A Guide to Understanding Your Digestive Clues
Sacramento, Calif.- Let’s talk about poop. Everyone’s favorite topic of conversation. When you think about it, poop is like your fortune (which makes you the fortune cookie).
It’s helpful to scope out your stools before you flush them, so that you can see what they have to tell you.
First of all, we want to see stools sink, not float. If your poop floats, then it may be a sign your body may not be processing fats correctly. This can be from malabsorption and this can sometimes indicate gallbladder issues.
Regularity
Regularity of bowel movements is another sign of healthy stools. Ideally, we should pass stools 1-3 times daily. Anything less is a sign of constipation and anything more is a sign of diarrhea. If you experience constipation or diarrhea regularly, please let your doctor know.
Bristol stool chart
Well-formed stools are healthy, either sausage-shaped with cracks on the surface or snake-like and smooth are healthy (Bristol stool chart types 3 & 4). If your stools are separated, hard lumps or very lumpy sausage shaped, these are signs of constipation and dehydration. Soft, fluffy or watery stools are a sign of diarrhea and may indicate that you need electrolyte replacement. It’s normal to occasionally experience constipation or diarrhea, but if you experience either or both chronically, it’s important to work with your doctor to find out why.
Medium to dark brown is a healthy color. Foods can sometimes change the color of our stools, such as seeing some red after eating beets, orange after a lot of carrots, or green after eating a bunch of dark greens. Black stools may be concerning, if you aren’t taking iron supplements or eating black licorice, then black, coffee ground-looking stools may indicate a bleed higher up in your GI tract. Yellow or clay-colored stools may be associated with an infection or inflammation of your gallbladder, liver or pancreas, unless it’s poop from a breastfed baby, which is normally yellow. Green poop not from leafy veggies may be a sign of infection. Red poop, not from beets or other red foods, is a sign that there is some active bleeding. If you experience black or red stools, please consider notifying your doctor.
Odor is something to consider, as well. Poop usually stinks, but if your poop smells worse than usual or especially foul, that may be a sign. Pay attention to it. An unusually foul smell that persists may signify some dysbiosis in your gut or even a parasitic infection. A foul smell that continues should be another reason to call your doctor.
Improving bowel health
Ways to improve your bowel health vary, based on your particular circumstances. Some general ways to support a healthy gut include:
- Regular eating: the stomach can process portions about the size of both of your fists pressed together. Aim to eat portions that size or smaller at each meal. Also, try to eat at the same times each day, as your digestive cascade likes a predictable rhythm.
- Eat more fiber: foods rich in fiber include vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts & seeds, beans, peas and lentils.
- Hydrate: ideal water intake is half your body weight in ounces of water daily. Use your body weight in pounds, divide that by two, and that’s how many ounces of water you ought to be drinking daily.
- Exercise: movement helps your bowels move, too! Exercising around the same times each day can help your body get into a regular rhythm and timing with bowel movements, as well.
- Avoid trigger foods:
o If you experience diarrhea regularly, look out for caffeine, alcohol, and spicy foods.
o If you experience constipation regularly, be cautious with gluten, refined carbohydrates, and starchy vegetables. Dairy can be a common culprit, as well.
o Find out what your Food Sensitivities are. This can be done by a simple blood test to find out which foods are irritating to you, causing inflammation unique to you. - Reduce stress: lack of sleep, illness, emotional turmoil and stress can impact your gut. Most neurotransmitters and immune cells exist in the gut, so any disruption to mood or immunity can result in irregular bowels. (7 things You can do today to reduce anxiety and increase joy)
- Improve your bathroom habits:
o Toilet posture- it’s helpful to lean forward, resting your forearms on your thighs, lift your heels, or put your feet on a low stool (like the squatty potty) for ideal bowel movement posture.
o Satisfy the urge- when you feel the urge to poop, go to the bathroom and do so. Holding it in can cause constipation or exacerbate it.
o Bowel retraining can offer further assistance. This may involve creating a set schedule for attempting bowel movements, or even seeking professional help from a Gastroenterologist or Pelvic Floor Specialist. - See a Naturopathic Doctor to uncover the root causes of your digestive issues. Often, when we do a deep dive to find the underlying causes, we find that everything is connected. These underlying causes are often the causes of most (if not all) of the symptoms you experience regularly, and addressing them helps everything.
Explore additional topics from Sacramento Naturopathic Medical Center with Dr. Godby, ND, MA and his team at Natural Wellness.
As a naturopathic doctor for the last 20 years, I have witnessed the power of a preventative lifestyle and naturopathic medicine to transform the health and lives of thousands of patients.
Sacramento Naturopathic
2530 J Street, Suite 100
Sacramento, CA 95816
Phone: (916) 446-2591
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