Let's face it, folks! There are things about our bodily functions that we don't typically discuss in public. However, being familiar with what is happening inside of us can give clear indications of the state of our health. One aspect that people rarely talk about is poop texture; yes, you heard correctly - poop texture!
So if you're wondering how to determine if your poop texture is healthy or not, then look no further because this article will get down and dirty on all that brown stuff.
Poop Basics
As unglamorous as it sounds, everybody poops. It's a standard part of the digestive process where food waste moves through our body and comes out as solid or liquid matter from the rectum.
When considering good intestinal health, it’s essential to keep tabs on poop frequency – how often one goes (without sparking up memes or too many jokes). Still more critical than frequency itself; however, checking your stool regularly could help identify potential problems such as inflammation or infection.
Remember -- substantial changes in bowel movements signify underlying imbalances that call for investigation and action either by adjusting diet habits accordingly or scheduling an appointment with a healthcare expert.
So what constitutes 'healthy' feces?
While there isn’t just one answer when it comes to normal stools for everyone – different people have varying schedules depending upon individual factors like age and metabolic rate – generally speaking:
- Poop should be soft but formed
- About two inches long.
- Should pass smoothly without difficulty
- Exhibits slight moisture;
- Color ranges roughly between light brown shades
Notably,keep an eye out for blood streaks - redness might indicate something abnormal going on deep within.
Although color varies widely between individuals due to dietary considerations (your favorite beet dish may taint them pink), dark patches warrant extra attention since they often signal trouble brewing beneath the surface.
Now that we’ve got basic stool appearance down, let's get into more detail about what you can learn from examining a single dump!
Pay Attention to These Six Key Factors
Size and Shape of Stool
When it comes to poop size, a dimension of approximately one inch in diameter (two or three centimeters) signifies healthy bowels. Greater or less may denote constipation or diarrhea-related complications that must be addressed right away.
Same goes for shape- they are typically torpedo-shaped with one tapered end; if your droppings deviate from this form or have unusual curves - think beaded jewelry – there may be an underlying malaise happening midsection within.
Consistency: Loose vs. Solid Types
If you're struggling with watery stools suddenly hitting every loo visit, laxatives could lead to diarrhoea-like symptoms as well - so most importantly remember: consistency should follow regular patterns without notable changes day by day.
Stools falling into “Bristol stool chart” types 4-6 usually depict successful bowel function [1]:
On the higher side of things (one and two), poop texture tends towards hard lumps while seven indicates severe diarrhoea issues not typically broached at dinner parties unless your guests all happen to work in medical research laboratories.
That being said,if stools remain unformed ‘ooze like liquids,’ their inability still results in defunct evacuation leading off further issues such as dehydration due insufficient intake against illness which will ultimately disrupt daily life activities.
So make sure always try staying hydrated throughout the daylight hours even if time is short since it’s easy enough these days to carry around those refillable water bottles outside.
Colorization Variations
While the color of poop lasts about 48 hours after passing through your system, if you notice that it has been several days since a regular evacuation and stool manages to be somewhat blackened in shades – red flags should raise immediately.
- Red tint: hemorrhoids
- Dark brown or sooty colors possibly indicative digestive problems inside
- Greenish and yellow tinge indicate possible infections on-site
Generally speaking,no matter which color, variations are always worth thinking twice over than ignoring. Body fluids constantly alter depending upon what is happening internally within our bodies - think about how urine changes colour when we consume asparagus.
Production Frequency
It's significant to note that despite everybody’s internal rhythms differing within their own particular ranges, most experts suggest ideally evacuations at least once per day prove beneficial for tracking bowel health as well as flushing toxins out from your body more smoothly via expelling fecal matter regularly enough!
Odours The olfactory senses never lie; an unpleasant aroma emanating from one’s porcelain throne same time every day [2] hints at bacterial infections deeper rooted state mouldering something foul inside us further requiring medical attention which shouldn't wait.
Mostly odor-free droppings typically signify cleaner intestinal tracts absent risk factors related with swaths of nasty undesired bacteria brewing deep down below.
Yet another important thing to keep in mind is moles’ smells often reflect deeply ingrained dietary habits (think back), such occurs especially when excessive meat-heavy dishes appear on one's menu daily basis – see point #6!
### Transit Time (TT) So now we're getting into some advanced physio-anatomy!
Social media hasn't discussed much TT, but practically operating like ‘travel speed' where everything exits intestines stays dissolved in water or becomes a solid substance. Less transit times lead diarrhea-like symptoms while longer intervals between digestion may mean constipation-esque issues given reduced or absent intestinal muscular contractions to propel waste along the network.
Within estimates, TTC [Trans-Colonic Time] last approximately 20-24 hours in few cases [3]. So take note of how long it takes from completion of food consumption and let signals calling for dietary changes accordingly guide you rather than dismissing anomalies as parlor tricks.
Diet Habits’ Flexibility
At this point, if your droppings haven't been much help yet figuring out personal troubleshooting before panic arises - think over your meals checklist mentally regarding both snacks & main courses that could spark irritable bowel syndrome (IBS!).
More often than not, dietary flexibility proves fundamental in regulating healthy poops regularly. Eating fiber-rich carbs like oatmeal, beans/lentils required sufficient water levels during digestion ensuring softer stools well-formed evacuations [4].
Now here’s a potential snag to watch out for: frequent meat intake lead backing things up inside fast by slowing down motility through the intestines settling into hardened pellets – those hard small lumps between type one and two on Bristol stool chart – that comes with annoying constipation!
As usual though, don't stress too heavily since occasional switches towards lighter diets could balance everything back-to-normal within just a few days.
Let's face it; poop texture isn’t something we freely chat about unless we’re passing our bachelors' studies in medicine…
Regardless though when described correctly keeping tabs daily standing healthcare routine prove beneficial. Noteworthy monitoring internally what appears positionally outward affects various aspects throughout exercises performed scheduling checks regularly ensures catching novel symptoms once established earlier enough!
References:
[1]: Lewis S.J., Heaton K.W. (1997). "Stool form scale as a useful guide to intestinal transit rate". Scand J Gastroenterol 32 (9): 920–4. [2]: Staley C et al. (2017). "Longitudinal profiling of the urinary microbiome in women during pregnancy" Mbio 8 (4): e00492-17. [3]: The Colon: What it is and what it does. Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. [4]: Nutrition and Healthy Eating: Whole grains exceed refined flour products. Mayo Clinic.