Flatulence during Activity (Farting)

What is “flatulence” (medical definition); “passing wind” (polite society); or “farting” (small boys and those with a small boy sense of humor)?

Sometimes gas can get trapped in the digestive system, usually when we swallow air, or it can be caused by the digestion of bacteria in our colon (also known as the large intestine).  We either burp it up, or it comes out through the sphincter muscle, vibrating the tissue on its way out and causing the noise we refer to as “farting”.  The intensity of the expelled wind regulates the loudness of the “fart”.  Some cultures consider the passing of wind to be a normal bodily function and not much heed is taken.  In most western cultures, however, it is considered by many to be impolite, especially when accompanied by an odious smell.

Better out than in, I always say…

It is any wonder then that the release of gas during exercise – what with the bending, turning and twisting of our bodies – can cause us to be self conscious.  I’ve always thought that especially in yoga, we should be concentrating on our poses, our internal breathing and not on what weird noises our neighbor is making.  I’ve also heard that you should only excuse yourself in a voice as loud as the noise made by the expelled gas….no need to advertise your embarrassment.  If farting takes place in the exercise room where the noise of the machines covers it, so much the better.

Otherwise, foods to avoid include vegetables such as beans, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, onions, peas, corn and others high fibre foods as well as dairy products.  However, as these are also considered “healthy” foods, perhaps it is better for us all to turn a blind eye and nostril and give a “pass” to those who are at least trying to keep healthy by exercising and eating right.

When I was a little girl I often stayed the night at my grandparents’ house and each time I remember waking up to see my Grandad stretching.  Grandad had a standard routine and it didn’t matter whether he was sick, tired, stressed, grumpy, hungry or in a hurry, those stretches got done and they got done properly.  After he was done, Grandad often moved on to the rest of his exercise routine, which involved an amazing number of push ups (hundreds) and sit ups (even more). But despite what you might think, Grandad was – and is – not a runner, nor a swimmer, nor a soccer player. He’s never gone to a gym. He’s always been a regular guy, an old-fashioned (in the best sense) hard worker who knows the importance of keeping fit and he does it right at home before most of us even get out of bed.

My grandad is 95 now and he is still going strong. He still lives on his own, still uses a push mower (no power!) to mow his hilly double lot. I have no idea whether stretching is part of the reason he is still so strong and limber, but I do know that because of his example I’ve always viewed stretching as a normal part of my life.  Thanks Grandad, for being such a great role model, as well as an inspiration to me!

Like Grandad, you don’t need to be an athlete – or even Gumby – to add stretching to your routine. Whether you are training vigorously for Vancouver’s Winter Olympics in 2010 (anyone?) or just training your dog to sit, there are benefits from stretching. They include:

* Reduced muscle tension
* Increased range of movement in the joints
* Enhanced muscular coordination
* Increased circulation of the blood to various parts of the body
* Increased energy levels (resulting from increased circulation)

Busy? Stretching doesn’t have to take long. In fact, here are 2 excellent videos from sparkpeople.com. You can follow along with them both and be ready for another coffee in less than ten minutes. Ready?  See you in ten!

This first video (4 minutes) covers lower body stretches:

The second video (3 minutes) takes you through upper body stretches.