Let's Talk Poo...
There are many names for this (hopefully) daily affair and some are more amusing than others: poo, poop, stool, bowel movement, faeces, shit, terd, dukey, etc. This may not be your favorite subject but it's time to analyze and look at our poo and make light of it! We all know that what goes in, must come out....and how it comes out is a very important indicator of our overall health. And just because we are discussing poop does not mean we are getting old! As a mother, we analyze our baby's poop all day long...poop becomes a BIG part of our life for awhile! So I encourage you all to have a closer look into the deep recesses of your loo before you flush it down...
Often times people think that having a bowel movement every few days is normal! This could not be further from the truth. Ideally, we should be emptying our bowels every time we eat, to make room for the new food coming in to be digested. This is often the case with babies and small children, food goes in and almost immediately, poo comes out :)
Many of us simply do not pay enough or any attention to our bowel movements. We ignore them, we have no idea when we last had a bowel movement, let alone what color or shape it was. In our culture we have been trained to ignore this important system of our bodies, even to feel shame around it. Well, it's time to turn that attitude around! Time to make friends with our rectum, our entire digestive tract and yes, our POO!
Almost every traditional system of medicine, and even western medicine, has a method of evaluating health based on an inspection of one’s bowel movements. According to Ayurveda, the color, shape, size, frequency, odor and consistency has much to tell about what’s working or not working upstream in the digestive and detoxification systems.
You can learn a lot about the health of your body by taking a quick peek at your poop before you flush. So let's do it! As a Colon Hydrotherapist, Shanti will need to hear the ALL the details about your bowel movements, so why not start to get comfortable with these things now. It's really important that you share any possible issues you may have with your digestive system with the therapist so we can come up with the best course of treatment for you.
Often times people think that having a bowel movement every few days is normal! This could not be further from the truth. Ideally, we should be emptying our bowels every time we eat, to make room for the new food coming in to be digested. This is often the case with babies and small children, food goes in and almost immediately, poo comes out :)
Many of us simply do not pay enough or any attention to our bowel movements. We ignore them, we have no idea when we last had a bowel movement, let alone what color or shape it was. In our culture we have been trained to ignore this important system of our bodies, even to feel shame around it. Well, it's time to turn that attitude around! Time to make friends with our rectum, our entire digestive tract and yes, our POO!
Almost every traditional system of medicine, and even western medicine, has a method of evaluating health based on an inspection of one’s bowel movements. According to Ayurveda, the color, shape, size, frequency, odor and consistency has much to tell about what’s working or not working upstream in the digestive and detoxification systems.
You can learn a lot about the health of your body by taking a quick peek at your poop before you flush. So let's do it! As a Colon Hydrotherapist, Shanti will need to hear the ALL the details about your bowel movements, so why not start to get comfortable with these things now. It's really important that you share any possible issues you may have with your digestive system with the therapist so we can come up with the best course of treatment for you.
Dr. John Douillard talks about the Perfect Poo
How Food Becomes Poop
- Foods are broken down in the mouth by chewing and enzymes that are sub-lingual (under your tongue). Chewing is THE most important stage of digestion.
- Foods are further broken down in the stomach by digestive acids and more enzymes. The Stomach digests proteins and absorbs Vitamin B12.
- Bile from the liver and gallbladder and digestive enzymes from the pancreas neutralize the stomach acids and further break down the foods within the small intestine.
- Bile flow is critical as it regulates the color, consistency and regularity of the stool.
- Mucus is released from the small intestine to make a bolus of food (stool) and protect the lining from harsh acids and enzymes. It has to be produced in the right amount – not too much and not too little. Most digestion and absorption takes place in the small intestine.
- Once the food bolus moves into the large intestine, water is absorbed off of the bolus in an attempt to make the perfect stool. Anything that the body cannot use is then excreted.
