No Gas Shortage

Reading recently that the average human passes gas about 14 times every day caused me some thought. Mostly I asked myself: how did they figure that out?--and I decided I like my current job just fine. The report stated that this gas normally does not smell bad. Ah, at least the researchers have that going for them. Wilderness flatulence is rarely a problem, other than socially, but it has greatly disturbed a few high altitude climbers. At higher elevations, gas expands more quickly, causing, sometimes, a great deal of pain, a problem dubbed High Altitude Flatus Expulsions (HAFE). If gas proves a problem, here are a few tips: eat smaller meals, take it easy on fats, and leave the bubbly drinks behind. (I have seen more than one party on Denali lugging a sled full of Coke and beer.) And when you're packing your food bag, cut down on foods containing beans, eggs, meat, and cauliflower, sources not only of gas but of smelly gas. You might also like to know that exercise helps keep your bowels moving smoothly and with less gas. Consider, finally, packing an anti-gas product such as Beano (www.beanogas.com). Save on gas!