FREQUENT BURPING (eructation)

AYURVEDA PERSPECTIVE ON FREQUENT BURPING

Introduction

Everyone burps from time to time. Despite it being somewhat embarrassing, most people don't give burping a second thought. Have you ever stopped to think what your burps might be trying to tell you? Ayurveda has.

A single burp after a meal is considered normal in Ayurveda, a sign that your stomach is at capacity and it's time to stop eating. Burping may be considered impolite in western society, but it compliments the chef in China or India. There, it also implies satisfaction. What about abnormal burps? In this article, you will learn the most common causes of burping, what it means digestively, plus, how to banish troublesome burps for good!

What is a Burp Anyways?

Before going further, let's take a look at what a burp actually is and how it is occurs in the body. A burp is the release of gas from digestive tract through the mouth. Usually, the gas comes from the stomach. The peculiar noise you hear while belching is a vibration of the upper esophageal sphincter. As the air passes through the esophagus, it creates a rippling effect at this location, producing the familiar sound.

A series of coordinated movements facilitates a burp. First, the larynx lifts and seals shut, preventing any food or liquid entering the lungs. You wouldn't want to drown during a burp, would you? Next, all the valves open up to allow the air to escape. Specifically, the upper and lower esophageal sphincters relax so air can pass freely from the stomach to the esophagus, and from the esophagus out of the mouth. During a burp, the diaphragm descends which puts pressure on abdominal organs and literally squeezes the burp out.

Why Do you Burp?

Burping tends to occur at the end of a meal. As your stomach starts to fill up, pressure starts to build. Any air in your stomach starts to feel less and less comfortable. Finally, one more bite triggers a burp. Most people are grateful for the extra space once the burp exits, because they can eat more tasty food. Plus, burping feels good. However, a burp towards the end of a meal is your Ayurvedic cue to stop eating - it's a sign your stomach is almost full.

Your gut can comfortable accommodate only 1 cup of air at a time (though it can hold nine or more cups). You might burp more frequently while exercising as movement massages your digestive organs, dislodging this trapped air and moving stagnant foods.

In most instances, the air pocket in your stomach comes from swallowing air (aerophagia) while eating. As you chew, you swallow the air down. Towards the end of the meal, back up it comes. Babies frequently swallow air that causes uncomfortable pressure. They should be burped to release the pressure.

Carbonated beverages are another frequent culprit. You swallow the fizzy beverage, and it releases the air in your stomach.

Sometimes bacteria generate the air pocket in your stomach by fermenting food in your gut. When food (specifically undigested carbohydrates) sits too long in your upper GI, opportunistic bacteria start to feed on your food, and proliferate. The process of fermentation generates air bubbles.

When your stomach or esophagus is in pain, you may have an urge to burp. But this is a phantom burp because the cause has nothing to do with air pressure building up in your stomach. This is why people with acid reflux, gastritis, and ulcers tend to burp, to get rid of the painful feeling. Even a subjective feeling of emptiness in the stomach can make you want to burp.

Nausea makes a person want to burp too. The release of pressure from the stomach briefly relieves the symptoms of nausea. A variety of conditions from esophageal cancer to vagus nerve disorders can also trigger phantom burping.

If the gas forms in the upper GI, it will be released through the mouth, known as a burp. If the gas forms in the lower GI, it will be eliminated through the anus, better known as a fart. Even restrictive clothing can cause you to burp - a tight fitting belt puts pressure on the abdomen and it causes gas to move upwards.

Burping may seem pretty innocuous, but burping becomes problematic if it's frequent, or if it's a sign of a more serious disorder.

Summary of Burp Inducing Imbalances

Pathological burping is generally associated with slow, heavy digestion or delayed gastric emptying (gastroparesis).

When food sits too long, the bacteria in the digestive tract begin to breakdown the stagnant food, a process of fermentation. These bacteria release carbon dioxide much the same as you and I when we breathe. These gas molecules released by the bacteria begin to collect and build pressure in the upper GI tract.

Food sits in the upper GI for a long time if there is too much mucus (stagnant Kapha type), or if digestion is too weak due to insufficient enzymes (deficient Vata type). This type burping only occurs in debilitated clients whose digestion is very weak. Pain and nausea in the GI is associated with the 3rd type (fiery Pitta type). The 4th type is associated with neurological and degenerative disorders, often Vata in nature. Of these types, burping is most commonly associated with excess mucus and high Kapha.

The Smell of a Burp

In Ayurveda, the smell of a burp can help reveal the root cause or imbalance in the digestive system. A normal burp should not have a foul smell. A burp that smells like the last meal you ate means the meal is still sitting in your intestines. It means that your food has not been digested yet.

A moldy smell is a result of sluggish Kapha digestion (manda agni). A rotten smell indicates the cause is Vata indigestion (vishamagni), and that the food has become rotten.