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The Perfect Stool
Here are some of the requirements for a "perfect" stool:
We are all a bit different so there is some variability to "perfect" but the above is a general guideline. |
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Click here for Article where Cameron Diaz talks about The Perfect Poop
Possible Issues with your Poo:
Mucus in the Stool
Mucus in the stool is caused by an irritation of the intestinal wall. This could be a medical condition so if it persists, see your doctor. If you see mucus in the stool – which typically looks like a white or clear stringy substance that wraps around the stool – the intestinal villi are likely flattened or bogged down by the mucus. It can be caused by:
Green or Yellow Stool
A stool can become green due to excess green veggies, which is normal. If you can track your green stool back to eating more green vegetables than usual, not to worry. However, if you can’t track this to more green vegetables, the stool can also become greenish or yellow due to foods passing too quickly through the large intestine. Bile turns brown as it transits the intestines. If it is moving too fast or is secreted in excess by the liver and gall bladder, it will not have time to turn brown, resulting in a green stool.
Black Stool
A black stool is most commonly due to old blood from an irritation in the stomach or upper part of the small intestine. This is a medical condition – see your doctor.
Greasy or Shiny Stool
When a stool is greasy or shiny, this is usually due to a lack of bile flow from the liver or gallbladder. The bile is needed to emulsify the fats and if the fats are not broken down, then the stool may carry undigested fat and become shiny or greasy.
Clay Colored Stools
Clay colored stools are also caused by a lack of bile passing through the gut. Remember, bile is responsible for the color of the stool. No color means no bile.
Blood in the Stool
Most commonly, fresh blood in the stool is cause by a hemorrhoid. It could be a medical condition – if it persists, see your doctor. Please speak to your therapist about this.
Undigested Food in the Stool
The most common reason for undigested food to be passed through the entire intestinal tract into the stool starts in the MOUTH. So please chew your food properly and completely! The stomach is responsible for the initial breakdown of food. So, if stomach acid production is weak, hard-to-digest foods will not be broken down.
**Used from Dr. John Douillards Ayurvedic approach and website www.lifespa.com
Mucus in the Stool
Mucus in the stool is caused by an irritation of the intestinal wall. This could be a medical condition so if it persists, see your doctor. If you see mucus in the stool – which typically looks like a white or clear stringy substance that wraps around the stool – the intestinal villi are likely flattened or bogged down by the mucus. It can be caused by:
- Excess spicy foods
- Excess coffee or congestive highly processed and comfort foods
- Excessive stress which is processed through the gut wall
- Weak upper digestion that lets undigested foods pass, which go on to become intestinal irritants
Green or Yellow Stool
A stool can become green due to excess green veggies, which is normal. If you can track your green stool back to eating more green vegetables than usual, not to worry. However, if you can’t track this to more green vegetables, the stool can also become greenish or yellow due to foods passing too quickly through the large intestine. Bile turns brown as it transits the intestines. If it is moving too fast or is secreted in excess by the liver and gall bladder, it will not have time to turn brown, resulting in a green stool.
Black Stool
A black stool is most commonly due to old blood from an irritation in the stomach or upper part of the small intestine. This is a medical condition – see your doctor.
Greasy or Shiny Stool
When a stool is greasy or shiny, this is usually due to a lack of bile flow from the liver or gallbladder. The bile is needed to emulsify the fats and if the fats are not broken down, then the stool may carry undigested fat and become shiny or greasy.
Clay Colored Stools
Clay colored stools are also caused by a lack of bile passing through the gut. Remember, bile is responsible for the color of the stool. No color means no bile.
Blood in the Stool
Most commonly, fresh blood in the stool is cause by a hemorrhoid. It could be a medical condition – if it persists, see your doctor. Please speak to your therapist about this.
Undigested Food in the Stool
The most common reason for undigested food to be passed through the entire intestinal tract into the stool starts in the MOUTH. So please chew your food properly and completely! The stomach is responsible for the initial breakdown of food. So, if stomach acid production is weak, hard-to-digest foods will not be broken down.
**Used from Dr. John Douillards Ayurvedic approach and website www.lifespa.com
