To a little boy, there’s nothing funnier than the noises they can make with their body. While it isn’t humorous to most adults, kids chuckle when they fart or burp as they feel like they’ve done something taboo. Actually, farting is quite normal, and it’s a sign that you have a healthy colon.
Some think the very mention of the word fart is offensive, so they prefer to use terms like a stinker, toot, cutting the cheese, fluffing, or the technical term to flatulate. Regardless of what you call it, you shouldn’t be embarrassed about this normal bodily function.
Did you know that the average person farts between 13-21 times each day? So, it doesn’t matter how prim and proper some try to be; their body will do what it was designed to do.
Interesting Facts About Bodily Gasses
Breaking wind releases gas from your body, which is called hydrogen, though most people think it’s called methane. This gas is almost as flammable as putting a match to fuel. Have you seen the videos where pranksters try to light their farts to see if it will catch on fire?
Sadly, many have burnt themselves because hydrogen is flammable, but it doesn’t have the potency of the gas in your car. Did you know that the size of your anal cavity can dictate how loud you flatulate? Those with larger anal openings tend to have quieter stinkers, while those with smaller ones tend to flatulate louder.
Women usually try to hold their gas in as long as possible to avoid embarrassment, but their sphincter muscles determine how long they can hold it.
This is why your dear mom or grandma might have a few slip outs when you’re around. Don’t worry if you tend to crop dust someone in the grocery store. They now make panty liners that can capture the gas and absorb it into the active charcoal layer, which means your foul smells can go undetected. So don’t hold back a fart, head for that section of the store!
What Is A Toot Anyway?
What is a fart? Gas builds up in your intestines from the air and food your body takes in. Your stomach, colon, rectum, and small intestines, are full of gaseous materials that aid in the digestion process. Only so much of this gas can be absorbed into the body, and the excess comes out in the form of a stinker.
As the gas fills into the upper part of your intestines, it puts pressure to release it on the colon wall. If you don’t dismiss this build-up, then the pressure will continue to mount. It can go as far as up into your chest area.
How many times have you heard of someone going to the hospital for chest pains only to find out they had an excessive amount of gas? Gas pains can feel as bad as those from a heart attack, and the two are easily confused.
When you flatulate, you release those gasses and bring relief to your body. Gas comes from four sources in your body; they are:
• The Foods You Eat
Some foods, like broccoli and cauliflower, have sulfur in them as they’re a cruciferous vegetable. Their high fiber content makes it difficult for the body to completely digest these veggies in the small intestines. So, undigested foods cause more significant gas content.
The flatulence from these and other similar foods often cause quite offensive gas when you release it.
• Excess Air
All-day long, you intake air into your body. When you’re talking, chewing gum, and eating, your body is intaking oxygen into your system. Did you know that carbonated beverages can also contribute to an overabundance of gas in the body?
When the body has too much air intake in the stomach and intestines, it must release it. Usually, stinkers that come from internal air won’t have such a pungent odor.
• Bacteria Overgrowth
Another reason why you pass gas is that you have an overabundance of bacteria inside the small intestines. You often see this with medical conditions such as celiac disease or irritable bowel syndrome.
• Improperly Digested Foods
Your body has trouble digesting some foods, specifically complex carbohydrates. The small intestines’ enzymes work hard to digest what you eat, but they cannot fully digest foods high in sugar and carbohydrates. The partially digested foods travel down through your colon, and the body converts it into both hydrogen and carbon dioxide.
Let Her Rip – Don’t Hold Back a Fart!
If you are embarrassed by breaking wind, you should know that it’s unhealthy to hold it back. Did you know that holding in all that excess gas can be bad for your health? Here are some common reasons why you shouldn’t feel bad about breaking wind.
1. It Feels Good When You Do Not Hold Back a Fart
Nothing feels better than to release the stomach pain and bloating that comes along with excessive gas. When you break wind, you release feel-good hormones in your system that are part of your rewards center.
So doing something as simple as tooting can make you feel better. Not to mention you’re releasing internal pressure that brings instant relief.
2. May Prevent Heart Disease
A shocking fact about how passing gas can help prevent heart disease and other severe conditions. When you smell the aroma from an unpleasant stinker, it helps repair things like mitochondrial cell damage. While the fumes of any gas can be toxic, a small amount can be beneficial.
3. It Warns You of An Underlying Issue
Did you know that your flatulence can tell you a lot about your overall health? People with bowel conditions or lactose intolerance or celiac disease can often help doctors diagnose their bloating and farting.
Excessive gas shows that the body has problems digesting food, indicating a medical problem that needs to be addressed. Additionally, a study found that people with diabetes tend to have more gas, especially if they take medications to remove excess glucose from their system.
4. You Gas Tells You Whether You’re Eating Right
Did you know that people who eat too many carbs and sugars tend to be gassier than people who eat a healthy diet? If you wonder if it’s true, then you should try to go a few days without eating any sugar and see what happens.
Additionally, those who overeat protein may have an issue with smelly gas. Your body will communicate with you when your digestive system is in trouble.
5. It Helps Stomach Pain
How many times have you heard that you need to chew your food thoroughly before you swallow it? Science supports that the first step in the digestion process begins in your mouth. Your teeth crush and chew the food to break it down so that the intestines can do the rest.
Once it’s inside the intestines, bacteria take over to break down the remaining bits. Bacteria automatically produces gas to help in this process. The gas buildup causes pain and boating that is uncomfortable and sometimes unbearable. When you release this gas, you will feel relief.
Final Thoughts on Why You Shouldn’t Hold Back a Fart
This topic tends to be one that proper people don’t talk about, and many try to hide. Yet, your body has specific functions that are part of the normal processes it needs to thrive. You usually get a lot of gas when the stool inside the colon is full, and the body is ready to release it.
Did you know that if you hold your stools, it can cause plenty of health issues? There are just some things that you don’t talk about with others, but you still need to know the importance of why these functions occur. Both good and bad things happen when you break wind.
Your body is releasing excessive gas, which makes you feel better. However, your system could be trying to warn you of a severe underlying issue that needs to be addressed. People who flatulate a lot can be consuming too much sugar or protein or have a problem like diabetes, acerbating the issue.
At the end of the day, if those around you can live with your gas, then it’s probably not an issue. Consequently, if you’re continually breaking wind and you can’t seem to control it, then it’s worth mentioning to your doctor.
Also, farts with pungent aromas can indicate a digestive issue. Since the gut and brain health connection is becoming more apparent, having a good digestive system is essential. Until science can fully explain, know it is unsuitable for your body to hold back a fart.
