This was originally published in the Kilohana Chronicles, Volume 2 Issue 2, 2001.

What is stomach and intestinal gas? It is thousands of tiny bubbles. These tiny gas bubbles begin to multiply in the stomach and intestines, they begin to press harder and harder on the walls of the stomach and intestines causing swelling and a bloated discomfort. Gas is often accompanied by constipation, abdominal pain, and headaches. What causes the gas bubbles? What you eat. No matter how careful you are about eating, high fiber foods, fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grain foods, such as white flour, too many refined, processed foods, rich or heavy foods; too many different kinds of foods at one time can cause problems. Any one of these conditions can cause matter to block the colon, often causing gas. Various foods require both different enzymes and different amounts of time to be digested thoroughly. When fruits and beans are eaten together they ferment, causing putrefaction in the digestive system. Tension in the abdominal muscles, the diaphragm, or the digestive organs themselves affects digestion no matter what you eat. Abdominal, nervous tension; lack of exercise can also bring on gas systems also. Preventing and Relieving Gas and Indigestion: How can we prevent/avoid stomach and intestinal gas?

Peeling fruits and vegetables can help to reduce gas, as can soaking beans in water with baking soda over night.

Avoid eating cold foods and drinks: Cold foods and drinks are the major causes for digestive disorder as they can temporarily paralyze the stomach.

Eat slowly, chewing your food thoroughly: Hurried eating and incomplete chewing hinders digestion because the enzymes in the saliva that begins the digestive process doesn't do there job. And by keeping a diary of the foods that we eat to isolate the foods that specifically cause us problems. Trying to control problems around us that may cause nervous tension.

The following pressure points can be very helpful in relieving abdominal, stomach tension and nervousness causing indigestion and gas.

CV#6, S#36, LI#4, LI#1 1, CV# 1 2, B#2 3, B#47

Note: All of these points do not have to be done at one time.