Girls are supposed to be feminine, dainty, clean, fresh and put-together all of the time. Right?
Well — excuse me, but hahaha — that couldn’t be farther from the truth.
Girls: I’m sorry for exposing our truths to the world, but it needs to be done.
Guys: You might not want to read this if you have a girl in your life that you view as perfect. That perfection is about to be seriously compromised.
Well — excuse me, but hahaha — that couldn’t be farther from the truth.
Girls: I’m sorry for exposing our truths to the world, but it needs to be done.
Guys: You might not want to read this if you have a girl in your life that you view as perfect. That perfection is about to be seriously compromised.
1. All girls poop.
May 10, 2017 Many guys can tell if a gas emission is going to be audible or not. That’s why you don’t hear them farting too much in your presence. If it’s silent, they don’t worry too much about it, especially if you have a dog. Joe is with his friends.
Let’s start out with the obvious: EVERYBODY POOPS. Considering females fall under the category of “everybody,” this constitutes that we — yes, we — poop. Duh. And we like it.
*Poops*
*Checks stomach in mirror to see how much flatter it got*
2. Girls hate shaving too.
If we’re wearing pants we probably didn’t shave last night. Or the night before. But most likely all of last week. Too lazy to shave our armpits? Shirt with sleeves it is. No Shave November? Me too.
3. We pick our noses too.
And regularly, I might add. Lots of times it’ll happen while driving. If I have a booger and no tissues, I’m not going to wait until I can find a tissue — that’s just weird.
4. We barely wash our bras.
We’ve worn the same bra for…an undetermined, yet very very long amount of time. And here’s our logic: I didn’t sweat today, so there’s no need to wear a different bra tomorrow. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. The limit does not exist.
5. Our periods bring out the DIY in us.
We’ve been forced to use rolled-up toilet paper upon discovering that our period just started. Extra gross points for those who go the whole day like this due to being busy/in class/working. Admit it — you’ve done it.
6. We pee in the shower.
Gross, or just another way to conserve water? You be the judge.
7. We bleed on our underwear.
There are just too many period-related truths about girls, and this particular one simply can’t be left out. We bleed on our underwear. A lot. And then we’ll rinse out our underwear in the sink. We will then leave said underwear in sink whilst going about our day. Then we forget underwear is in sink and subsequently horrify a visitor that goes to wash their hands. Typically we don’t learn our lesson, and this will happen about seven more times.
8. We go extended periods of time without washing our hair.
Our hygiene is questionable at times. We can go four days without washing hair and validate it by using dry shampoo. No time to shower? Wash off armpits and apply a thick layer of perfume all over body. No time to wash face? Too LAZY to wash face? No problem! Re-apply new makeup OVER yesterday’s crusty makeup.
9. We go commando.
Okay, not ALL girls do this, and certainly not all of the time. Sometimes it’s an accident and you have to roll with it, and sometimes it’s completely voluntary. My current situation describes the latter.
In conclusion: come get us boys; we’re all yours.
13 women were asked to write about their lives as young, single-ish women in New York City, and given free reign over the subjects they wrote about. The result is the book, Girls?, available right now here.
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Table of contents
In fact, according to some research, the average person passes gas about 12–25 times a day. In this article, learn about why people produce gas and discover some other fascinating facts.
Why do we fart?
Gases produced during the digestive process cause flatulence.
The body produces intestinal gas as part of the process of digestion. Once this gas is inside the body, it needs to be released somehow. It is usually expelled through the anus as flatulence or out of the mouth as a burp.
Some intestinal gas comes from the air that people swallow when they are eating, chewing gum, drinking through a straw, or smoking.
Oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide are the primary external gases found inside the body. They make up what is called exogenous air.
Intestinal gas is produced within the body when bacteria in the colon break down food. This is called endogenous gas.
Endogenous gas consists mainly of hydrogen and, for some people, methane. It can also contain small amounts of other gases, such as hydrogen sulfide, which make farts smell bad.
However, bad smells only apply to about 1 percent of the gas that people expel, most of which is almost odor-free.
