If there’s one thing winter reliably delivers, it’s an explosion of cosy traditions.
Social media timelines fill up with everything from festive bakes to new wellness mantras, with each week seemingly birthing a new must-try ritual. As always, the internet hasn’t disappointed, embracing yet another unexpected habit that’s found a surprisingly loyal fan base.
While some trends of the season drift into the background as quickly as they arrive, others have quietly stuck around, gathering a following that insists they’re worth paying attention to. This one, curiously enough, has been hiding in plain sight.
It’s simple, requires no special equipment, and slots neatly between the post-meal slump and the urge to escape for a breather. Plus, according to the experts championing it, it might just be the easiest feel-good trick of the entire season.
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Only after scrolling past countless clips and confessions does the name jump out: the humble ‘fart walk’.
A phrase coined online last year, it has since marched confidently into the mainstream. Although, behind the cheeky branding is a practice rooted in digestive science.
As Dr Adrienna Jirik explains to Outside Online: fart walks are simply short, low-intensity strolls after eating, designed to release gas and help food move through the gastrointestinal tract.
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The board-certified gastroenterologist at the Cleveland Clinic, elaborates that the aim is to ease common complaints such as bloating, reflux, and indigestion.
It turns out there’s more going on during these gentle strolls than most people realise.
Dr Jirik notes: “As you walk, it helps move food and stool down the GI tract and air out from above and below,” a benefit that quickly disappears if you stay slumped on the sofa.
Her view is echoed by Dr Christopher Damman, who adds: “If you’re sitting around, there’s a constant pressure point in the abdomen. There’s not the shifting that happens like there is with exercise, so things [in your GI tract] tend to stagnate more.”
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What’s more, the perks extend beyond digestion. Dr Damman highlights how movement affects blood sugar regulation.
He says: “When you exercise, you actually increase the amount of sugar that your muscles are taking up, and that blunts the glycemic spike in your blood and helps protect your pancreas from chronically high levels of insulin release… So from a blood sugar standpoint, over a long period of time, exercise can actually be very protective.”
For anyone wondering how long these seasonal strolls need to be, the guidance is refreshingly manageable.
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Dr Jirik adds: “About five to ten minutes is all you need to get things moving."
Topics: Health
Ben Williams