Hot air: a joke on humanity f HY DOES it al- ways happen in a crowded elevator? - .~ It's Mother: Na- ture’s little joke on the human race;: While it’s rarely life threaten- ing, gas can be a problem that ranges from mortifying to pain- Alas, years of research have generated an abundance of in- formation, but a surprising lack of effective. treatments. Here are some interesting findings: mi Almost everyone is bothered by gas. Average people generate about 1/2 to 1 and 1/2 litres of gas per day. But there’s a large range ‘of. .variation, with some people producing much more than others. M8 Less than one per cent of gas has detectable odour. Gas is com- posed mostly of hydrogen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide, with the proportions varying from person to person, About one third © of adulls produce large amounts of methane, while the rest of-us produce very little. Unfortunately, the gas that does have odour is highly detec- table. Its several sulphur contain- ing compounds that are primarily responsible for the smell. The hu- man nose is very effective at detecting these odours though. It can detect hydrogen sulphide in concentrations of as litile as one half part per BILLION. @ Certain foods may be gassier than others. Some studies have shown. that people praduce more gas after consuming beans, brus- sels: :Sprouts, Taisins, and apple or prune juices:. Mostly it’s been shown that people vary in their reactions to foods. So don’! as- sume that what’s gassy for you will also be gassy for other people. Wi Most gas comes from high carbohydrate foods. When these foods reach the large intestine without being digested, they are eaten up by colonies of harmless bacteria that normally live there. These bacteria give off the vari- ous types of gas as a by-product of their digestion. Foods like whole wheat flour (and even © white flour), oats, potatocs, and com, have, all. been implicated. Oddly. cnaug! LCG doesn’t. Seom. tofbe gas producing. a Bi One of the common sources of gas is lactose, the sugar in milk. Many Asian, Native Indian, and some African peoples lose There Is Something _F. uu IND. IN ~~ Going On Here Randy Lubas & .:. Danny Villalpando Appearing October 28 8:30 pm Gigi's Pub Terrace Inn 635-6630 _ getting married... This basket -holds information and gifts espectlally helpful for you. “Gall your - Welcome: Wagon -hostass today. an “Phone Elaine 635-3018 _ ‘Phone Diana 638-8576 - Phone Gi Gittian 696-0044. “NUTRITION NOTES” GERRY KASTEN the enzyme to digest lactose when they reach adulthood. This leaves it for the bacteria to digest, A similar situation occurs with some sources of soluble fibre. Ex- amples are the pectin in apples, or the fibre in oat bran. Wi The most infamous source of gassy problems is the dried bean family, Beans contain large amount of what are called "raf- finose" sugars. As a species, we lack the alpha-galactosidase cn- zyme that’s needed to break these sugars down. So again, when these undigested sugars reach our large intestines, the gas forming bacteria have a real smorgasbord. Interestingly enough, it’s un- likely that these sugars have any- thing to do with gas odour. Sugars don’t contain the sulphur that causes odour. The culprit may be undigested protein, but there’s no definitive answer. So what can you do to cut back on gas? How can you avoid the discomfort that gas can produce? Drugs don’t work. Simethicone (to break up the gas), and ac- tivated charcoal (for the gas to "stick to"Jhave been tried, but without good results. But science has recently triumphed. There is a new product on the market called Beano . No less than the prestigious New_York Times says: “Studies by. the manufacturer, anecdotal reports Grom scores of people who tried it on their own, and personal experience, strongly . suggest that use of. the product, aptly dubbed Beano, can greatly reduce the gaseous legacy of many vegetable foods.” For a free sample of Beano, call 1-800-668-8968, People with al- lergies, diabetics and galac- tosemics should check the cau- tionary information on the label. Some other tips to try are: @ JC you're lactose: intolerant, try Lactaid treated milk. The lac- tose in it is already broken down to an absorbable form. : @ Cook your beans thoroughly. Tt makes their proteins and stat- ches more digestible. Discard the liquid that your beans are soaked, cooked, or canned in. It’s Eull of raffinose sugars. WM. Many people who have ex: cess gas simply swallow. loo much air. Try not to talk when you're eating. People who chew - gum will often swallow a lot of air, too. Mi Try keeping a “problem foods" list. Keep track of the foods that give you the most problems, and see if the gas goes away when you avoid those foods. A Registered Dietilian can help you to track your dict, and can suggest alternate foods to keep your dict balanced. And there’s always the last gasp approach: Hang around with people who eat the samc foods you do! Gerry Kasten is the community nutritionist at the Skeena Health Unit. Thank you for your support of ‘| | Diabetes i} 7 CVE Seay CAMADIEM | MEQCIATOW iG] bancres [taupe BASOcueTIoe F Bu ou tic LUCERNE me f q g R , Light Diet 175gub FOR FRYING CHICKEN Fresh. Grade A. Whole. Singles. Limit 3. The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, October 20, 1993 - B3 ee eee ! BED & ! BREAKFAST ° : 5 0)? 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