Page 7 - IAV Digital Magazine #597

iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine
What’s A ‘Fart Walk’? How This Trendy Exercise Can Help Digestion
Story by Reda Wigle
Does this trend pass the smell test?
Mairlyn Smith, a Toronto- based cookbook author and self-proclaimed “Queen of Fiber,” claims a post-meal “fart walk” could be the solution to your digestive issues. She coined the concept after setting out on a stroll with her husband for an hour after mealtime — and let- ting it rip.
Smith recalls that her now- viral marital routine of release started a decade ago as a simple post-sup- per walkabout, “It all began 10 years ago... I suggest- ed to my husband that we go for a walk after dinner. When you eat as much fiber as we do, you can get gassy. We walked...cue the farts, and the legendary #Fartwalk was born.”
In addition to trending on
social media, Smith’s cheek-squeaking ritual has garnered applause from GI docs and medical profes- sionals who say the prac- tice is great for gut health.
It’s well-established that exercise can aid diges- tion. Dr. Lisa Ganjhu, a gastroenterologist at NYU Langone, explains to SELF, “When you are moving, your GI tract is also mov- ing. This helps trigger gut motility, or movement of your intestines, which is essential for properly breaking down food.”
Accelerated digestion can also help alleviate heart- burn, acid reflux and bloat- ing.
Recent studies show that mild movement, like walk- ing, may trigger a nerve reflex that helps propel foods and gas contents through the gut. Walking also engages the abdomi- nal muscles, creating inter- nal pressure on the colon that helps to push intestinal gas out.
Researchers in Iran have identified the ideal posture for the famed fart walk — hands clasped behind the back and neck flexed for- ward. This positioning decreases the amount of air swallowed and leads to more internal abdominal pressure, allowing for a more gentle squeezing out
of gas from the colon.
Smith claims her flatulence fad guards against the development of Type 2 dia- betes and experts seem to agree.
A study in the
journal Nutrients found that walking after eating helps stabilize blood sugar levels — repeated spikes in blood sugar over a sustained period can lead to insulin resistance, increasing the risk of Type 2 diabetes.
Among the glorious virtues of a fart walk is that it need not be long to be benefi- cial. A 2021 study found as little as 10 minutes of movement can help allevi- ate bloating.
And there’s no need to go hard when you’re out for your stale wind stroll. A study published in
the European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational
Physiology found that digestion increased signifi- cantly during moderate walking but decreased dur- ing running.
It’s a fart walk, not a stink sprint.
Smith echoes the senti- ment, “It’s these little things you do on a regular basis that can have a long-term health [benefit]. So saddle yourself up for a fart walk.”
iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine