Let The Gas Pass

Interestingly enough, farting can be considered a talent. Some use farting to make a living. In the early 20th century, a man known as Le Petomane performed in France using his fart to create “music.” Mr. Methane is a modern Le Petomane and is today’s “flatulist.” His talent can be heard at Heptune.com. He could probably be found on YouTube.com as well.

Producers of medical treatments for gas such as Beano and Gas-X and authors who write about farting have also earned a living. Books on farting include “The Gas We Pass; The Story of Farts” by Shinto Cho, translated by Amanda Mayer Stinchecum. The book is very informative and includes pictures.

With the subject of farting giving so many an income and popularity, one starts to wonder just exactly why farting is so embarrassing. Some might say it’s embarrassing because it is known to be a disgusting act and those who fart in public usually try to deny it.

Others try to cover it up by scraping their chair against the ground to make it seem like that had been the sound all along. If you try this method, be sure to hide your blush as well or you won't be able to get away with it.

Farting is not a much discussed topic. Most find it embarrassing. Some, mostly men, take pride in farting. Nonetheless, farting is natural. It’s actually your body’s way of telling you that you have a healthy digestive system. Everyone farts—your grandmother, Angelina Jolie, priests, your professors, and hopefully you.
As the great American Benjamin Franklin wrote, “Fart Proudly!”

The amount of times you’re supposed to fart is 14 times a day—not that anyone’s counting, right?

Farting occurs for many reasons. Smoking, lactose intolerance, swallowing too much air, eating certain foods and an overabundance of bacteria in the colon are some reasons why farting occurs.

If you are farting excessively, you should consult with a doctor immediately. Excessive farting may be due to serious health issues such as gallstones, irritable bowel syndrome, appendicitis and stomach ulcers.

The composition of farts is variable. Sometimes it is because of the air that we swallow.

According to doctors, by the time the air that we swallow gets into the large intestine, only nitrogen is left which causes chemical reactions between stomach acid and intestine fluids which then may produce carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is a component of bacterial action and bacteria cause gas.

The odor of farts comes from sulfur, so the more sulfur-rich your diet is, the more your fart will stink—and the more people will notice.

Beans are infamous for causing farts. The reason behind this is because beans contain sugars humans can’t digest. If beans are a “must-have” in your diet and you’d like to control farting after eating it, you should try soaking them overnight in water with a few tablespoons of vinegar. Drain and rinse the beans before cooking. Apparently, doing this will give you less a chance of farting.

The way you eat and drink can cause gas as well. Not carefully chewing and chugging a drink can cause you to swallow an excess of air therefore causing farts to emerge. Also, chewing can help the digestive system break down the foods so bacteria can be prevented.

“Eating slowly and chewing food for longer allows the enzymes in saliva to break the food. The more that food is chewed, the more it is broken down for the digestive system,” MedicalNewsToday said.

We should just accept that, on most occasions, farting is good news for our bodies. So, go ahead, let it rip. It’s uncomfortable to hold it in and it and may cause a stomachache if you do.