The Poop Scoop
Your Poop. It's trying to tell your story. Did you know that?
The way it looks. The way it smells. Shape and size. All tells a story.
But, poop can be hard to describe...Like, ummm… It's brown, it's hard, it's soft, it's shaped like... ya. So, someone - (maybe they are named Bristol?) made the Bristol Stool Scale so that we would have some reference to choose a poop type. Clever, right?
I mean, who sits around thinking about these things...
Actually, that someone was a clever fellow named Dr. Heaton from the University of Bristol. And in 1997, he made this chart. And perhaps he felt like Heaton Stool Chart didn’t sound great, so he called it Bristol. (But I put my money on the University claiming fame to the chart instead.)
So, let’s talk about Constipation
Basically, if your poop looks like type 1 or 2, you are constipated. Did you know that it shouldn’t take more than a minute to push out a poop once you start to poop? (Again, I mean. Who goes about measuring these sorts of things?) If you are pooping less than every other day, you are constipated. And I probably didn't need to tell you that cuz you know when you are constipated, right?!
Anyhoo…What can you do about constipation? Well, generally you need to add fiber and fluid to your diet. Think Brans, fruit (prunes are number one of the list- which are dried plums), dark leafy greens like Spinach and Brussel sprouts, and vegetables. Don’t underestimate fluid. If you are a big coffee drinker ( raise your hand with me!), some sodas, teas, alcohol…A lot of those “fluid” are actually dehydrating and will not help your bowel. But Just to shake things up, many people find that coffee in the morning HELPS them poop! Are you one of those folks?
Tips:
Do you Squatty when you potty?
Well, using a Squatty Potty® may help you poop if you struggle. Getting your hip angle just right, with your knees in line with or higher than your hips, will make pooping easier.
Don’t strain.
Just like when you had your baby, you can breathe your poop down. No kidding. All that deep slow breathing will relax and open your pelvic floor and help that poop slide right on out. True Story: One time when I was teaching childbirth education a dad came back the following week to class and cheerfully exclaimed, “Breathing my poop out was the best thing I had ever learned”. Well, I am so glad that I could help! ha!
Track Your Diet
You may be surprised to see that there is a pattern to what you consume affects how and when you poop.
Potty Train
No kidding! Potty Training is all about brain training and schedules. So, see if you can poop train your body and brain!
Don’t sit on the loo and scroll instagram or read a magazine.
Got the runs?
(We are skipping a head a bit so we can end on a good note)
If your poop looks like type 5, 6, or 7, you are probably not going out on the town…Or, even out of your house if it looks like 7.
Actually, with Type 5, you may experience a sense of urgency but not actually have diarrhea or maybe just a mild case. This type doesn't usually stick around for more than a day or so. Now, Type 6 might have you running to the loo more frequently. Like maybe more than 3 times a day. If this is the case, you officially have “Diarrhea”. Congrats. Type 7, you can barely leave the loo and if this keeps up for more than 2 days, you should contact your care provider. It’s easier to get dehydrated than you might realize.
Tips:
Dietary:
Stay Hydrated and add in electrolytes to the mix. Clear liquids, broths and juices are helpful but avoid caffeine and alcohol. Have you heard of the BRAT diet? Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast. Eggs and Chicken may also help. Avoid dairy, fatty foods, highly seasoned or the fruits that are recommended for constipation. Do consider taking probiotics.
Call Your care provider if this lasts more than a few days, you are running a fever, or you have having any other signs of illness such as stomach pain or booty pain.
The Ideal poop?
Now the good news! If your poop looks like type 3 or 4, you are doing just great. It looks like sausage or brown banana. Long and soft but not too mushy. (I am sorry if I just ruined sausages or bananas for you. Really, I am.) And, you should poop anywhere from 3 x a day to once every 2 days.
What about color?
Most folks think, “poop is brown” and it usually is. But what if it’s not? Actually, any shade of brown to green is usually fine. If you ever see Red or Black in your stool, you should contact your care provider if it continues more than once. Sometimes, you may see red blood on the toilet paper when you wipe and that is often from a hemorrhoid but if you see it IN your poop or it continues that is not normal. Black poop may be caused by an iron supplement, foods like blueberries, or if you took charcoal for an upset tummy. If you happen to love black licorice, that will also turn your poop black! But if you ever have a black, tarry, poop that smells bad (okay- I mean, worse than normal “stinky”! LOL) it may be a sign of “old bleeding” or bleeding from higher up in the digestive tract. Yellow poop - especially, if it looks greasy - may be a sign of too much fat in your diet or disease where your body is unable to digest fats. White or Chalky poop can also be a sign of bile duct blockage and we need bile to help with digestion.
You see, it really is trying to tell your story!
Floating poop?
Don’t worry - usually that just means it’s less dense than usual. But if it consistently happens, you may want to take a look at your diet. If you are also having other health issues with it, like unexplained weight loss, talk to your care provider about this.