Farting. We all do it. In fact, if you decided not to, your internals would be in pretty rough shape. Dates would be quite rough as well; eventually, that gas would work its way into your lungs and out through your mouth.
So yeah, farting is important. Actually, it’s more than important – it’s great!
Here are 5 fabulous health benefits you unlock every time you fart.
#1 – Less Bloating
You can’t really escape bloating. Even super healthy foods like beans and lentils cause it. Luckily, the human body comes equipped with a pressure release valve. All you’ve gotta do is let nature run its course.
Farting releases the gas that forms when food reaches your colon undigested.
You can actually help this process along by getting into a fart-friendly yoga position whenever you feel bloated. An easy one is to lie down face-up and pull one knee towards your chest. This position is called the ‘Pawanmuktasana’ pose – which literally means ‘Wind Relieving Pose’ in Sanskrit.
#2 – A Fart’s Smell (Or Lack Thereof) Reveals A Lot About Your Health
If you’re a healthy human being, most of your farts aren’t going to smell that bad. If that’s you, congratulations – you’re in good shape.
When things start getting really putrid, you need to start paying attention to your health. It could be a sign of lactose intolerance, indigestion or a digestive tract infection.
#3 – Inhaling A Fart Is Good For You
In a fart, you’ll find hydrogen sulfide. Research has shown that inhaling small amounts of hydrogen sulfide can actually reduce cell damage. In the long term, this can prevent strokes, arthritis and heart disease.
See? Biology is awesome.
#4 – Farts = Healthy Gut Microbes
Gut microbes play a key role in several aspects of your health. They power your immune system, regulate brain chemicals and control weight gain, for example.
Now, of course, you can’t see your gut microbes. Even if you could, they don’t have thumbs they can stick up to let you know everything’s a-okay. That’s where farts come in; it’s one of the ways your gut helpers communicate. If you’re farting, you know your they’re in good shape.
“Eating foods that cause gas is the only way for the microbes in the gut to get nutrients,” says gastroenterologist Purna Kashyap.
That leads us nicely into our last point.
#5 – Farts Can Help You Hone Your Diet
If you rarely fart, you know your gut microbes aren’t getting the nutrients they need. That means you need to eat more carbohydrates like:
- Beans
- Whole grains
- Brussels sprouts
- Onions
If you’re approaching menopausal age, expect an increase in fart frequency. When that happens, start changing your diet. Probiotics will go a long way towards keeping your gut healthy. That will in turn keep your hormones in check and provide you benefits menopause-aged women could use.
So there you have it! Farts are actually quite fantastic. If you want to learn more, check out this video!
Sources:
WomenToWomen.com
Women’s Health Magazine
LiveScience.com
Time Magazine
TheDebrief.co.uk