Here’s the street-level, alt/folk playbook some people claim to abide when wheat (usually the fructans) blows up the gut. Fast relief first, then short-term calm-it-down support. Nothing here is medical advice; skip anything that clashes with your meds/conditions.

Quick relief (first 0–24 hours)

• Stop the trigger and go bland + low-FODMAP for a day: white rice or oats, eggs, chicken/fish, zucchini, carrots, ripe banana, lactose-free yogurt, broth.
• Antispasm + de-bloat
• Enteric-coated peppermint oil: 1 cap ~30–60 min before meals (standard OTC dose on the label).
• Fennel + caraway tea (or chew ½–1 tsp seeds) after meals.
• Ginger tea (fresh slices simmered 10–15 min) if you’re crampy or nauseous.
• Soothers (“demulcents”)
• Slippery elm or marshmallow root cold infusion: 1–2 tsp powder (or 1–2 tbsp cut root) in cool water 20–60 min, sip slowly. Coats and calms.
• DGL licorice (deglycyrrhizinated): 1–2 chewables before meals; avoid if you can’t use licorice and make sure it’s DGL.
• Gas pressure
• Simethicone as needed (it’s inert and plays nice with most things).
• Optional: activated charcoal 500–1,000 mg once after a meal (may constipate; keep it away from meds by 2–3 hours).
• Gentle reset
• Heat on the belly + easy walking (10–20 min) + knee-to-chest pose.
• Hydration with water or an oral-rehydration mix (especially if stools are loose).

What alt folks avoid in a flare

• Apple juice (high-FODMAP, tends to worsen gas).
• Aloe latex / stimulant aloe juices (can trigger diarrhea and cramping). If you insist on aloe, pick decolorized “inner-fillet” only, tiny dose in water, and stop if it loosens stools.
• NSAIDs (Motrin/ibuprofen) for gut pain (they can aggravate the lining). Use acetaminophen instead if you need an analgesic.
• Onion, garlic, apples, honey, agave, sorbitol/xylitol, big salads, kombucha — common gas makers during a flare.

24–48 hours (calm the fire + support the lining)

• L-glutamine: 5 g in water, 1–2×/day (away from food) for a week or two if you find it soothing.
• Curcumin (turmeric extract) 500–1,000 mg/day with a fatty snack; many pair it with a little black pepper extract.
• Boswellia 300–500 mg once or twice daily (some find it good for gut soreness).
• Magnesium (glycinate or low-dose citrate) 150–300 mg in the evening to relax smooth muscle; back off if stools get too loose.
• Bitters (gentian/artichoke blends) 10–20 drops in a splash of water ~10 min before meals to help upper-GI mechanics.
• Psyllium (soluble fiber): start tiny (½–1 tsp in water daily) once gas settles; go slow.
• Probiotic tilt toward Bifido strains for bloating (e.g., B. infantis/B. longum) — not instant, but helpful over weeks.
• Enzymes for next time: a fructanase/inulinase with wheat-containing meals can blunt gas for some; alpha-galactosidase helps beans more than wheat, but a few people still find it useful.

Simple 2-day food sketch

• Day 1: rice congee/broth, scrambled eggs, poached chicken, cooked zucchini/carrots, ripe banana; teas above.
• Day 2: add oatmeal or white rice + salmon/chicken, lactose-free yogurt, small oats-based crackers; keep onions/garlic/fruit juices out.

When to bail out and get help

Blood in stool, fever, persistent vomiting, new severe pain, dehydration, or if you’re on meds where herbs/supplements could interact (anticoagulants, immunosuppressants, lithium, etc.).