The
human body is an amazing machine, but it can do some gross things like bowel
movements. It’s a part of a living creature’s normal process, and everyone does
it including a dog, cat, fish, or a baby. Having
a bowel movement is a critical part of digesting the food we eat. Stool formed
by the large intestine is the body’s way of getting rid of waste. It’s mostly just
undigested food, proteins, bacteria, salts, and other substances that are
produced and released by the intestines. A
person's bowel movement can say a lot about their health.
Did
you know there is a scale to identify the consistency of one’s stool? It’s
called the Bristol Stool Chart, and it ranges from 1 to 7. One indicates severe
constipation, and 7 indicates diarrhea. A normal or good consistency would be
either a 3 or 4, which would be sausage shaped and either smooth or have small
cracks in it.
A change in bowel movements could be due to the body fighting an infection. The brown pigment in a bowel movement is due to a breakdown of red blood cells in the body. A somewhat log-like shape is how most bowel movement should come out due to its formation within the intestines. A healthy bowel movement, however, should be easy to pass and take only a minute (or less) to push out.
It's important
that our bowels work well to absorb necessary nutrients but also keep out any
foods, chemicals and germs that could do us harm. Keeping your Gastrointestinal (GI) Tract content is what is
recommended as an overall healthy lifestyle including not smoking, managing your weight, exercising,
minimizing alcohol, and a diet rich in plant-based foods.
Here are several hints that your bowel
movement could be providing you about your health.
Types-
·
Oily
or Greasy-If you have bowel movement that
appears oily, has a greasy consistency and is difficult to flush, or sticks to
the side of the toilet bowl, it could be a signal that your body is not able to
properly digest fat. The consistency changes could be caused by an infection,
nutrients not being digested due to celiac disease or a problem with the pancreas, such as pancreatic cancer or pancreatitis, which blocks the body from properly absorbing fat.
·
Pencil-Thin-Stool
that is only occasionally very thin is not a cause for concern. It is likely
due to muscle contractions in the large intestine as it helps to concentrate
waste. A change in stool shape also could be cause for concern. Stools that are
narrow and pencil-thin are thought by some experts to be a symptom of colon cancer. You should see your doctor. It could be a sign of obstruction
in the lower part of the colon.
·
Rocks and Pebbles-A bowel movement that is hard and shaped like tiny rocks or
pebbles are likely just a sign of constipation. You can still be considered constipated even if you are
able to pass a small amount of stool. The large intestine helps to concentrate
waste by absorbing water. If muscle contractions in the large intestine are not
working properly, waste left in the colon becomes even more concentrated,
resulting in harder stool.
Colors-
·
Black - If you’ve had
licorice, iron supplements, or bismuth medications (such as Pepto-Bismol), that
could be the explanation behind black stool. If you haven’t had any of that,
black bowel movement could be a sign of bleeding in the upper GI tract.
·
Green-Like we mentioned,
hints of green are actually quite normal. But when it’s pretty much turned from
brown to full green, it means one of two things. Either you’ve added lots of
green foods like spinach to your diet, or your stools passing through you too
fast.
·
Pale,
white, or clay-colored-If
your bowel movement is a chalky light shade, it probably means you’re lacking
bile. Bile is a digestive fluid that comes from your liver and gallbladder. If
you’re producing white stool, it probably means your duct is blocked. Pale
bowel movement could also be a side-effect of certain medications like
anti-diarrhea medicine. If it continues, you should consult a doctor.
·
Red-You’re probably not surprised to
hear that red bowel movement can mean bleeding either due to hemorrhoids or to
bleeding in the lower intestinal tract. If your stool is red, there’s no need
to immediately worry. There are other less-serious reasons for the change in
color. Foods like beets, cranberries, red gelatin, or tomato juice can turn also
turn bowel movement red.
·
Yellow-Greasy, stinky, yellow stool is
typically a sign of too much fat. This could be a direct relation to a
malabsorption disorder like celiac disease, where your body isn’t absorbing
enough nutrients.
