What Your Poop Is Telling You & How To Fix It

No one likes to talk about poop but we all encounter it. Not to mention, it can tell you a lot about your health. Here is the inside scoop on what your poop is telling you and how to fix it! 

No one loves potty talk, except for maybe nutritionists like myself. But here’s the deal, poop is extremely important in your health. From the color, shape, consistency, and frequency you can learn so much about your health through knowledge in the subject of potty talk.

Poop is merely the excretion of excess food waste {along with bacteria, mucus and other bodily waste} and all humans eat, we all should be pooping as well. So apologies up front if this takes you back to your former middle school self.

Let the giggling occur.

But in all seriousness, this was one of the most asked questions in our series on Your Most Embarrassing Health Questions Answered. Today we tackle the question; What is Your Popp Telling You?

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the poop meter

Just like everything in life, your poop {bowel movements if you rather} is a biofeedback signal in your body. It is telling you something. Something about your digestive processes including how well you’re chewing your food, how your stomach is digesting and how your gut bacteria are responding.

It can also tell you if you’re dehydrated, nutrient deficient or possibly have something more serious going on like ulcers, Crohn’s disease, or food intolerances and allergies.

The most common and helpful scale to judge how healthy your bowels are is the Bristol Stool Chart.

As you can see via the chart it explains the range of bowel movements and at what point it may be indicating something harmful is happening inside the body.

Take a look, analyze what’s in your stool and keep track. This information matters, and it’s also a great place to see changes in your health.

how to change your poop?

Inside the podcast, you’ll learn the alarms to be aware of with your bowel movements but here I wanted to share how to healthify your body and make your plumbing run smoothly. The five big points in normal stools include these tips.

1. Food

From how much fiber and healthy fats, to what kind of foods, the amount of sugar and how your body responds, each component is having an impact. The things you need to be aware of around food and your stools include:

• If your body is having an inflammatory response to something you are eating – could be a food allergy or intolerance.
• Poor digestion of food causing symptoms like acid reflux.
• If you’re eating too much-processed food harming your gut bacteria.

Things to focus on to healthify your stools include:

• More fiber – think natural sources of fiber like fruits, vegetables, and even seeds.
• More fat – this includes the right kinds like avocados, egg yolks, coconut oil, olive oil, olives and grass-fed butter or ghee.

2. Fluids

Hydration status is one of the biggest causes of poor stool health. Make sure you stay hydrated sipping on beverages such as unsweetened teas, lemon water, and water tonics all day long. If hydration is your problem check out these posts that could help:

• Homemade Electrolyte Drink
• Why You Shouldn’t Drink Water
• Warm Lemon Water, Fad or Fact?

3. Flora

Your gut bacteria is determining what is absorbed and what is released to be further broken down in your intestines for excretion. If the gut flora is off, you may be trying to excrete more food waste than normal and/or your food waste may not be breaking down properly leaving you with hard stools or even diarrhea. Increase your good flora with a beneficial probiotic source daily.

For best results, mix that source up.

4. Fitness

Moving your body does so many positive things inside your system. Just as you move so does your fluid and bowel movements. Fitness is one of the best ways to keep your digestive system in motion. Try moving every single day to keep your plumbing running smoothly.

5. Stress

Like everything in life, stress has a detrimental effect on your bowels. It changes the enzymatic properties of the body, the neuropeptides firing different neurons and muscles not to mention it changes the hormonal impact on the body.

When the communication signals go awry, so does your GI system. Try eliminating stress, or incorporating stress-reducing practices.

having trouble going #2?

If you’re still having trouble going number two, there are a few things that could help get things running again. My favorite products include

1. Magnesium  Glycinate –  This acts as a natural relaxant in the body, helping to reduce overstimulation of the GI muscles.
2. Squatty-Potty – This device puts your body in perfect poop position relaxing the right muscles so the tubes can be open and running freely.
3. A big glass of lukewarm lemon water {or water} – There’s nothing a little hydration can’t help. Plus it keeps your digestive system moving in the right direction which is down and out.

hormonal impact

If you think that your bowel issues are due to a hormonal imbalance – like constipation or extra loose and runny stools combined with other hormonal symptoms like mood swings, irregular period, hot flashes, PMS, acne or weight gain – I would suggest you try resetting your hormones.

Here are some articles that could help:

• What Women Should Know About Their Hormones
• 5 Natural Ways to Balance Hormones
• How To Reset Your Hormones
• Balance Your Hormones By Avoiding These 5 Foods
• Is Caffeine Harming Your Hormones?

You may want to consider signing up for my 5-Day Hormonal Reset to get your body back on track the quick and easy way. This short and effective program can help you lose weight, regulate your period, increase your fertility and help you go #2 more regularly.

I give you all the help you need plus a full meal plan to make it as easy and efficient as possible. Learn more about the 5-Day Hormonal Rest and sign up to join me here.

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