You may have heard of “hot girl walk”but how about a “fart walk”?

Social media user @mairlynsmith, a Canadian cookbook author and self-proclaimed “Queen of Fiber,” has attracted attention when she gave her after-dinner walk this eye-catching name, claiming it can help you “age beautifully” and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

“My husband and I go for fart walks most nights after dinner,” Smith says in a video she posted on Instagram that has garnered nearly half a million likes. “Why? Because walking helps maintain our blood sugar levels and keep them from going all over the place. And as we get older, especially after 40, our risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases.”

More than one in three adults in the United States had Prediabetes in 2021, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. “Prediabetes is a condition in which blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a diabetes diagnosis,” the institute’s website states. “People with prediabetes are at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.”

Erin Palinski-Wade, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes counselor, told CBS News that this type of after-dinner activity is a “really smart idea” – and she even recommends it to her clients, just not under the same name.

“I recommend getting up and moving after eating – not vigorously, but at a moderate level where you can have a conversation,” she said. “The idea of ​​moving after eating can have a lot of health benefits and can be beneficial for digestion, so I think it’s a good trend.”

Why does it work?

“When you’re physically active, every part of your body is more active, including your gut. So gut motility increases,” Palinski-Wade said.

While this increased intestinal motility can help release gas after eating, you don’t necessarily have to release gas to feel the effects—it’s all about the movement.

“It’s the benefit you get from exercise that supports the gut and the entire body,” Palinski-Wade said. “The passing of gas is not the benefit, it’s the mobility that really benefits you.”

As a bonus, however, releasing gases can help relieve bloating, she said.

Walking after eating affects blood sugar

Taking a walk after eating can also help keep blood sugar levels balanced, which in turn “can contribute to energy and well-being after eating,” Palinski-Wade said.

“When we exercise, we use more energy, so glucose is naturally pushed out of the bloodstream and into the cells for energy, causing glucose levels to drop,” she said.

Taking a regular walk after eating can also help you maintain more balanced blood sugar levels throughout the day, she adds.

Tips for getting started

So what exactly should post-meal walks look like? “The more regularly you do it, the better,” says Palinski-Wade, adding that it also depends on when someone is least active.

“For most people, it’s most beneficial in the evening after dinner because that’s when we sit the most,” she said. “So if you eat a big dinner and then sit the rest of the night, you’re more likely to have indigestion, you’re more likely to have heartburn and higher blood sugar levels. Whereas at breakfast (and) lunch, we’re more likely to be on our feet and moving more.”

She suggests walks ranging from 5 to 30 minutes. Smith says you can start with just 2-minute walks, but she recommends 10, 15 or 20 minutes.

Taking a five-minute walk after each meal is particularly good for blood sugar, says Palinski-Wade, but she knows that’s not always practical.

“So I would choose the meal that has the largest portion and the one that requires the least sleep,” she said.

Also, do it slowly.

“As long as you can still speak without gasping for air or only uttering a few words, you can judge the intensity of the walk,” Palinski-Wade said.

Smith agrees not to walk too fast. “It’s more of a moderate walk,” she says in her video.