Ever wonder what your poop can tell others about your health? Learn more about your daily poop and how to have a better poo by using this poop chart.
What may be inferred about your health from your poop? You can discover a lot about your health from your daily poop, despite the fact that it may seem like a joke. This page will give you the complete lowdown on what constitutes a good poop and what doesn't, as well as a poop chart that can help clear up any misunderstandings.
Have You Ever Told Your Doctor About Your Poo?
Didn't think so.
If so, did they explain to you what to look for? Nope.
How Does Healthy Poop Appear?
Three key indicators are as follows:
- Frequency
- Form
- Color
Healthy Poop #1 - Frequency
Ideally, you should have at least one full bowel movement every day. Instead of merely partially eliminating, your bowels should feel as though they have been completely empty. Due to their faster metabolisms, more robust beneficial bacteria, or increased food intake, some people experience bowel motions two to three times per day.
You are experiencing diarrhea if you are urinating more than three times each day (more on that below!). On the other side, some individuals would assert that having a bowel movement every few days is OK, but I disagree. This is one of the best ways for our body to get rid of toxins, acids, and other things.
Healthy Poop #2 - Form
It is significant and not typically discussed. A healthy poop has a good shape. Poop that is in good shape indicates that we are adequately excreting acids and toxins as well as digesting and assimilating the nutrients from our food. The Bristol stool chart is a useful tool for determining whether your feces are healthy.
Bristol Stool Chart Type 1
Separate hard lumps, like little balls (hard to pass).
Bristol Stool Chart Type 2
Sausage-shaped, but lumpy.
Bristol Stool Chart Type 3
Like a sausage, but with cracks on its surface.
Bristol Stool Chart Type 4
Like a sausage or snake, smooth and soft.
Bristol Stool Chart Type 5
Soft blobs with clear cut edges (passed easily).
Bristol Stool Chart Type 6
Fluffy pieces with ragged edges, a mushy stool.
Bristol Stool Chart Type 7
Watery, no solid pieces. Entirely liquid.
Explanation of the Poop Chart: Where Should You Land?
You're correct if you said that position four on the feces chart is the finest! The shape of a healthy poo is beautiful and tubular. Imagine a lengthy banana that doesn't ripen when you flush it. Good feces is easy to remove, smells more like overripe fruit than anything unpleasant, and requires little wiping.
On the poop chart, a 3 is preferable to a 5 or 6.
Diarrhea is more difficult to manage and frequently results from problems that are challenging to resolve. You can be experiencing some malabsorption when you have diarrhea, which means you aren't getting the nutrients you require.
If your poop chart score is a 6 or 7, then...
There are a few things you may do if your stools are soft, mushy, liquidy, or excessively often. Consult your doctor first, then have some testing done, such as a thorough stool study. In the interim, firm up your stool as follows:
Increase your BRAT intake of bananas, rice, apples and apple sauce, toast, and tea: These foods include tannins, which can really aid in firming stool for more comfortable bowel motions.
Eat one or two teaspoons of bentonite clay used for food. This will frequently firm up loose stool and aid in the binding and absorption of toxins.
ingest some quality probiotics: The purest, best-rated ones are produced by this manufacturer, but they are expensive!
Get rid of irritants Till your gut is healed, avoid consuming gluten, wheat, excessive amounts of cereals, nuts, and seeds.
If your poop chart score is a 1 or a 2, then...
You can also ask your doctor about testing if you notice that your stools are too firm or infrequent. Think about performing a thorough thyroid panel. In the interim, soften your stool by:
Increase your intake of magnesium-supporting foods. I enjoy these magnesium supplements or the magnesium spray from Ancient Minerals. You can also just include foods high in magnesium in your diet. Magnesium causes the bowel to absorb water, which softens and facilitates the elimination of stool. Additionally, it eases the tension in the muscles of the intestinal wall, easing constipation.
ingest some quality probiotics. These are the brand of probiotics that people love the most. Additionally, you may purchase some on Amazon that don't require refrigeration, such as the soil-based Prescript Assist or the spore-based Just Thrive products.
Eat wholesome fats and take cod liver oil: These foods and vitamins keep everything going.
Consume pears Two every day will maintain the pace.
Test out abdominal massage and yoga: Your bowels will be stimulated by these actions.
Use castor oil: A few times each week, castor oil packs on the belly can be effective for some people.
Utilize peppermint essential oil by adding 1 drop to the toilet and sitting down. Your bowels will be stimulated, which frequently results in a movement.
Healthy Poop #3 - Color
It may surprise you, but color matters! A lovely medium- to dark-brown color characterizes a healthy feces. Picture milk chocolate.
If your poop is dark,
Your upper GI tract having blood could be indicated by this.
If you have green or yellow poop...
This may be the result of liver or gallbladder stress or malabsorption of fat. To assist your body in breaking down the fat, consume beet kvass, Swedish bitters, or take HCL/Pepsin or other digestive enzymes.
Keep in mind: What you eat may cause your stool's color to alter. For instance, if you consume a lot of beets, your feces may appear reddish. Eating a lot of leafy greens could also be the cause of your green poop.
What Does Your Poop Floating Mean?
Poop should it float? This is the million-dollar issue, and I've heard conflicting answers from a wide range of medical experts.
Some claim that floating is preferable and shows adequate dietary fiber intake.
Others claim it's a sign of impaired fat absorption.
In general, it appears that poop that sinks is preferable. Noticing which type YOU feel best on is the key.
How About You?
On the Bristol Stool Chart, where do your stools fall? Do you take any actions to improve your daily poo?