Other Stuff-
·
Smell-Though
the smell of bowel movement can be rather unpleasant, smells that are
particularly foul shouldn't be ignored. It usually smells bad because of
the bacteria and parasites, but it also can have compounds that produce an
especially unpleasant smell.
If you have blood in your stool that usually comes with a particular strange odor (as well
as fat can smell particularly bad). Reasons for a foul smell could include certain
medications, having food that's been stuck in the colon for too long, or having
an infection.
·
Constipation-Dry,
hard stools that are hard to eliminate are a sign of constipation. People who
are constipated may have bowel movements fewer than three times a week.
Constipation is a common complaint, and more than 4 million Americans have constipation
frequently.
Constipation could be caused by a number of factors
including a poor diet, lack of exercise, certain medications, lack of fluids,
or various bowel disorders. If ignored, constipation could lead to
complications such as hemorrhoids or rectal bleeding.
·
Diarrhea-Diarrhea
happens when loose, watery stools pass through your bowels too quickly.
Generally, it lasts one or two days and goes away on its own. Parasites
found in water and food can enter the body and disrupt the digestive system
causing diarrhea.
Diarrhea
that lasts for at least four weeks may be a sign of a chronic disease such as irritable bowel syndrome or Crohn's disease. Someone who chews one or two packs of
sugar-free gum a day could also get diarrhea. Diarrhea could be a sign of
chewing gum that contains sugar alcohol such Xylitol or sorbitol. Below are six things
you can learn about your gut health
from your bowel movement.
o
Abnormal bowel movements can be a sign of dehydration-The bowel movement
that isn't softish or well-formed could indicate dehydration. While being
dehydrated is a broad symptom, it could be a sign you have an underlying
GI-related disease. Dehydration is often a symptom of Crohn's Disease. It's important to
note that dehydration could also simply mean you didn't drink enough water one
day.
o
Constipation can be a sign of weak GI muscles-Food moves through
your entire digestive system thanks to a process called peristalsis (gut motility),
which triggers the muscles in the lining of your GI tract from your esophagus
all the way to your large intestine and rectum to move so nutrients can be
properly digested. Abnormal bowel movements may signify your gut motility is
off.
o
Diarrhea can be a sign of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)-If
you are having diarrhea on a regular basis, you may have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). In addition to
diarrhea, other symptoms of IBS include stomach
pain, bloating, loss of appetite, and in some cases, alternating constipation
and diarrhea. IBS affects somewhere between 10 to 15 percent of the world's
population. Women are especially prone to developing this digestive disorder.
o
Painful bowel movements can be a sign of inflammation-Experiencing pain
while producing a bowel movement can point to both minor and major gut health
issues. Pain during or after a bowel movement is most likely due to a build-up
of material in the intestines, gas, or sometimes anxiety and depression. It
could mean you have ulcerative
colitis, a
common inflammatory bowel disease that can cause sores throughout the digestive
tract that develop over time. Pain accompanied by bleeding should be looked at
by a doctor.
o
You might be low on fiber-Frequency matters because you want to be using
the toilet at least once a day. If you are not doing this, there might be a
problem. Not having enough fiber is often the common culprit that's getting
your gut backed up, and causing discomfort. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
recommends 25g of fiber per day. American adults average only about 15g a
day. You can increase
your daily fiber intake by eating more whole grains, nuts, seeds, berries, and
non-starchy vegetables.
“The recipe for great art has always been misery and a good bowel
movement.” (Don
Roff)[i]
[i] Sources used:
·
“5 Things Your Bowel movement Can Tell You about Your Health” by John Hopkins
Medicine
·
“5 Ways Your Bowel movement Can Advise You on
Health” By Linda Thrasybule
·
“Bowel
movement and You” by Emily Rekstis and Rachel Nall
· “Here's 6 Things Your Bowel movement Can Tell You about Your Gut Health, According To Experts” By Kyli Rodriguez-Cayro
·
“What Your Bowel
movement is Telling You” By Jason Webb
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