Well, it’s probably not the first thing you’d like to talk to, but your stool has a lot to tell you about your health if you know the language of it. It does not speak English.
Your poop can communicate with you, and as much as you want to know about your health, your poop wants to tell you about it. Consider it a health consultant.
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There are many things going on in your body at any given time, and we are mostly unaware of what’s happening inside of our body. It’s hard to tell which part and organ of our body is functioning well, and which part needs attention. Usually, we go with the symptoms as they have a lot to tell us about our health. Stool can be a very effective way to discover various symptoms of our overall health condition because sometimes, sh*t happens.
By noting the overall appearance of our stool, it’s color and its texture, we can understand what’s wrong and what’s normal inside our body. So, here is a poop test manual for you to get some insights about your body and health.
You can monitor the shape, texture, and color of the stool as indications :
color
Different colors in stool say different things about your health. :
- Yellow
Yellow colored stool indicates that you have been consuming too much fat. It will also have a greasy appearance and a foul smell as an indication. It could be due to gluten-sensitive enteropathy, celiac disease or sprue due to incomplete absorption by the body. - Red
Red colored stool or brown colored stool with red blood stains can be an indication of cancer. However, cancer is not always the case. It would also be due to overeating or severe constipation. So, you don’t have to always worry too much about it. If you are constipated then probably the next time you won’t have blood in your stool. However, if it occurs without constipation it’s highly recommended that you see your doctor about this matter. Also, notice the foods you’ve been eating. For example, if you’ve eaten beets lately, or drank a carrot beet juice, you might get a red color in stool after that. - Black
Black stool can also be due to internal bleeding or as a sign of cancer. However, it really depends whether you’re getting it on a regular basis or just once. It can also be due to internal ulcers. In other cases, if you’re on iron supplements or bismuth sub-salicylate, you may get black, sticky stool as well. - Green
Like beets can cause red colored stool, a lot of green vegetables can also cause green stool. So, sometimes it’s just normal. However, in other instances, green stool could be an indication that the food is moving rapidly through our bowels and intestines. Also, notice if you have eaten something that might have additive food coloring in it. - White
White stool isn’t bright white like a newly painted house, it could be off-white, clay-colored or very light colored. This is an indication that the bile isn’t being delivered due to some hindrance. It could also mean that the liver is not healthy, as the liver is responsible for delivering bile. See your doctor if you get this problem. - Brown
Congratulations, brown is finally the right color for the stool. You should be getting brown color in your stool, as it is due to the strong color of bile. If it’s brown, things are quite normal.
Shape and texture
Like different colors, different shapes and textures of your stool also have different stories to tell. Here is what your stool’s texture has to say about you.
- Liquid
It could possibly be diarrhea, or it can be an indication of sprue or celiac disease if it’s not diarrhea. You probably know about diarrhea, but sometimes it can be mistaken for sprue condition. In this condition, your body can suffer gluten intolerance, and by eating gluten-rich foods the villi in your small intestine can get damaged which will cause difficulty in absorbing the nutrients. It can occur with various other symptoms, such as depression, lethargy, bloating and pain. See your doctor and ask them if you need to get yourself tested for celiac disease. If it’s explosive and green along with being liquid, it could be due to an infection of Clostridium difficile. Although this bacterium is natural flora, the growth of it should remain under control. If it starts growing uncontrollably, it could get us in trouble. - Long and Thin
If your stool has a long and thin texture, like a pencil, it could be an indication of constipation or rental cancer. Again, it depends on the continuation of the problem. If it occurs just once or twice, it’s probably just constipation and you don’t have to worry about it. Just get un-constipated. However, if you get it regularly, you should see your doctor regarding this. - Lumps
If your stool is made of small, hard, nut-shaped lumps, it could mean that you’re not taking enough fiber and liquid in our diet. Dehydration, for example, can cause this texture of separated stool lumps. You should start eating more and more vegetables and fruits. - Soft and Sticky
If your stool is soft, sticky and probably leaves sticky stains at the bottom of the toilet seat, this could mean that you might be consuming too many fats and oil. It could also be due to a disease which is not allowing your body to absorb the oil completely, such as pancreatitis. - Cracked sausage
Sausage shape is a normal shape. However, the cracks could indicate that you’re not drinking enough water. - Lumpy Sausage
Sausage shape is good, but lumpy indicates lack of water and fiber. Get some more vegetables and fiber-rich foods. - Blobby
If you are used to going for a poop many times a day, the shape of soft blobs with sharp edges in your stool is very close to normal. - Sausage
If it comes out in clear, smooth sausage-like shape, it means that everything is great. That’s how it should be.
Conclusion
So, you probably just made a new record of the amount of time you spent thinking about your stool, but it’s worth it. Keeping these things in mind can really help you understand what your body needs and what it’s asking for you to do. By doing so, you can keep yourself healthier and more active, and enjoy your days to the fullest.
Disclaimer
Please note that individual results will vary from person to person. All and any information and statements contained in this article are not intended to replace your doctor’s advice or treatment. We do not provide medical advice, prescription, or diagnose illness. Therefore, our views and nutritional statements are not intended to replace your doctor’s medical advice. If you have a health concern or condition, see your doctor before starting anything on your own.