It might sound a bit odd, but your poop can tell a lot about your health. It can show if your body systems work properly when it comes to absorbing nutrients and eliminating waste from your body. So, the next time you visit the bathroom, take a look in the toilet bowl and try to remember the form and color of your poop.
These two factors along with the frequency of your bowel movements can indicate a certain health problem that’s going on in your body.
Here’s what each aspect of your poop indicates:
1. Frequency
Visiting the bathroom once a day is considered the best when it comes to bowel movements. If you have a faster metabolism, however, you probably have two to three bowel movements a day. But, everything more than three times a day indicates diarrhea.
On the contrary, having rare bowel movements is very bad for your health as in this way your body eliminates waste, toxins, and acids which can cause serious diseases.
2. Form
The form of your poop can reveal a certain health problem or disease. See which of these 7 forms applies for your poop:
Form 1 – Little Balls, or Separate Hard Lumps
Having poop in the form of little, hard balls can mean your small intestine have an acute inflammation. But, it can also be a side effect of taking antibiotics, and might also cause anal bleeding.
Form 2 – Sausage Form, but Lumpy
This type of stool can cause anal bleeding as it’s hard to pass. People with irritable bowel syndrome usually have this lumpy sausage form of poop.
Form 3 – Sausage Form but With Cracks
Poop in shape of sausage but with cracks on its surface is processed faster, so it probably indicates constipation. This type of stool is more common than #2.
Form 4 – Smooth and Soft Sausage or Snake Form
This is the ideal form of poop and indicates a good fiber content. It’s common in people with one bowel movement a day.
Form 5 – Soft Blobs with Well-Defined Edges
People with more than one bowel movement a day have this form of poop. Similar to the previous form, it indicates a good health and fiber content.
Form 6 – Fluffy Pieces with Ragged, Torn Edges
Having a mushy stool indicates stress and high blood pressure.
Form 7 – Loose Stool, with no Solid Pieces
This form is known as paradoxical diarrhea because it appears along with constipation. It’s most common in elderly and children.
A sausage, snake, watery, or a blob?
You've probably heard that the health of your POOPS, including both the regularity, but also the texture, is a good indicator of the health of your digestive system, and even overall health in many cases too.
So many diseases begin with gut disorders, so it's important that you know if your digestion is working properly.
Some people struggle with constipation, while others struggle with frequent diarrhea or loose stools. For some people, they struggle with both problems several times per week, and can't figure out what things in their diet are causing constipation vs diarrhea or loose stools.
I've even heard of some people who "thought" they were eating healthy by eating a lot of veggies, but found out later that TOO many veggies (or the wrong types for them) were causing irritable bowel symptoms and overly loose stools.
It's vitally important that you figure out if your poops are normal, and if not, how to correct it...
So, is your digestive system damaged?
Click the image below to figure out your POOP type👇
3. Color
The color of your stool can also reveal a lot more than you think. A medium to dark-brown color indicates good health and no problems. But, yellow or greenish colored poop can mean improper absorption of fat or gallbladder or liver stress. Black or bright red stool, on the other hand, could be a sign of blood in your upper gastrointestinal tract.
Note that certain medications, supplements, or black licorice consumption can turn your poop’s color black.
Additional Tips
- If your poop floats, it means good fiber content. But, some believe that it indicates fat malabsorption.
- Rice, bananas, tea, and apples are some ingredients you should consume more if your stool is loose. Besides firming up your stool, they will also improve your bowel movements.
- On the other hand, if you have a too firm stool, you might want to consume more magnesium-high foods, as well as do a complete thyroid function panel.
- Consume soaked chia seeds and probiotics to improve your stool
- Abdominal massage and yoga can help your bowel movements
Source Henry Ford | Henry Ford
