What is 'fart walking' and why is it good for you?

702's Gugs Mhlungu chats to healthcare practitioner Plaxy Gühr.

Gut health is receiving a lot of attention because of its profound impact on our overall well-being and its role as an indicator of your general health.

The simple practice of walking has been found to have benefits for your digestive system, but have you heard of 'fart walking'?

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Fart walks are described as short strolls within an hour after eating a meal that help get your gastrointestinal tract moving.  

Gugs Mhlungu chats to healthcare practitioner Plaxy Gühr, founder of Functional Vitality, a functional health practice located in Cape Town.

Gühr says it has to do with mobility because, as she puts it, the human race was never meant to sit down but to stay moving.

She refers to the term 'transit time' which is the time it takes from when we eat to when that food finally exits our body.

"A lot of people have got gut issues, for invariably after they eat they don't digest their food very well and they form a lot of gas, so when they walk obviously that helps for the gas to come out and a person then feels more comfortable."

Plaxy Gühr, Founder - Functional Vitality

She emphasizes that fart walking does not imply power walking.

"We're just talking about mobilising the body and breathing.  This improves digestion and also lowers sugar levels, and should be a relaxing activity."

Plaxy Gühr, Founder - Functional Vitality

Gühr also discusses irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) - take a listen in the interview audio at the top of the article