WELL, SHIT!
NO REALLY….THAT’S THE GOAL MY FRIEND!
LV! WHY SHOULD I CARE ABOUT MY POOP??
Basic health begins with colon care. Due to the increased amount of food processing, use of preservatives, pesticides, herbicides, and chemical and hormonal food additives the need for taking note on our elimination has never been greater. When our bodies don’t excrete waste in a timely manner many of these toxins are reabsorbed into the bloodstream, lymph, liver, and nervous system. The result over time is an increased toxic load and a weakened defense system.
Bowel movements are probably the last thing that you’re paying attention to in your ultra busy life. However, let this post bring some awareness and appreciation to our amazing bodies and the daily (hopefully) feedback that they’re giving us.
IN THIS EPISODE WE’RE GOING TO DISCUSS
- WHAT’S A ‘NORMAL’ BOWEL MOVEMENT
- WHAT OUR BM’S INDICATE ABOUT OUR DIGESTION AND MACRONUTRIENT RATIOS
- WHAT SIGNS CAN BE MASSIVE INDICATORS OF DEVELOPING PROBLEMS
KNOWING WHAT TO LOOK FOR CAN GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADJUST THINGS BEFORE THEY BECOME LARGER, LIFE ALTERING PROBLEMS.
*I MUST STATE UP FRONT THAT AS A NUTRITIONIST I DESPISE ‘ONE SIZE FITS ALL’ OF ANYTHING…. GOD CREATED OUR BODIES AS INDIVIDUALS. WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT GENETICS, GENOTYPES AND PHENOTYPES PLAY A HUGE ROLL IN WHAT IS “NORMAL” FOR Y.O.U.
IN MY POSTS, PLEASE KNOW THAT I DO THE BEST I CAN TO HONOR OUR DIFFERENCES WHILE DISCUSSING GENERAL UNIVERSAL TRUTHS.*
WHAT IS POOP?
Our bowel movements are made of many things, but mostly undigested food, proteins, living and dead bacteria, salts, and other substances released by the intestines like mucus.
When it comes to our bowel movements these categories matter.
- Color
- Shape & Consistency
- Size
- Frequency
COLOR…
One feature that the ‘poop emoji’ got correctly.
Brown: gets two thumbs up!
Greenish: okay, could indicate an inability to digest greens. (if you ate salad yesterday and you can tell that by looking in the toilet, you need a digestive enzyme ASAP)
Black: This deserves your attention. Did you take an iron supplement, eat licorice, or ingest Pepto-Bismol? If you didn’t, then black stool indicates upper GI Bleeding and should be addressed with urgency.
Pale, Clay-colored, Whitish: This indicates an issue with your bile ducts. (Bile is what breaks down dietary fats. Bile is made in the Liver and stored in the Gallbladder.) If this is happening regularly you should seek medical attention. Worth mentioning: I’ve worked with many clients who have had massive success (and saved their gallbladders from being removed) with the ‘Natural’ approach of the gallbladder flush/liver cleanse protocol. (GTS)
Red: You either ate something red (beet juice) OR you have lower GI bleeding or hemorrhoids. If your seeing this with frequency you should consult a physician.
Yellow: can indicate one of two things. You’re ingesting too much dietary fat, you’re experiencing malabsorption disorder like celiac disease where your body isn’t deriving enough nutrients.
Shape & Consistency:
When it comes to shape and consistency… were looking for snakes and hot dogs!
Marbles and Caterpillars indicate constipation. In this case, there are a few things to consider.
- Are you going when you feel the urge to go?
- Are you eating enough fiber?
- Are you drinking enough water?
- Is your body needing Magnesium?
The Play-Doh soft blob. This is the poop that’s between snakes and soft serve: Small blobs that are easy to pass and have defined definite shape. This indicates the need for fiber! Add more vegetables (please skip the man-made processed cereal bar versions of fiber…ewww, yuck, gross..and these will cause way more gas and poop issues than we can talk about now)
Soft Serve and Watery Brown Mess: This can be an indication of many things. First, you should know that it’s important to stay hydrated if you’re experiencing diarrhea. Not only are you losing water but electrolytes as well, so consider a mineral boost. Diarrhea can indicate your food moving too quickly thru your digestive system, meaning you’re not deriving nutrition from it. It can indicate sickness, can be a side effect of prescription meds, or laxatives, and many other things. The concern is if diarrhea is your ‘norm’, especially if you feel like your diet is balanced in macronutrients and that you’re getting enough calories. (if those are true, seek further help)
*another important thing to mention here. If your poo leaves zebra stripes on the inside of the toilet when you flush it that also indicates a malabsorption issue, normally of dietary fats. Consider a digestive enzyme if this is frequent.
SIZE:
The normal adult bowel movement should be approx. 2-4inches long. However, this can vary greatly based on your diet and volume of veggies, etc. Anything better than 2inches should just be celebrated.
WHAT ABOUT FLOATERS?
Hope Floats…. But should your poop? Floating poo is an easy fix that means so much. Floating simply means less density. If your eating enough calories and still see this happening then your poop carries an increased amount of gas or water or is indicating malabsorption. If floaters are common for you and you can rule out prescription medications, then add a digestive enzyme ASAP.
FREQUENCY:
Well, this topic in the medical world irritates the shit outta me! The medical community says ‘normal’ can range from daily to once per week?!?! WHAT!! Once per week???????
Play along with me here. Mentally, stack up on your kitchen table all the food that you consume in one week. It’s a pile right??? Now visually flashback to your last BM. Not adding up, is it? We can do better than that. My goal for you is to go at least once DAILY!
LV thoughts to chew on: Our bodies circulate, and are permeable. Our colon is no exception. If waste sits in your body for days, your body circulates that SHIT, literally! There are many cultures and practices that believe that a sluggish colon is the root of ALL DIS-EASE. I can’t say that I would disagree.
I do not disagree! If you’re not going daily, please set an apt with me and let’s fix that!
Such a taboo topic… however, around our home (with our children) we celebrate and educate (in a classy way) on the importance of BM’s, how our bodies work, and how God made us to function fantastically. Drop a comment below and let me know, what’s your frequency and what are some bathroom ‘musts’ to keep you going like a champ?