nutrition

A farting horse will never tire,

A farting man is the man to hire!

My pioneer family's homely refrain was a reflection of the nutrition, and that things were in good working order, at a time of deprivation rather than plenty. A big meal for horse and man, eaten quickly, provided jet fuel for hard work. The volume of intestinal gas is increased with a high carbohydrate diet such as would be expected in pioneer days. High correlation of intestinal gas and caloric intake is seen when investigated. Mean total volume of intestinal gas per day in a healthy adult is 705 ml. and this includes both bolus gas and colonic fermentation. The rate of daily emission of flatus is variable. The content includes hydrogen,methane,CO2 and nitrogen The pioneer diet also provided a significant, sturdy obesity that served as a base when the 6th and 7th stages of man could leave you atrophied. Sort of getting a physical head start in life's race. Low carbohydrate diets, associated with high fibre meals reduce flatulence considerably, but at the expense of energy, Not desirable in the case of the hired man! Moreover, there was no mechanization to speak of on the farm at that time. Petrol was of no use. You literally couldn't work with your hired man and horse," running on all cylinders " . Another kind of gas was needed!.

Investigation of Normal Flatus Production in Healthy Volunteers, Tomlin J., Lomis C., Read N. W., Gut, 1991, June 32 (6): 665-669.