Freedom from gas
* Reduce the amount of air you swallow while eating. Eat smaller meals and chew food slowly. Quit chewing gum and tobacco. Avoid carbonated drinks and whipped desserts because they contain excess air.
* Stop or reduce your intake of gas inducing foods – beans, broccoli, cauliflower and brussels sprouts. If you need to eat them, gradually introduce them to your diet. Apples, bananas, grapes, raisins, cabbage, corn, cucumber, onion, garlic and turnip may also cause gas, so limit these. Also, avoid spicy foods.
* Reduce intake of sugar, refined starch and wheat flour. You could consider trying activated charcoal since it absorbs gas. Try eating brown rice, barley broth, papaya and pineapple.

Freedom from acidity
* To prevent acidity, avoid fried and fatty foods, chocolates, alcohol and caffeine. For relief, increase the intake of cold water, banana, coconut water, cucumber, watermelon and papaya.
* You can also take amla with warm milk, pulses and vegetables. Eat gur on an hourly basis for quick relief.

Eat these
* Eat leaves of tulsi to relieve acidity.
* Keep haritaki in your mouth after meals.
* Mint juice is also very good for reducing acidity.
* Ajwain water and zeera water are extremely useful in reducing acidity. Hing water is excellent to reduce flatulence. You can also add hing in food.

From HT Brunch, August 19

Follow us on twitter.com/HTBrunch
Connect with us on facebook.com/hindustantimesbrunch