Stomach growling also known as borborygmi is a condition where the human stomach produces some kind of sound similar to that of water moving through a pipe. There is a myth whereby people believe borborygmi signifies an empty stomach although it is not scientifically backed up. Actually, growling is caused by stomach and intestinal muscles contraction which pushes either gas, food, or liquid back and forth to produce that sound you hear. It is likely that this strange loud sound has embarrassed you in a closed meeting and you are concerned about how to stop your stomach from growling. This article will highlight some of the remedies you can try.

Tips for Stopping Stomach Growling

Borborygmi is a normal, though sometimes embarrassing, experience that can happen to anyone. Certain food types, incomplete digestion, and hunger are all associated with borborygmi. With professional advice and the suggestions below, you can stop it from happening.

• Drink water

Sometimes, you might be held up and have to go without eating. If your stomach rumbles at such times, taking a glass of water can stop the rumbling. Water does improve digestion and further, fills your stomach to muffle the sound. However, you should sip that water little by little, not large amounts at a go. Large sips work the opposite way.

• Eat and chew slowly

Indigestion is one cause of growling. Chewing food completely is the first digestion process that eases stomach digestion. Eating slowly also prevents extra swallowing of air, bearing in mind that excess air in the stomach causes borborygmi.

• Don't overeat

As noted above, issues with indigestion might result in gurgling. Overeating is one factor that causes digestion process difficulties. If you overeat, this can affect the complete digestion of food. Have you wondered why many people, especially children, complain of stomach growling after feasting on festive meals? It's because they overeat. Eating smaller portions of food regularly throughout the day helps avoid that single lump sum eating which causes growling.

• Limit gas-triggering foods

If you are concerned about how to stop stomach growling, mind what you eat. Some foods are more likely to cause gas and indigestion. They include broccoli, beans, cabbages, some sodas, lentils and so on.

• Limit sugar and acidic foods

In the process of preventing and stopping stomach growling, reduce the amounts of acidic foodstuffs and excess sugars. You need to limit sorbitol and fructose intake because they increase gas production in your stomach. Secondly, acidic foods like coffee and fruits like citrus must be watched.

• Stay active

After taking your meal, get active. This aids in digestion and fast gastric emptying. Taking a walk for 15-20 minutes has actually proven to be effective in helping digestion. Walking increases your calorie burning rate. Eventually, your energy need elevates resulting in increased digestion. Lastly, you will reduce risks of Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.

• Keep Calm

Keeping calm means avoiding stress. Stress is one cause of slow digestion that brings about indigestion and stomach noise. Furthermore, anxiety mostly experienced during tests (examination), presentations, or interviews disrupts one's calmness. You should try meditating or taking deep breaths while anxious or stressed to help yourself relax and keep calm.

Top Causes of Stomach Growling

In the quest to understand how to stop stomach growling, the root causes must be dealt with first. Even though muscle contractions are the main cause, there are also other causes you need to take care of.

• Migrating motor complex (MMC)

MMC is a process you experience when your digestive gut is empty. Mostly, MMC happens when there is nothing to be digested for a period of two or more hours. When food absence is registered by your digestive gut walls, an electrical muscle wave activity is activated that causes the contraction. This gut contraction causes gas movement that produces the growling.

• Food processing

After eating, food and gastrointestinal acids are mixed together through a muscle contraction wave called peristalsis. As the waves of contraction continue, the rumbling sound is produced. It can be of different magnitudes depending on what you have eaten, quantity and eating habit.

• Hot air in intestines

How does this hot air get into one's stomach? This is a good time to understand why you need to follow table manners. Firstly, if you happen to talk much while drinking or eating, you end up swallowing a lot of air that causes stomach rumbling. Secondly, drinking too much water while exercising can cause the same growling effect.

• Underlying infection

If all the above causes are checked and the growling doesn't stop, then a more serious issue is the cause. You'd better consult a doctor for a more specific diagnosis and medical prescription.

Lastly, a growling stomach experience is normal for humans. You can try the aforementioned methods to ease this symptom. But in case the experience is accompanied by other symptoms like diarrhea, nausea or abdominal pains, seek a doctor's appointment.