We\u2019d rather not talk about stools, but the fact is that gut function is very important for our overall well-being and what we \u2018leave behind\u2019 says a lot about our exercise and eating habits, and our stress levels \u2013 both in sickness and in health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You should keep an eye on your bowel movements \u2013 how often they occur and what they look like. There are things you can do to make your stomach and gut more healthy. This will help you get more out of your healthy lifestyle, because believe us \u2013 when your gut is working properly, life is almost perfect!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Checklist: colour<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n BROWN:<\/strong>\u00a0Completely normal and a sign that the bile has done its job during digestion. A light brown colour is better than darker browns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n GREEN:<\/strong>\u00a0Food has moved through the body too quickly. It could also mean that you have eaten a lot of green vegetables or something else with green colouring in it. Green stools can also be caused by eating iron-rich foods or taking iron supplements. However, there are also certain diseases that can cause green stools. These include coeliac disease (severe gluten intolerance), bowel cancer and IBS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Black:<\/strong>\u00a0This can be caused by several things: taking certain medicines or supplements (such as iron tablets) can discolour your stools and turn them black. This can also happen if you have recently eaten a lot of liquorice and\/or blueberries. If your stools are black, tarry and smelly, it may be a sign of bleeding, known as melena, usually from ulcers or bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract. The black colour comes from oxidised iron found in the blood\u2019s haemoglobin. Melena often requires emergency hospitalisation, so consult your doctor if you are in any doubt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n YELLOW:<\/strong>\u00a0Foul-smelling yellow stools that are slightly oily in consistency are caused by leftover fat and can have multiple origins, such as a food intolerance or a lack of fat-degrading enzymes. The pancreas may not be able to produce the enzyme, or something may be blocking its transport. If your stools are yellow for an extended period of time, you should contact a health care professional to have the issue checked out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n RED:<\/strong>\u00a0In the worst case, red-coloured stools or spots of blood in your stool can be a sign of cancer. In this case, the blood comes from a wound that bleeds down the intestine. This is often in the lower gastrointestinal tract because the blood turns black after about 14 hours in the digestive tract. Bleeding can also come from haemorrhoids, inflamed bowel pockets or other lesions in the bowel. Make an appointment with your doctor. If it happens infrequently, it\u2019s rarely anything to worry about, but if it\u2019s regular, you need to get it checked out. NOTE! Beetroot can colour your stools and urine red.<\/p>\n\n\n\n LIGHT GREY\/WHITE:<\/strong>\u00a0If your stools are almost colourless, it often means that there is a lack of bile, which is what gives stools their brown colour. This can have several causes such as gallstones creating a blockage, inflammation of the pancreas, or problems with the liver. If your stools look like this for an extended period of time, you should consult your doctor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Checklist: consistency\/form<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Separate hard lumps\/balls:<\/strong>\u00a0You are probably constipated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Floats instead of sinking:<\/strong>\u00a0Could be because you\u2019re eating too much fat, or have too much gas in your digestive system. It\u2019s also common if you have simply eaten too much food, or beans, cabbage or sprouts. If this is a recurring problem, it could be caused by the body\u2019s inability to absorb fat due to pancreatitis or food allergies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sausage-shaped\/cylindrical, smooth and soft:<\/strong>\u00a0Congratulations \u2013 your stool is optimal!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sausage-shaped but in small blobs:<\/strong>\u00a0You need to drink more water and get more fibre into your diet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sausage-shaped with some cracks on the surface\/edges:<\/strong>\u00a0Perfectly fine, but also a sign that you need to drink a little more water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Soft and sticky:<\/strong>\u00a0If your stool sticks to the sides of the toilet, it contains too much oil. This could be because your body isn\u2019t absorbing fat properly. Some diseases, such as chronic pancreatitis, can prevent the body from absorbing fat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Small, hard balls:<\/strong>\u00a0A sign of constipation, or thyroid or blood sodium disorders. It could also be a sign that the life you lead is too sedentary \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n Watery, with no hard lumps\/pieces:<\/strong>\u00a0Diarrhoea caused by viruses or bacteria. You need plenty of fluids to avoid getting dehydrated. Mushy and loose stools can also be a sign of IBS or gluten\/lactose intolerance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Keep in mind that healthy stools sink slowly. Your stool should slip through the surface of the water in the toilet like a cylindrical projectile and not make much noise \u2013 it shouldn\u2019t sound like when you go dive-bombing in the pool with your kids on a charter holiday \u2026 It\u2019s normal to do a number two once or twice a day (more often is fine too), but some people do have less active bowel cleansing. Everyone is different, and some people only have a bowel movement about 3\u20135 times per week. As long as you are generally healthy, this is perfectly fine. When you eat, it takes about three days for the ingested meal to end up in your stool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How can I tell if I\u2019m constipated?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Tips to avoid getting constipated!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Eating at odd times or stuffing your face with food (such as at Christmas dinner or other buffets) can lead to sluggish digestion and constipation. This also happens if you travel and end up in a different time zone, which upsets your body in several ways, including your gut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why do I fart so much?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n NOTE!<\/strong>\u00a0Passing wind 15\u201320 times a day is completely normal. But farts tend to be relatively odourless. If it smells unusually bad when you break wind, think about whether you\u2019ve eaten something in particular that your stomach may not tolerate. If you have experienced bad-smelling stools and farts for an extended period of time, it could be a sign that you have a problem with your pancreas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Squat down!<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The convenient invention of the flushing toilet, where we sit upright to do a number two, is actually not optimal for our bowels. The muscles of the rectum do not open fully, so we have to push hard. In many parts of the world where people still defecate through a hole in the floor and thus squat, there are almost no issues with constipation or upset stomachs at all. German researcher Giulia Enders addresses this in her best-selling book, \u2018Gut\u2019. If you\u2019re agile, you can simply put your feet on the toilet seat and squat down (it\u2019s great exercise too!), but the easiest way might be to lean your upper body forward when you go, putting your feet up on a small stool (you can use the same stool that small children use to reach the sink when they brush their teeth).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gut behaviour during pregnancy<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n About a third of pregnant women suffer from constipation, especially in the later months of pregnancy. Many also become constipated during the first trimester because the intestines are affected by progesterone, which slows down digestion and bowel movements. The more the belly grows, the less space the intestine has to do its \u2018job\u2019. Stools may become darker and appear harder. Iron tablets, which many pregnant women take because of iron deficiency, can also cause hard stools. In addition, iron tablets can discolour stools and turn them black.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s also not uncommon for a sluggish digestion and constipation to lead to haemorrhoids during pregnancy, which can be difficult to get rid of, even after the baby is born.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can also get constipated outside of pregnancy, during the third part of your menstrual cycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sources<\/strong>\u00a0Science Illustrated, \u2018Gut\u2019 (Giulia Enders), Ulla Gabay, Newsner<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We\u2019d rather not talk about stools, but the fact is that gut function is very important for our overall well-being and what we \u2018leave behind\u2019 says a lot about our…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14291,"featured_media":14943,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[102],"tags":[133,281,140],"class_list":["post-14942","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-motivation","tag-balans","tag-fiber","tag-ibs"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n