A Growling stomach
Ever been in those situations when you are horribly embarassed in the public or just during that special occasions where all you cared about was looking good and making the best impression in front of others?
All of a sudden, something comes in uninvited and interrupted your whole plan….
You burped….
Your stomach growls in the dead silence…..and making a a very loud and slow rumbling….
Or worse still, there was a horrific sound of gas coming from you (let’s not picture where it came from; leave it to your active imaginations…)
Sounds familiar? It has happened to everyone at least once in their lifetime and you hated those embarassing situations where it lands you in an awkward situation which makes you just want to disappear from the face of earth just for that one instant.
However, coming to investigate the causes of a growling stomach, one will typically associate it with the familiar sounds from your stomach to alert you that you are hungry. When you hear someone’s stomach growling, the first thing that comes to your mind is also, "Hey, he is hungry!"
But, further studies and research have landed me with more profound theory that this is not so. I have previously linked this to gastronomical problems as I never felt hungry whenever I hear growling in my stomach. According to a medical site I found on the web (Medicine.net), doctors/experts have pointed the growling of the stomach was caused by the intestinal movement, or specifically, the motion of air through the intestines. This can initiate the growling sounds as there is friction of the air with the intestines’ walls; and the presence of food is not a ruling factor of whether the sound will be produced. Therefore, this is a new theory on top of the old belief that a growling hunger can only mean one thing; hunger.
The link to gastronomical factors lies in the movement of air as well. As everyone knows, the disorder of gastric is caused by the discomfort of the stomach and also the presence of excessive air and the movement of air within the stomach; accurately, in the intestinal area. And as some sayings goes, you may have swallowed a lot of air thus inviting the air into your stomach, sits there and then causing the major movement and bumping in the stomach. If you still remember, sometimes the elders will always tell you not to talk too much during travel or when you are out in the open air/space and warned you that it will cause wind in your stomach. This is not an entirely baseless statement; sometimes, swallowing a lot of air which are permitted through the passage of your mouth opening can create excessive air in the stomach which further leads to the low rumbling or what we hear or interpret as the growling of the stomach. At the same time, some food which can cause indigestion and the intestines, being unable to digest it may push it along the way and this will cause a symphony of noises which sometimes can be heard; penetrating the walls of your stomach.
Gastritis patients like myself have often been warned against foods that can trigger the pain and also the disorder’s occurrence and those were the foods to be avoided to maintain normal intestinal cycles. However, there are other foods besides fizzy drinks (colas,sprites, etc) and your favourite baked beans (the famous culprit for belching and stomach gases) which cause/trigger gas in the body.According to the source found in the Medicine.net, food which are high in fiber are also responsible for causing indigestion in the small intestines and as it is further dissected by the large intestines; or rather the bacteria which resides there, this will cause the gas in the stomach.
Surprisingly, most of the foods causing these unpleasant turns were actually healthy foods such as vegetables (cauliflowers, broccolis, cabbage, onions, asparagus), beans, fruits (apples, pears, peaches), whole grains, just to name a few. This will tend to confuse people as fruits and vegetables are also important for digestion but yet at the same time, due to its high content in fibre, it actually also leads to indigestion by the small intestines.
Just one advice; though they are healthy and beneficial foods, moderation is the key to avoid any issues. Most of the time, the growling and gas symptoms from your body is not a hazard to your body nor is it alarming. However, if you do feel uncomfortable with an increase/ appearance of new symptoms and also the company of pains and weight loss, then you may perhaps want to consult professional advice from a doctor to perform a thorough medical check-up to prevent further health disorders such as cancer or intestinal diseases.
Live a healthy living and do not let fibre turn you off; just remember that the key to a healthy life is not just consumption of everything good but take note that everything is a balance. Eat and drink in moderation, exercise at a normal rate (not excessive) and also sleep well, and maintain a well state of mind.
~~Your health is your asset~~
