Thanksgiving Dinner Tip: Go on a “fart walk”!
USA TODAY trend reporter Julia Gomez embarks on a “fart walk” to explain what it is and why the internet has jumped on this latest trend.
Since it’s Thanksgiving, those pants feel a little tighter than before dinner. While it may be tempting to curl up on the couch and take a nap, consider taking a “fart walk” instead.
Maylin Smith, the award-winning cookbook author who popularized the term, recommends taking a short walk after dinner to aid digestion and bloating.
“Taking a ‘fart walk’ after dinner can help you age gracefully,” Smith said in a TikTok video. The name walk may elicit a laugh, but cultures around the world believe in the power of a short walk after a sumptuous dinner. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, in Italy it’s called “La Passeggiata,” and in China there’s an old proverb that says, “If you walk 100 steps after every meal, you’ll live to be 99 years old.”
Here’s what you need to know about fart walks and how they can benefit you.
What is a fart walk?
According to Right as Rain, a publication from the University of Washington School of Medicine, a fart walk, a walk taken within an hour after a meal, may improve stomach movement and reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
What are the benefits of fart walking?
According to Right as Rain, the possible benefits include:
- Expand your intestines to quickly empty your stomach
- reduce swelling
- reduce acid reflux
- moderate blood sugar levels
According to the Mayo Clinic, walking in general has many other benefits. Going for a walk can help adults lose and maintain weight, prevent diseases such as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, cancer, and type 2 diabetes, strengthen muscles and bones, and improve cardiovascular health.
The clinic says adults should aim to complete 30 to 60 minutes of aerobic exercise most days. One way to achieve this goal is to walk 30 minutes a day, five days a week.
Who should go for a fart walk?
According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, people over 35 may benefit most from taking a “fart walk” because they are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. However, children and teens can also develop the disease.
The following may also increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes:
- being overweight or obese
- Have a family history of diabetes
- Are physically inactive or lead a sedentary lifestyle
- have prediabetes
People who are African American, Native American, Asian American, Hispanic/Latinx, or Pacific Islander are also at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
When should you go for the Thanksgiving Fart Walk?
According to the University of Washington, aim to go for a walk within an hour of eating your Thanksgiving meal. Blood sugar levels typically spike an hour after eating, so the best time to go for a walk is before then.
Smith recommends walking for 10 to 20 minutes after meals.
“These small things you do on a regular basis can have a big impact on your long-term health,” Smith said in the video.
