The message in your farts

They say that your eyes are the windows to your soul. Perhaps. What I’ve found truer in my practice is that your farts are the windows to your true health. Yes, really! While I agree that flatulence is not the sexiest topic in the health industry, it’s definitely one of the most important.

You see, while many people believe that ‘you are what you eat’, I would argue that our bodies are merely as good as what we absorb. In short, you are what you can digest – and your farts are a fantastic way of monitoring whether that digestion is as good as it should be.

So, as always, the science: what exactly are farts? Well, they’re actually a mixture of the air that’s accidentally swallowed while breathing, and the gas produced by the bacteria in your large intestine. Your gut bacteria produces this gas when it finds it difficult to digest certain carbohydrates (sugars and starches). Normally, up to six cups of gas is produced and, as it builds up, the fart is born.

CHANGE OF DIET

So as you can see, the fart is actually a good thing and a sign that you have a good amount of bacteria in your gut and you’re eating enough fibre (this is the indigestible starch). However, it’s the smell that we need to pay attention to.

Certain super-healthy vegetables, like the mighty brocolli, are rich in sulphur and this can create hydrogen sulphide in our guts (rotten eggs, anyone?). While this isn’t really cause for concern, the extremely stinky kind are. In most cases, it indicates an intolerance to certain foods (I have unfortunately experienced this first-hand at the clinic!).

Both gluten (found mainly in wheat, rye, and barley) and lactose (found in dairy produce) are the most common culprits. A sudden urge to pass wind soon after eating the culprit food, or persistent farting (more than 20 times a day) can also indicate this.

The food that you’re intolerant to hangs around in your gut and we can end up with a case of impacted faeces and then, even more of a smell. While there are number of  ‘helpful’ products on the market, I would suggest a simple remedy of two raw carrots a day to clean out your system. You’ll be surprised at how effective it is.

As for the other farts, changing your diet really is the only way to go. That means lots of fresh veggies, moderate amounts of fruit and cutting out processed foods and rancid fats (cooked meat). If you’re already doing this, try eliminating foods one at a time to really figure out which food is causing the issue.