There’s no better way to guarantee awkward silence, then by asking someone about their poop.

<Insert awkward moment here>

And while that seems like an obvious statement, you’ve clearly never hung out with me before.

Whether I’m with a patient, at my kids school, or at a backyard BBQ – when people approach me with questions about their health, I always ask them about their poop.

Now you might be wondering why I would be so bold … well, your poop gives incredible insight into the health of your entire body. If you want my help – I need to have this critical piece of information.

So while you’re blushing in the corner wishing you had never asked the question, I’m not even phased by it. Because, honestly, between my job and three little boys at home – poop is just an everyday conversation for me.

And you may be curious about whether your poop is healthy or not, but might just be too afraid to ask. Well this post is for you …

UNDERSTANDING YOUR POOP

There is a lot to be said about understanding your poop because it gives you really important insight into the health of your whole body – including your digestive system.

Your poop is all the waste and toxins that your body didn’t need or couldn’t absorb or use. It’s a mixture of fiber, cells, mucous, bacteria (dead and alive), and water – in fact, 75% of your poop is water!

If your poop doesn’t look healthy, it could be a sign of an infection, diseases, or other digestive concerns. So yes, you want to check out your poop daily.

WHAT IS A HEALTHY POOP?

Your poop is an external sign of what’s going on internally. Your digestive system uses many organs as well as hormones, enzymes, bacteria, and proper blood flow to help the digestive process run smoothly.

If just one thing is not working properly or is imbalanced, it can throw the entire system off – leading to an unhealthy poop. So, what exactly should you be looking for?

COLOUR

Ideally your poop is brown – that’s the best indicator of a healthy poop. However, the colour can vary depending on what you’ve eaten and how long it’s taken for you to digest it (which can take up to 72 hours!).

Green poop can be a sign of too little fiber, causing your food to digest too quickly.

Red or purple poop may simply be a sign of too many beets.

Yellow poop can be due to malabsorption.

Gray or white poop may be due to medications.

Black poop can be a sign of internal bleeding or too much iron.

If your poop has changed colour and you can’t associate it with foods you’ve eaten recently and it persists for a couple of days – go see your doctor to make sure everything is okay. A change in colour can indicate a serious health problem.

SHAPE

Just as colour matters, so does the shape of your poop. A long S-shaped poop is an indication of a healthy digestive tract. 

If your bowel movements are pebbles, mushy or wet, sticky (leaves a residue), or lumpy it could be due to dehydration, problems digesting fats, bacterial infection, food allergies or sensitivities, or even candida.

Pay attention to any changes and contact me or talk to your health care practitioner if your worried your poop isn’t looking healthy.

SMELL

Yes, your poop should smell – but not too much! A smelly poop means you’re excreting the toxins, however, an overly foul smell could be an indication of an infection or more serious digestive concern.

FREQUENCY

You should be having bowel movements two to three times a day. Pooping once a day is a sign of a mild form of constipation. Less than one a day and you need to hit me up for a consultation so we can get you pooping like a rockstar!

YES, IT SHOULD SINK

Another important indication of a healthy poop is if it sinks or floats – a healthy poop should sink to the bottom of the toilet. If your poop floats, it can be a sign of high fat content – meaning you aren’t absorbing nutrients properly (malabsorption).

HOW TO HAVE A HEALTHY POOP

So if you’ve never thought to look at your poop before – now’s the perfect time to start. It’s a simple health check and allows either yourself or your health care practitioner to have better insight into the health of your body.

If you’re concerned that your poop doesn’t appear healthy, getting it back to normal should be a top priority. If it has been off for more than a couple of days, hit me up for a consultation or go see your health care practitioner to get checked out.

Otherwise – here are a few ways to improve your poop!

DRINK WATER

Often times we’re constipated simply because we’re dehydrated. Plus, with the hot weather on it’s way (at least I hope so for Vancouver!) you need to make sure you’re drinking enough.

INCREASE YOUR FIBER

There’s a chance your body simply needs more fiber. Try increasing your veggies (especially your leafy greens) to bulk up and to help regulate your poops.

MOVE YOUR BODY

Exercise is a really important way to get things moving, especially right after a meal. Instead of sitting after dinner, go out for a walk and improve your digestion.

SUPPLEMENTS

If you’re poops aren’t healthy, you need to make changes! Supplementing to help balance out your bacteria, support nutrient absorption, level out nutritional imbalances, or to help with fat digestion are just some ways supplements can help you have a healthy poop.

If you think your poop could use a little help – contact me for a consultation and we’ll get your digestion working properly again.

Also, try this Grilled Veggie Rice Bowl with Peach-Mango Salsa recipe to increase your fiber for a healthy lunch or dinner that’s easy to make ahead and pack all week!