Recently we decluttered and re-homed toys and books that my two boys had finished with. I was reacquainted with a book that bought lots of hilarity and laughter to our family. This is a big generalisation I know, but there are not many boys who don’t love a good poo or fart joke. This book was written by Anh Do and ticks all those boxes and well worth an investment to add humour to story time for your children or grandchildren.
I started reflecting about a situation in practice recently where I was quizzing someone about their digestion. I asked what their poo colour and shape was, and she didn’t have an answer for me because she doesn’t look at her bowel movements. The conversation about shape, colour, size, consistency of a bowel movement and what it may indicate about your digestion flowed from there. Looking at your bowel movement is an excellent indicator of your digestion.
A bowel movement is mostly just undigested food, proteins, bacteria, salts, and other substances that are produced and released by intestines. Although everyone is unique in the size, shape, and smell of their poo, there are a few things that indicate a healthy (or unhealthy) poo. So, let’s get to the bottom (sorry!) of the world of poo.
Good-looking poo can indicate that your health and fitness is where it should be. For instance, it can tell you:
- Your core muscles are strong.
- Your gastrointestinal system is pumping nicely.
- You’re getting plenty of fibre and other nutrients.
- Your hormones are happy.
- You aren’t overly stressed.
- Your intestinal flora are balanced and thriving.
If your poo isn’t looking so great, it might tell you something important. For instance, less-than-stellar poo might say things like:
- You may need to improve your nutrition.
- You may be stressed and anxious.
- You may need to drink more water.
- You may have a food intolerance.
- You may need more daily activity to help things move along better.
- You may have a health issue that’s standing between you and the way you want to look and feel.
Your poo is a clue. Normal bowel movement should look like the following:-
Shape: A somewhat log like shape is how most poo should come out due to the formation within the intestines. When you poo is not a log like shape, our body is trying to tell you something is up.
Size: Poo should not come out in small pellets, but should be a couple of inches in length, comfortable and easy to pass. Lack of fibre, food intolerance and poor water intake may contribute to pellet size poo.
Length of time to do a poo: A healthy bowel movement should be easy to pass and take only a minute to push out. As a rule, it should take no more than 10 minutes to poo.
Colour: Bilirubin, which is pigment that is formed from the breakdown of red blood cells, assists in the lovely brown colour of poo.
The infographic above describes colour changes and what that might indicate for your digestion. Our body talks to us ALL the time. If we are listening and are empowered enough to interpret the feelings and signs that our body is communicating to us, then it will help you in making good choices for your digestion.
Consistency: Anywhere between a firm and soft consistency is pretty much normal. If it sways one way or another, it could suggest some digestion or fibre issues.
This chart is based on the Bristol Stool Scale, a tool developed at the University of Bristol.
Frequency: On average, a person with healthy digestion will poo anywhere between every other day to three a day. Any less could suggest possible constipation. More water and fibre would be a good suggestion to counter this.
In conclusion, I urge (again sorry!) you to observe and interpret the information that your body is showing you with your health and digestion in the toilet bowl. Poo can vary from day to day but if there is a long-term trend of deviation from the norm, then please use this information to act upon it and make a change for your digestion and overall health.
Happy Digestion,
Karen
