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What Are the Most Common Causes of Nausea and Gas?
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  • Written By: Joe Dyton
  • Edited By: A. Joseph
  • Last Modified Date: 09 April 2012
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The most common causes of nausea and gas can vary for each of these ailments. In the case of gas in the digestive system, it often is caused by the consumption of food or drink. Nausea can be caused by many things, including food or drink, motion sickness, anxiety, certain medicines and some medical conditions. When nausea and gas are experienced together, the causes might be related, but nausea and gas are such common conditions that they also can have completely unrelated causes.

Foods that might cause gas include vegetables such as asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, green peppers and onions. Beans; fruits such as apricots, bananas and peaches; eggs and fried and fatty foods are also culprits when it comes to having gas. On the beverage side, sodas, fruit drinks, beer and red wine also cause one to have gas.

Food isn’t the only thing that can cause gas, however. Swallowed air that isn’t burped up could pass through the digestive system and turn into flatus, more commonly known as passing gas. Certain medicines and supplements also can cause gas as a side effect.

For nausea, the most common causes can vary widely. A lot of times, nausea is caused by an upset stomach from something a person ate. This could be a result of food poisoning or eating too much in one sitting.

Food is just one of the many causes of nausea, though. A person easily can become nauseated from seasickness or motion sickness. Certain medicines can cause nausea, as can a bad reaction to a disturbing sight or smell. Anxiety or nervousness can make someone nauseous, as could the stomach flu. Women who are early on in their pregnancy might experience nausea, especially in the morning.

More serious causes of nausea are diseases such as gallbladder disease and cancer, heart attacks, concussions and gastroparesis. Age also can be a factor when it comes to nausea. Children often vomit because of viral infections, food poisoning or food allergies.

The timing of nausea can help when one is trying to figure out the cause. If it happens shortly after eating, there’s a good chance that the cause was food poisoning or gastritis, an inflammation of the stomach lining. An ulcer also is a possibility.

The list of common causes of nausea and gas are long, but both ailments are preventable. To keep gas to a minimum, foods that induce gas should be consumed in moderation. A dietary supplement that reduces gas also can help. To prevent nausea, one should try to eat smaller meals, eat slower and be sure that all foods are cooked properly and under sanitary conditions. Foods that are hard to digest should be avoided, and liquids consumed during meals should be kept to a moderate quantity.

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