The Fart Walk: A Breath of Fresh Air for Digestion

By: Kaia Bonner

From having a holiday dinner to that second plate you didn’t need but took anyway, everyone has felt that slightly uncomfortable and overly full feeling after a big meal. Instead of trying to manage your discomfort, consider going on a fart walk.

As crazy as the name sounds, the concept is backed by some real digestive benefits for both you and the other guests at the dining table.

What’s a fart walk?

A fart walk is a short, easy walk that you take after eating to help your body digest food and relieve bloating.

And while the viral term may be new, the concept isn’t. Many experts have long encouraged a walk after dinner as part of a healthy routine that supports digestion and avoids that post-meal sluggish feeling.

How can it help?

When you eat, the digestive system starts breaking down food and moving it through your stomach and intestines. Research shows that light movement can help keep that process running smoothly by stimulating the digestive muscles that help move food through your system.

Taking a quick walk may also help:

• Reduce bloating as the trapped gas moves through the digestive system, easing that uncomfortable pressure in the stomach and turning that fresh air walk, not-so fresh.
• Prevent the sluggish feeling, or “food coma,” by making you more energized post-meal.
• Manage your blood sugar levels, especially after carb-heavy meals.

Of course, how much this helps all varies on things such as meal size, underlying conditions, food choices, and a person’s current digestive health.

Yes, the fart walk sounds and feels silly, but it may also be a surprisingly helpful habit. A short walk can support digestion, reduce bloating, and more. So next time you finish a big meal and feel like you may have overdone it, consider taking that fart walk. After all, what better way to enjoy some fresh air than by helping create a little breeze of your own?