Burps with a sour or metallic smell can be a sign of acid reflux or fast, Pitta type digestion (tiksnagni). If the burp smells foul, that is a sign of advanced fermentation.

A Heavy, Sluggish Stomach

As discussed, the most common digestive imbalance that contributes to frequent burping is a build up excess mucus in the stomach and sluggish Kapha digestion. Excess mucus blocks the action of acids and enzymes in the gut, causing the food to sit too long. This type of burping normally happens as a result of eating too many rich, heavy Kapha aggravating foods such as wheat and dairy.

Sluggish Kapha type burping is often associated with a tired, sluggish feeling after every meal. A person who experiences it regularly may also have a slow metabolism, or a slightly sluggish thyroid. Sometimes, the mucus in the stomach (kledaka kapha) is so thick, gooey, slimy, and sticky that the mucus acts like a fly catcher for gas in the stomach, absorbing and trapping the air, making it difficult to release. When this happens, aromatic and pungent herbs like cinnamon and cardamom are needed to break up the thick mucus.

Wave Goodbye to Embarrassing Burps

So now you know a little bit more about burping, let's take a look at some of the ways that you can wave goodbye to embarrassing burps.

To clear food stagnation and lighten the load on a heavy, sluggish stomach with excess mucus, try Joyful Belly's custom formula Mint Belly Bliss Tea.

A blend of pungent and aromatic herbs, it dissolves excess mucus and helps propel food through the digestive tract, giving it less time to ferment and lead to unwanted gas. It boosts digestive strength (agni) by encouraging circulation to digestive organs. Instead of that uncomfortable heavy, sluggish sensation in the stomach, you'll feel light, refreshed and energized.

Avoid Rich Foods

Avoid overindulging on rich heavy foods to reduce stagnation and fermentation in the GI tract. Also, learn how to recognize the difference between true and false hunger. By understanding the biological signs of true hunger, you are less likely to overeat. Learning how to slow down and eat mindfully will also prevent overeating and reduce the amount of air swallowed during a meal.

Pulverize Mucus

To reduce this type of frequent burping, pulverize the thick mucus in which the air becomes trapped using aromatic spices. Aromatic herbs and spices, like mint, lemon balm, and cardamom in particular, are known to dry and destroy mucus. They also help relax the muscles of the intestines which release the trapped gas.

Pungent spices, like cayenne and black pepper, or the digestive formula trikatu are effective at flushing mucus. The pungent taste starts to thin the mucus layer, so the trapped air can be released. One of Ayurveda's most praised classic remedies for warming the digestive tract and destroying excess mucus is hing, also known as asafoetida.

Dry a "Soggy" Stomach

The bitter taste is also effective in this type of burping. Bitter substances have a stimulating effect in the body - stimulating metabolism, the release of bile, and also stimulating peristalsis. Peristalsis is the involuntary contraction of smooth muscles in the digestive tract that push both fecal matter and gas out of the body.

The bitter taste is drying and can help dry out excess soggy mucus in the stomach that is bogging down digestion. Some examples of bitter taste are cooked kale and arugula. Bitter orange peel is known as one of the best herbs to clear stomach stagnation as it is highly aromatic and bitter. Foods that are high in insoluble fiber, such as celery and beans, can be added to the diet. The roughage will help scrape out accumulated mucus. A kitchari cleanse may also be appropriate to clear stagnant food from the digestive tract.

Indigestion

If burping is due to weak digestion (Vata type), focus on eating easy to digest foods and avoiding difficult to digest foods. Be sure you are well hydrated before your meal by drinking a glass of warm ginger tea with a pinch of salt and a wedge of lime.

Inflammation, Pain & Nausea

If burping is due to GI inflammation, pain, and nausea, focus on the underlying causes. Avoid irritating foods like coffee, alcohol, vinegar, tomatoes and spicy food. Instead, favor bitter (red leaf lettuce), astringent (hibiscus, raspberry tea), and demulcent foods (oatmeal, okra).

Conclusion

Burping is a natural urge that should not be ignored or suppressed. Deliberately preventing the urge to burp aggravates Vata dosha and causes pressure buildup in the abdomen and can confuse the nervous system of the gut. Most of the time, burping is not cause for concern, and is a result of swallowing air. This can be rectified by chewing food correctly and slowing down while eating and talking. Excessive or frequent burping can be a sign of a much more significant digestive imbalance that usually requires dietary adjustments.

If you have excess mucus, avoid overeating heavy, rich foods that lead to mucus production, food stagnation and increased burping. If you have weak digestion, focus on easy to digest foods and avoid difficult to digest foods and stay well hydrated. Soon you will be free of excessive burping. Instead of feeling heavy and sluggish with bad breath, you will feel light and fresh again.

Images of Frequent Burping

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