Healthy Stool in a Healthy Body – Why Care About It
A healthy mind in a healthy body. A healthy stool in a healthy body.
Should we take care of feces health? In fact, yes.
The quality of your bowel movement can signal that you are doing well. But it can also indicate health problems. In this article, we’ll cover 6 things to look out for when it comes to your poop health.
Your Poop Can Say a Lot About You
The stool is one of the important health indicators. It can reflect indicators such as:
- gastrointestinal health;
- the amount of fiber and other nutrients obtained from food;
- hormones;
- stress level;
- the state of the intestinal flora.
If you notice that something is wrong with your stool, it could be an identifier that you should change your diet, try to reduce stress levels, drink more water, increase physical activity, or see a doctor in order to check your health indicators or the presence of intolerance to any product.
The health of the digestive tract significantly affects overall well-being. If you feel weak, lethargic, find it difficult to lose weight, or simply get in shape, the appearance of your feces can help identify the problem.
This chart is based on the Bristol Stool Scale, a tool developed at the University of Bristol to help patients talk about their stool more easily with doctors:
According to the image, type 4 is the norm. Types 3 and 5 are close to normal, while types 1, 2, 6, and 7 indicate a problem.
How to Check Whether You Have a Healthy Stool
Here are a number of questions that need to be answered to better understand the potential problem:
1) How often do you go to the toilet?
One to three times a day = excellent.
2) How do you feel?
If you didn’t eat spicy food at a street cafe last night, then your bowel contractions should be quick and painless. You should not feel tension, panic desire to run to the toilet or sit in it until the end of time.
3) What is the color of the feces?
A healthy stool is brown. It also sometimes happens that the color changes due to food. For example, a greenish tint can appear from recently eaten greens. And the red tint is after the beet.
4) What does it smell like?
It will hardly smell like roses, but if the smell is too harsh or unpleasant, then this may be a signal of possible deep-seated problems.
5) Does the feces sink or not?
It will depend on the ratio of fat to fiber in your diet. High fat = poor sinking poop.
6 Things Your Poop Is Trying to Tell You
I. Unhealthy intestines
Bowel disorders can be caused by:
- lack of nutrients;
- disturbances in the work of the autonomic nervous system (ANS);
- problems with immunity, hormonal imbalance;
- high or low blood sugar levels;
- some medical procedures;
- violations of circadian rhythms;
- medicines (for example, antibiotics and pain relievers);
- age-related changes;
- chronic diseases (for example, Crohn’s disease and colitis).
New research shows that the condition of the gastrointestinal tract significantly affects the quality of our life.
There is often a link between gastrointestinal problems and psychological and cognitive problems such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, etc. In addition to psychological problems, there may be problems with weight control, asthma, and allergies, autoimmune diseases, skin diseases (for example, rashes, acne), arthritis/joint inflammation, cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disease, narcolepsy or other sleep disorders, migraines, kidney disease.
II. Microbiota imbalance can prevent you from having a healthy stool
Our microbiome is a vast, complex, and rich ecosystem of bacteria (and fungi) that live in and around us. They are found everywhere: in our nose, mouth, skin, and gastrointestinal tract.
The bacteria in the gut help us digest and absorb food by breaking down carbohydrates and creating digestive enzymes. If you feel like you don’t have a healthy stool, then there may be an imbalance in the intestinal environment. It can happen due to travel, changes in diet, or course of antibiotics. (Editor’s note: The concept of gut microbiota imbalance remains controversial.)
III. Diet is not working for you
Some people are more sensitive to certain foods. What is good for one person can cause constipation or lightning-fast movement to the toilet for another. An example is lentils, which many consider being a superfood (and they also cause a bubbling stomach in many). Some people are sensitive to ingredients commonly found in processed foods, such as added sugars, refined carbohydrates, and food preservatives/additives.
IV. You are dehydrated
Water helps maintain healthy intestinal flora. If the intestine needs water and it does not get enough of it, then the water will move from other places. And this can jeopardize some of the body’s systems. For example, muscle cramps or dry mouth may occur. Try to drink plenty of water, especially during and after exercise. Also, look at your total beverage consumption. How much juice, soda, caffeine drinks, or alcohol do you drink? Could you replace these drinks with water?
V. You are too nervous, what can prevent you from having a healthy stool
When you’re stressed, your digestion slows down. Have you ever had the feeling that you cannot eat when you are feeling particularly anxious? This is because blood flow and enzyme production in the intestines is reduced during times of stress, so at times like these you can experience constipation, bloating, and indigestion.
VI. You are not physically active enough or too much
Physical activity supports our body’s systems, both externally and internally. A sedentary lifestyle can lead to constipation, exhausting workouts can lead to severe stress and, in turn, to problems with stool.
Thus, the main thing is balance.
Source: 6 reasons you should care about your poop health
More about this topic:
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- Sleep Disturbance: Causes and Possible Treatment
- Hookah: Health, Harm, and Safety
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