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| All About Belches |
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| "My latest most embarrassing moment happened during exams when, for apparently no reason, I burped so loud. The whole class laughed. I tried to pretend it wasn't me but everybody knew. It just came right up and surprised me." |
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That's what they do, these burps, (technically called belching or, if you're a crossword fan, eructation), they almost always catch us unawares. Here’s the lowdown on these alarming body noises.
Did you know that...
Gas comes from two sources... either swallowed air or the breakdown of undigested nutrients.
Burps are nature's way of getting rid of excess gas in the stomach. When your stomach gets uncomfortably full, gas can be vented either through the intestines or it can rise up the oesophagus and throat and escape through the mouth.
We tend to swallow more air when drinking than eating, especially if we're using a straw. And almost twice as much when we're rushing though a meal. Researchers say we may take up to 1000 swallows of air a day, including about seven swallows an hour while we're sleeping.
Unless it's excessive, burping alone is fairly innocuous. If however, it is accompanied by a sour or bitter taste in the mouth and a feeling like you want to throw up, that's heartburn. If this occurs more than once in a while, it might be something worth looking into.
Other triggers for swallowing air are chewing gum, sucking on hard lollies and smoking. |
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