Undigested carbohydrates are a common cause of gas, as the stomach and the small intestine cannot break these foods down. Instead, these carbohydrates move into the large intestine, where bacteria begin to break them down, releasing intestinal gas in the process.
Undigested carbohydrates include:
- Sugars: such as fructose, raffinose, and sorbitol, which some fruit and artificial sweeteners contain.
- Soluble fiber: found in dried beans, nuts, and fruit.
- Insoluble fiber: found in root vegetables and wheat bran, amongst other foods.
- Starches: such as corn, wheat, and potatoes.
According to the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (IFFGD), foods that make one person fart will not necessarily have the same effect on someone else.
However, some foods are known to create high levels of intestinal gas, including:
- Foods rich in raffinose: Humans lack the enzyme needed to digest raffinose, a complex sugar. When bacteria in the gut try to process it, they release lots of gas. Raffinose is plentiful in beans, whole grains, asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage.
- High-sulfur foods and drinks: Although high-sulfur foods are an essential part of a healthful diet, eating a lot of them can lead to more frequent and pungent farts. These foods include garlic, onions, and cruciferous vegetables, such as cauliflower and broccoli. Some drinks, including wine and beer, are also high in sulfur.
- Foods made with sugar alcohols: Sugar alcohols provide sweetness without the calories of regular sugar, so they are often present in 'sugar-free' processed foods. The body does not digest them completely, so they may cause gas.
Although everyone farts, people with certain conditions may have more problems with intestinal gas than others. These conditions include:
- Lactose intolerance: About 70 percent of adults globally do not have enough of the enzyme that helps them digest milk and milk products. For people with lactose intolerance, eating dairy can cause significant discomfort, gas, bloating, and diarrhea.
- Celiac disease: There are more than 200 symptoms of celiac disease, including painful bloating and gas. People with celiac disease are unable to digest gluten.
- Irritable bowel syndrome: Also known as IBS, this is a chronic condition affecting 10–15 percent of Americans. Symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, and gas.
Individuals who think they may have one of these conditions should see a doctor for a confirmed diagnosis.
Some diets can help people with gastrointestinal conditions reduce their symptoms. One of these is known as the low-FODMAP diet.
By following a low-FODMAP diet, a person will consume fewer foods that are fermentable, or that contain oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols.
Studies have found that 50–86 percent of people with IBS who followed this diet had a reduction in symptoms.
Other facts about flatulence
It is normal and healthy for a person to fart.
Although farting is not typically a conversation starter, there is plenty to learn about it. Facts about flatulence include:
- The average person produces 0.6–1.8 liters of intestinal gas each day.
- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that methane production from livestock (essentially cow farts) makes up about 36 percent of the methane pollution that human activity generates.
- Research has found no significant difference between the amount that younger and older people fart. Likewise, there is no notable difference between the sexes.
- Healthy individuals pass gas between 12 and 25 times a day. However, it is not uncommon for people to fart more than this, depending on their choice of foods.
- Only 1 percent of the gases expelled in farts smell bad. These include foul-smelling gases such as hydrogen sulfide.
- More than 99 percent of the gas that people pass consists of just nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and methane.
- People pass more gas when they are asleep.
- The word 'fart' comes from the Old English word 'feortan,' which means 'to break wind.'
- Soaking beans in water overnight can reduce their tendency to trigger farting.
- Sociologists who interviewed college students regarding their feelings about farting found that heterosexual women were more likely to worry that people hearing them fart would find it disgusting, while heterosexual men were the most likely to think it was funny.
Takeaway
Although farting is as natural as eating or breathing, it can still cause embarrassment. Even people whose level of intestinal gas is well within the normal range may try to limit how much gas they pass.
Fortunately, studies have found that adjusting a person's diet can result in fewer farts.
Over-the-counter commercial enzyme products, such as Beano, can also reduce the body's production of intestinal gas. However, these products are not usually suitable for long-term use.
For a more natural approach, a person can eat smaller meals more frequently and drink peppermint tea to relieve bloating and flatulence.
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Article last reviewed by Mon 21 May 2018.
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Dresden, Danielle. 'Ten facts about why we fart.' Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 21 May. 2018. Web.
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