TWELVE THINGS YOUR STOOL SAYS ABOUT YOUR HEALTH

So today we're talking about stools. Now I kind of like the four-legged bar stool myself I find it's very stable, it's easy to sit on and what Oh we're not talking about that kind of stool oh.  We are talking about your waste product as a human.

TWELVE THINGS YOUR STOOL SAYS ABOUT YOUR HEALTH

 

Well, as gross as it may sound the color and shape of your stool can reveal a lot about your health. Any changes you might notice can be a sign of a serious disease don't ignore them read this article till the end to take another step toward good health poop color. 

As you probably know the normal color of stool is brown it may vary slightly from time to time depending on what you eat but a sudden color change for no obvious reason can be a warning sign. So let's find out what's what 

COLOR

1. Whitish grayish or clay-colored stool indicates a lack of bile. Bile is what makes normal poop brown lighter poop may hint at problems with the liver and gallbladder as these are organs where bile is produced and stored it can be anything from blocked bile ducts and gall stones to cirrhosis. Gall stones can give you some serious abdominal pain or show no signs of their existence making it trickier to diagnose. As for cirrhosis, it gives your liver irreversible damage so early detection of it could be life-saving. White mucus on a brown stool may be a sign of Crohn's disease which is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease.

2. Green colored stool: Are you a fan of spinach kale and broccoli or maybe your diet contains avocados, cucumbers, zucchini, Kiwis, and other green foods?

Then you probably don't have a reason to worry about green poop a green color may be caused by the consumption of vegetables rich in chlorophyll which makes them green or green food coloring and drinks and iron supplements. If food is not the reason it means your stool passed the digestive tract too quickly and didn't have time to get enough bile in bilirubin. Are you guys still with me on this trek through the poop? KEEP READING. 

3. Yellow-colored stool: Have you noticed that your stool looks yellowish, is covered in the greasy film, and even leaves drops of oil in the toilet bowl? Yellow stool can be a sign of blocked bile ducts and poor fat absorption when your digestive system fails to break down food the way it should too much fat goes out with your stool. Another reason is a lack of enzymes produced by the pancreas which may hint at chronic pancreatitis cystic fibrosis and celiac disease people who have celiac disease can eat gluten. So bread and pasta along with other foods rich in gluten give their intestines a hard time but don't panic yellow poop can also be a sign that you ate too many carrots and had a lot of yellow-colored drinks. Yes, they could make your poop look golden.

4. Black colored stool: Black stool may appear because of medicine intakes like aspirin ibuprofen and iron supplements or bleeding in the intestines. The latter is obviously a reason to contact your doctor immediately. A more common cause may be in the food you eat, black and blue foods like blueberries, licorice, dark chocolate, cookies, and grape juice can give this shade to your faeces. Iron supplements and nicotine could also be the cause of that poop change in color. If black and blue foods, as well as iron supplements, are not part of your diet then you should probably be alarmed.

5. Red-colored stool: Red stool is usually influenced by your diet. Beets, Jell-O colored drinks, tomatoes just think about what you've consumed recently two bowls of tomato soup. Well, you shouldn't be surprised however if food is not the cost it's time to call your doctor. Blood in your poop is obviously an alarming sign and maybe an anal fistula or something more serious like hemorrhoids ulcerative colitis or even cancer that's the word no one likes to hear. Before you get really scared note that bowel cancer normally has other symptoms as well such as losing weight feeling extremely tired and breathless and needing to strain.

 

SHAPE

If you still don't believe that watching your stool is normal,  some scientific research may convince you to distinguish the types of poop and help people stay healthy.

Scientists from the Bristol Royal Infirmary created the Bristol stool chart. Wow, say that five times, real fast.

 

This describes seven types of faeces and what they mean.

1. Separate solid lumps reminiscent of nuts or goat faeces: If you see separate solid lumps reminiscent of nuts or goat faeces in your toilet bowl, it is likely a sign of severe constipation. This type of stool means your body lacks fiber.  To fix it try to consume more fiber-rich products like fresh fruit (orange especially, and eat everything inside, don't just take the juice and throw away the fiber) and vegetables, grains, nuts(e.g walnut) seeds, whole wheat, pasta beans, and lentils. According to the American Dietetic Association, Americans get about zero point five ounces of fiber a day which is much less than we actually need. The optimum amount is one ounce a day for women under fifty and one point three ounces a day for men of the same age. 

2. Sausage-shaped large and lumpy poop: Sausage-shaped large and lumpy poop speaks of constipation. This type of stool is also caused by a lack of fiber. Non-dietary reasons for constipation may include long term anti-diarrhea medicine intake and lack of physical activity. The advice is to eat more fruits and vegetables and perform exercises. It will help you avoid constipation because your body will need less time to move food all the way through the large intestine. Aerobic exercise like running jogging or swimming also makes your heartbeat and breathing faster, which means better natural contraction of muscles involved in the digestion process. WARNING!!!  Don't exercise right after a big meal though. Wait for an hour to avoid bloating and excess gas. Stretching, certain yoga positions and even simply walking at least 15 minutes a day can help healthy digestion.

3. If cracked sausage-shaped poop is what you usually have, then there are no reasons to worry. That's a normal stool. You're doing just fine. Don't forget to walk and drink more water. Since constipation is related to dehydration in the colon you need to make sure you're drinking lots of water. When your body is properly hydrated, less water will be withdrawn from the colon. This will keep your stool soft and easy to pass. Just what we all need. 

4. If you stand with those whose faeces are soft sausage shape and smooth, congratulations your stool is as perfect as a stool can be. Try to maintain a balanced diet and avoid stressful situations to keep things as great as they are. We all know that feeling when you can't let yourself go in a bathroom break during an important meeting, exam, religious programs, or family event. Suppressing your urge to use the toilet is bad for you since if you keep it tight once and twice and thrice constipation may become permanent. Not to give yourself that constipation try to avoid stress and keep healthy.

5. Soft lumps with clear edges: Soft lumps with clear edges are a sign of light diarrhea. It could also mean that you are experiencing irritable bowel syndrome. The short name for it is IBS. It is a chronic condition that needs long-term treatment. People with IBS can normally control it thanks to a healthy diet and lifestyle. To make it better, try eating low fiber foods like bananas crackers, and potatoes.

6. If your poop comes in fluffy pieces with ragged edges. It looks like you're having mild diarrhea. Remember how we told you to have more fiber. Well, in this case, it is just the opposite. Maybe there's too much fiber in your diet. Drink more to avoid dehydration and stick to boiled potatoes and bananas. You may want to try some OTC like Imodium or pepto-bismol. They will help to slow down the movement in your intestines and shape more solid stools. If the problem lasts for more than two days consult a doctor.

7. Liquid without solid pieces type of faeces is what no one likes to see. It speaks of severe diarrhea. This may be a sign of food poisoning, lactose intolerance, bacterial infection or medicine intake, antibiotics, heartburn, and acid reflux medications and chemotherapy drugs are often the cause of it. Drink plenty of water to fight dehydration and try over-the-counter medications. Severe diarrhea normally doesn't last long. If the symptoms don't disappear in two days or if you feel pain and fever consult a doctor.

So do you take problems with your stools seriously? Do you consult doctors when needed? 

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