Health & Fitness
A Daily ‘Fart Walk’ Can Lower Your Risk Of Diabetes. Here’s How
Photo by Kay Abrahams/peopleimages.com/Adobe Stock
Health & Fitness
A Daily ‘Fart Walk’ Can Lower Your Risk Of Diabetes. Here’s How
Reap the benefits in as little as two minutes!
Though her evening stroll grabbed the Internet’s attention in 2024, Marilyn Smith and her husband have been going on “fart walks” for years.
The poignantly-named excursions began when the pair were young and used the time to catch up on their days; the digestive stimulation of it all was just a bonus. “We started calling it a fart walk because that’s what would happen,” says the nutritionist.
The pair eat a diet that’s high in fibre, so going for a post-dinner walk helps get their digestive systems moving and avoid uncomfortable bloating. But this healthy habit does more than stave off a bellyache.
What is a fart walk?
About an hour after you’ve eaten, Smith recommends heading out for a meander that lasts anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes. “It’s not a fitness walk,” says Smith. “You’re not strolling, but you’re not breathless.”
The pace or length of the walk isn’t key here. Rather, it’s about engaging in gentle movement that offers digestive benefits.
Read More: 5 High-Fibre Recipes That Actually Taste Good
What are the benefits of a fart walk?
A post-meal walk stimulates gut motility and encourages blood flow to the digestive tract, which in turn has a positive effect on digestion.
“Eat more fibre, drink more liquids, and go for walks,” says Smith. “It’s the perfect prescription for great GI health.”
Walking for as little as two minutes following a meal can also help lower your blood sugar, according to a 2022 study in the journal Sports Medicine. “Light-intensity walking” helps force glucose out of your bloodstream, thereby regulating insulin production. The glucose is then circulated into your muscles—think of a runner carbo-loading before a big race—giving you a healthy energy boost.
This glucose regulation helps reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Walking also has the added bonus of being beneficial for mental health, joints, and reducing the risk of heart disease and dementia.
Whether you walk around the block or head out for a neighbourhood jaunt, incorporating this simple habit has no shortage of advantages.
“It’s the little things we do on a regular basis that have the biggest impacts on long-term health,” says Smith.
For more fibre-focused health tips, follow @MairlynSmith on Instagram.
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