The 6 Best Natural Remedies for Gas (and 4 to Skip)

Child's pose is one yoga position that may help relieve gas. Image Credit: microgen/iStock/GettyImages

Everyone gets a little gassy from time to time. But nobody likes it, which is why home remedies for gas are always appreciated.

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Still, the best way to banish bloat isn't always clear. Natural remedies for gas abound, but not all of them are proven problem-solvers. And in fact, some DIY treatments might actually do more harm than good.

So what can you do to win the wind war, and which fixes really aren't worth it? If you're curious about home remedies for gas relief, here's what science has to say on getting rid of those stomach pains.

1. Get Some Exercise

Going for a walk can help get rid of gas quickly. Image Credit: alexei_tm/iStock/GettyImages

"It's long been known that activity and bowel function go hand in hand," says Jeff Scott, MD, board-certified gastroenterologist and founder of Happy Colon Foods. When you move your body, the food in your GI tract keeps moving too.

Regular physical activity can help keep constipation at bay and prevent gassy buildup, according to the Mayo Clinic.

"When we develop a sluggish colon, stool sits too long and continues to undergo fermentation by colonic bacteria, which produces gas as a byproduct," Dr. Scott says.

Post-meal walk, anyone?

2. Drink Water

Add less gas to the list of benefits that come with staying hydrated. Image Credit: Ridofranz/iStock/GettyImages

Here's one more reason to sip: Drinking water may help your digestion, reducing the amount of gas you produce.

That glass of H2O plays a key role in breaking down food as it passes through your gut, as well as making stool soft and easy to pass, according to the Mayo Clinic. And both of those things can fight the formation of gas.

Water also helps cleanse toxins from your organs, carries nutrients through your body and protects your tissues, per the Mayo Clinic. So if you don't get enough water, that dehydration can affect all of your body's systems.

Plus, dehydration can cause flatulence in its own way — it's a risk factor for constipation, which can lead to excess gas and bloating, according to the Mayo Clinic. Staying hydrated is one way to reduce the chances of experiencing such discomforts.

If your gas is on the other end of things and you find yourself burping after drinking water, try slowing down. Belching is often a symptom of swallowing excess air, which can happen if you eat, drink or talk too quickly, per the Mayo Clinic.

How Much Water Should You Drink?

Use this equation to determine how much water you should drink every day:

Body weight (in pounds) ÷ 2 = minimum ounces of water you should drink per day.

3. Try Certain Yoga Poses

Try wind-relieving pose to make yourself fart to relieve gas. Image Credit: fizkes/iStock/GettyImages

A regular yoga practice can be an effective way to manage irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms like gas, according to a December 2016 review in ​Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology​​.​

And while there's not much formal research on gas-fighting poses for people without IBS, experts say positions that involve bringing your knees to your chest could probably be helpful.

Yoga poses for gas relief — like wind-relieving pose, child's pose and happy baby — are good examples to try.

"It's almost like promoting forward movement, like pushing air out of an air mattress before folding it up," says Rabia De Latour, MD, gastroenterologist and assistant professor of medicine at NYU Langone Health.

Try these positions when you have built-up gas in your stomach or chest:

Wind-Relieving Pose

1. Start by lying on your back on a mat or soft surface.
2. Slowly bring one knee to your chest, grasping it with both hands and pulling it toward your body. Hold for five seconds, then release.
3. Repeat with the other knee.
4. Bring both knees to your chest, wrapping your arms around them to pull them closer to your body.
5. Hold for five seconds, rocking gently side to side, then release.

Child's Pose

1. Start by kneeling on a mat or soft surface.
2. Place your hands on the mat, then slowly push your bottom back onto your heels.
3. With your arms stretched out in front of you, palms on the mat, lower your forehead to the mat so your chest and abdomen are against your upper thighs (you can spread your knees if that's more comfortable).
4. Hold for 30 seconds or as long as feels good to you.

Happy Baby

1. Start by lying on your back on your mat or a soft surface
2. Slowly bring your knees into your chest, taking hold of the outer edges of your feet.
3. Spread your knees apart, bringing them up toward your armpits.
4. Flex your heels as you push your feet into your hands, making sure your ankles are directly over your knees and your shins are perpendicular to the floor.
5. Hold or gently rock side to side for 30 seconds, or as long as feels good.