12 insights you can get from your poop

So today we’re talking about stools. I kind of like the four legged bar stool myself I find it’s very stable it’s easy to sit on and … Oh we’re not talking about that kind of stool oh and now for a different kind of stool : your poop. Here are 12 things your poop 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 blogpost until the end to take another step toward good health.

What does the color of your poop tells about your 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 is what.

1. Whitish grayish or clay poop

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 brown stool may be a sign of Crohn’s disease which is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease.

2. Green color in your poop

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? Great let’s continue!

3. Yellow colored poop

Have you noticed that your stool looks yellowish is covered in 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. :D

4. Black stool

The black stool may appear because of medicine intake 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 again why is in the food you eat.

Black and blue foods like blueberries licorice dark chocolate cookies and grape juice can give this shade to your feces.

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

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 as if you wanted to go number two even after you’ve just done it.

Let’s see what the shape of your poop tells about your health

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

Read more here.

It describes seven types of faeces and what they mean.

1. Separate solid lumps reminiscent of nuts

If you see separate solid lumps reminiscent of nuts or goat feces in your toilet ball 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 and vegetables grains nuts seeds whole wheat pasta beans and lentils.

Yum !

According to the American Dietetic Association Americans get about 0.5 ounces of fiber a day which is much less than we actually need. The optimum amount is 1 ounce a day for women under 51 and 1.3 ounces a day for men of the same age.

Also if you experience constipation don’t forget about the natural laxatives prunes.

Those dried plums have enough sorbitol in them for a good desired effect.

2. Sausage-shaped large and lumpy

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.

Don’t exercise right after a big meal though, wait for 1 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. Cracked sausage-shaped

If cracked sausage-shaped poop is what you usually have 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. Water will be withdrawn from the colon. This will keep your stool soft and easy to pass just what we all need.

4. Soft sausage shape and smooth

If you stand with those whose feces 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 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 custo patient 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 which 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. If you want to find out about the food combinations you should avoid because they are really bad for your health, read this article.

6. Fluffy pieces with ragged edges

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

Liquid without solid pieces type of feces is what no one likes to say it speaks of severe diarrhea this may be a sign of food poisoning lactose intolerance bacterial infection or medicine in take.

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.

Conclusion

So do you take problems with your stools seriously ? Do you consult doctors when needed feel free to share in the comment section below.