We already know walking does wonders for our health — from boosting heart function and circulation to lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of stroke. But according to Dr. Tim Tiutan, a physician and assistant professor, there’s even more to gain from your post-dinner stroll — especially if you’re a little, well, gassy.
In a recent Instagram post, Dr. Tiutan, an internal medicine physician at New York City’s Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, gave his enthusiastic thumbs-up to “fart walks,” a lighthearted term coined by author Marilyn Smith. Smith and her husband make it a nightly habit to take a walk after dinner, helping them “age beautifully” while aiding digestion — and, yes, passing some gas along the way.
Turns out, there’s real science behind it. Walking after meals can improve intestinal motility, helping to move gas through the digestive tract and easing constipation. But the benefits go far deeper: regular post-meal walks can significantly reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a risk that starts rising after age 35. In fact, a 2016 study found that walking for just 10 minutes after each meal helped control blood sugar levels better than a single longer walk during the day.
Dr. Tiutan also pointed out that walking helps prevent blood sugar spikes for up to 24 hours — a major win for metabolic health. And there’s even more good news: regular walking is strongly linked to a lower risk of several cancers, according to the Institute for Cancer Research.
The takeaway? Whether you call it a stroll, a saunter, or a “fart walk,” a little post-meal movement could be one of the simplest, most effective ways to support healthy aging — gas and all.
