Pooping isn't a topic that regularly comes up in conversation, but it's a key part of your health -- and not just your gut health, but your overall health. The appearance of your bowel movements, how often you go, and how long it takes to go can reveal a lot about what might be going on inside your body. To learn the specifics, along with red flags you should look out for when you're on the toilet, we spoke with three gastroenterologists.
What does healthy poop look like?
Many doctors use the Bristol stool chart to help evaluate the health of bowel movements. The chart is a form scale, meaning that it rates stool based on factors like size and consistency. Bowel movements are rated from 1 to 7, with 1 being the most firm and 7 being entirely liquid.
Bristol stool type 1-2: Rabbit or grape-like droppings that are quite hard and may be difficult to pass.
Bristol stool type 3-4: Corn on the cob or sausage bowel movements that are soft and easy to pass.
Bristol stool type 5-7: Mushy to liquid bowel movements that may or may not include some solid pieces.
As Dr. Natasha Chhabra, a gastroenterologist at Gastroenterology Associates of New Jersey, explains, "The middle of the chart (Bristol 3-4) describes a healthy BM, which is generally described as sausage or snake-like." Poop in these categories is also solid, while it may be either smooth or have some cracks on the surface.
A healthy poop in the Bristol 3-4 categories indicates that someone is getting both enough water and enough fiber in their diet, according to Dr. Michael Schopis, gastroenterologist and attending physician at Manhattan Gastroenterology. He notes that this type of stool is often easiest to pass, while "Bristol stool types 1-2 are often hard, pebbly and hard to pass, indicating constipation."
If your poop floats, you could have excessive gas, be eating a diet with high-fat content or have a gastrointestinal tract issue. Your poop should sink more often than not.
Poop color
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