication and remedies to help with your bloating. Be sure to get tested for celiac disease and lactose intolerance if none of the remedies help.

Everyone farts, everyone burps, and everyone can feel bloated. It’s a natural part of life, and every living thing passes gas every single day.  It seems like, you get gas at the worst times...Your wedding day?  Prom?  A first date with your dream girl?  Well on my wedding day I had the worst gas anybody could EVER experience.  While taking pictures with my sweetheart, I was holding in my gas, with all of my might.  Our photographer had this bright idea. 
“Pick her up, and hold her like she’s your princess” She said.  I was thinking oh great, this will be a great way to ruin my wedding day.  “I have to pee”, was the only thing I could think of that wouldn’t embarrass me as bad as saying that I had gas.  “As soon as we take this picture, you can use the restroom” she said with a giggle.  He tried lifting me up as gentle as possible, but still need a little assistance from me.  “Hop up into my arms beautiful”, the love of my life told me.  I jumped up, and nothing slipped out.  Relieved, I told them I was good for a few more pictures.  Flattered, the photographer told us to lye next to each other, but with our heads at each others feet.  We both sat down at the same time and sure enough, one snuck out.  It was loud and very smelly.  Red faced and sick to my stomach, I smile.  Both my husband and my photographer were laughing at me.  I see a bright flash, flicker.  She took a picture of my tomato face.  What a great way to start my marriage off.  













Works Cited

Alan, Roberts. “Blowing It Out.” Scholastic Choices 23.5 (2008): 27-27.Acedemic Search Primer. Web. 11 Jan. 2013.

“Gases of the Gut.” Harvard Health Letter 27.10 (2002): 5, 1. Acedemic Search Primer. Web. 11 Jan. 2013.

Lipman, Marvin M. “Intestinal gas: A right of Passage.” Consumer Reports on Health 19.6 (2007):11-11. MasterFILE Primer. Web. 11 Jan. 2013.

“What is Normal Gas?” Running & FitNews 23.5 (2005): 1-2. Acedemic Search Primer. Web. 11 Jan. 2013.

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