That one thing that we all are absolutely hesitant to talk about openly. Yes your Poop status! Let’s get real! We need to get REAL and DIRTY about our bowel movements. Not only should you be going daily but there are certain criteria that you should be observing in your daily deliveries, says Ahlaam Ali.
Six inches minimum! Yes you heard me! Six inches minimum! If you have your Gut Microbiomes Happy and Singing, you will be doing good girl!!
I hear you say: “What? I don’t even GO everyday”. Now That is what a lot of people suffer through without realizing that it could be affecting their health adversely to NOT GO daily!
Let’s spell it out here! We all need to GO daily AND deliver a whopping baby! No pressure!
But seriously you guys, let’s discuss the various aspects of a good healthy daily delivery! The things we are looking for are:
- Form
- Frequency
- Colour
- Behaviour
Form
Well formed rather than bitty. We talk about the various shapes a little later.
Frequency
Ideal is every day, at least once and sometimes up to 3 times a day
Colour
Brown ideal and indicates good gut health
Green/Yellow signifies too much bile or bile no reabsorbing or breaking down, which in turn can lead to difficulty absorbing fats- unless its due to eating lots of greens
Red/Black
Indicates might be blood. Contact your doctor ASAP. Unless due to eating beets.
Visible Mucus
Indicates dehydration, constipation and/or inflammation
According to the Bristol Stool Chart these 7 types of bowel movements indicate different things about your gut health.
Now here Size really does matter. I have said this before and I will say it again. Six inches is what we need to focus on. Anything more is a bonus.
Hard lumps – like malt balls indicates Constipation, Possible dehydration, Possible microbiome bacteria imbalance and/or lack of fiber.
Lumpy and sausage-like indicates Slow transit time, Constipation, Dehydration, Microbiome bacterial imbalance. Extra fiber probably won’t help in this case.
Sausage shaped with cracks indicates Improved Transit time, Minor constipation but within the normal range.
Long, smooth and soft is ideal and indicates transit time of 72 hours. The larger size means there is sufficient fiber in your diet.
Soft blobs or pieces with clear-cut edges indicates fast digestion or maybe mild diarrhea and can occur due to lack of fiber.
Fluffy pieces with ragged edges (mushy) indicates diarrhea and could have occurred due to spices, stress, stimulants or laxatives.
No solids & entirely liquid indicates that the body has activated its short term self protection against pathogens and toxins. Can be dangerous long term due to fluid loss.
As a general rule Constipation and dehydration can occur with lack of fiber or due to low carb diets.
Now that was quite in-depth about our daily deliverables wasn’t it? But here’s the thing. If your gut microbiome is well balanced then your deliverables will be on track. Moreover if there is a happy balance between your good and bad microbiomes this will be well reflected in your daily business. It’s going to be smooth and will give you that beautiful aaaah clean feeling!
The ways to empower your bowels rests a lot with your diet and mental stress levels. The two main constituents in your diet that affect your bowel movements are fibre and water. If you have enough fiber in your diet and drink a minimum of two liters of water then you are well on your your way!
When your deliverables are well on track, your entire body will benefit from being regular and getting that clean clean feeling daily.
Things to ease out of your diet if you are not regular:
- Coffee
- Dairy
- Gluten
- Processed foods
- Alcohol
- Sugary drinks
Stress and sleep being the other key aspects that help keep your system regular and happy
Eliminate factors that stress you out or at least manage them. We all have stresses and challenges that keep us up at night or bring out the worst in us. It’s all about managing them better.
That being said, being constipated is a very common complaint these days and needs to be dealt with before it progresses to chronic status. Talk to your physician or Nutritionist about Prebiotics, Probiotics, Enzymes and other supplements that can help your deliveries be smooth and satisfying.
Remember that laxatives on a regular basis are not the best solution. Only because laxatives can flush out the good bacteria in your body and then you are back to square one. You will need to repopulate your gut with some therapeutic grade probiotics and probiotics. In addition, laxatives can also dehydrate your body significantly.
PS: Consult your physician before taking any supplements especially if you have any pre existing conditions.
Ahlaam Ali
Nutrition& Health Coach
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