The Meaning of Poo

Humans spend much of their time either being mortified by this noxious emission or in stitches over it…did you know that diarrhoea is hereditary? It runs in your genes!

But did you know that the frequency, form, colour, size and smell of your poo all can indicate various states of health? If you’d like to learn what your poos might be telling you then read on!

Poo is one of the key ways that we eliminate unnecessary waste from digestive processes as well as leftover toxic byproducts. We also shed a lot of bacteria in each bowel motion.

The digestive process is energy intensive and starts with ingesting food in the mouth, then being broken down and absorbed through the stomach and small intestine, then further broken down by the bacteria located in the large intestine and then eliminated through the rectum. For this to occur it requires acids, digestive enzymes, various hormones, muscular contractions and the activity of a diverse microflora population including bacteria. When one component of the digestive system process is out of whack it can result in poo that changes colour, smell or form.

So, what is a normal poo and how often should you go? A normal poo should be light to mid brown, be shaped like a smooth snake, be easy to pass in less than a minute and not be offensively smelly. Naturopaths will generally state that you should ideally be doing 1-3 bowel motions daily.

Why the colour of poos is important

Let’s talk about some of the different colours that poo can present as!

Dark brown poo is common for people who are constipated with a slow bowel transit time.

Pale grey or clay coloured poo can indicate that your gallbladder isn’t secreting the bile salts which turn poo brown. This might be due to insufficient bile being secreted or precious bile salts not being reabsorbed in the colon, or perhaps there is something blocking the liver or gallbladder such as gall stones or even worms - which interferes with bile secretion into the small intestine in response to fats. Without bile fats won’t be emulsified and this results in the malabsorption of fats and fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.

Black poo is a sign that there is bleeding occurring somewhere in the upper part of your GIT, this needs to be checked out by a doctor because it could indicate an issue like a bleeding ulcer. However, if you’ve been eating black liquorice or taking iron pills or charcoal this can also happen!

Red poo is another sign that bleeding is occurring, but its likely to be from somewhere in the lower part of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) including the rectum and should also be diagnosed by a doctor as it may be caused by a condition such as anal fissures. Also check your anus for haemorrhoids, but note that they aren’t always external, they can also be within the anus. Beetroot will also turn your poo red which can be a scary sight the first time you see it after a delicious vegetable juice!

Green poo is commonly caused by something in the diet, perhaps lots of spirulina or greens. Poo is initially green, then turns yellow and finally brown as a result of bile and bacterial activity. So, when poo is green it can indicate that the transit time in the bowel is too fast – as ideally its around 12-24 hours, anything less than that is too fast for digestion to be effectively occurring. Often these people are starting to have diarrhoea, or perhaps haven’t been eating enough fibre to keep the bacteria nourished and in business.

Why is the shape of the poo important?

So how about the meaning behind a poo’s form? Or is it only useful for jokes?! Have you seen that new movie Constipated? Its not come out yet! And have you seen the sequel, Diarrhoea? It leaked so they had to release it early!

Enough Dad Jokes! Diarrhoea can be a result of food poisoning, food allergy or intolerance reactions (as the body wants to quickly rid itself of the irritant), leaky gut syndrome and inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis.

Constipation can be also a result of food intolerances and allergies – particularly to wheat and dairy. It’s a common result of dehydration or insufficient fibre from food groups such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds or legumes.

Naturopaths spend a lot of time asking clients about their poos, particularly the form because it can offer us such a wealth of information. One of the funniest poo charts and discussions I’ve seen was made by Paul Chek (2004). Please see the image below.

In the line up at number one is Sinker & Stinker. “This guy is named as he behaves. He is like a smelly piece of black coal that sinks to the bottom of the bowl after an arduous attempt to squeeze him out with tremendous force. His appearance is due to an over exposure to toxins such as processed foods, environmental toxins and medical drugs.” Really stinky poos tell us a lot about the quality of the diet, alcohol intake and the balance of the microflora in the GIT.

Number two we have The Swimmer. “This guy is light in colour and floats. He is a pain to flush. His appearance is due to a high content of undigested fat.”  Floating stools can happen with a change in diet, or with issues causing malabsorption of nutrients. Because of this the bacteria in the colon have much more nutrients to feed on which means more production of gasses such as methane and hydrogen resulting in a floating stool.

Number three is named the Body Builder. “This dude is JACKED! He is typically big and round. He makes you strain to get him out of ya. If you pop a blood vessel in your eye ball when you poop, you’ve probably met this guy. His appearance is due to eating too many protein bars and shakes.” Also, insufficient fibre and water, resulting in constipation. Not obeying the urge to poo can also result in constipation. Apparently, this is a key reason why many women especially suffer from constipation, due to embarrassment or a disinclination to use toilets outside of their homes.

Number four is the annoying Pellet Man. “Looks like rabbit poop. His appearance is due to altered states between peristalsis and dehydration.” Essentially the rabbit pellets indicate constipation which is a result of poor movement of faecal matter through the intestines. A sausage shaped and lumpy poo with cracks is another sign that your poo is constipated.

Coming in at number five is Diarrhoea. “If you’re sliding into first, and you feel something burst…This guy needs no introduction. His appearance is due to your crappy diet and your bodies attempt to purge you of it.” Including from food poisoning. A poo that looks mushy, fluffy or watery are types of stools that can indicate you have diarrhoea. Both constipation and diarrhoea can be caused by stress or anxiety. Our brain and gut are in constant communication and depending on our emotional picture we may be more prone to holding onto emotional stress or firing it out with both cylinders, literally.

Number six we are exposed to the Flasher! “If you can identify what you’ve eaten by looking at your poop, you are being flashed! Undigested food particles making an appearance in your bowl is a sure sign that this guy has crashed your party. His appearance is due to food intolerance and an inflamed gut wall.” Some foods are insoluble fibres which can’t be easily broken down, such as corn. However undigested food can also happen when you are not eating mindfully instead focusing on your phone or TV, or gulping your food in a mad rush to leave for work, let alone chewing each mouthful 20 times. Its common to see undigested food particles in people with low digestive ‘fire’ or poor secretion of digestive juices such as hydrochloric acid and pancreatic enzymes.

Finally, at number seven we have the Poopie Policeman. “This guy is ‘The shit!’ He is what all of our poopies strive to look like. He is Well Shaped (with a consistent contour), Passes Easily, Light Brown in Colour, Smells Earthy – not foul, yet he floats…but not too much.”  (Chek, 2004). A foul stench can indicate to a naturopath that there is imbalanced bacterial overgrowth occurring in the colon, or even in the small intestine in the case of small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). Some bacteria produce hydrogen sulfide which has a characteristic rotten egg smell (similar to Rotorua) which is the key way we can diagnose imbalances of this particular type of bacteria.

So, if we are what we eat, then is our poo our report card on how we’ve been treating our body and mind and what we’ve been ingesting? And how can we turn our grade from a D to an A+?

Cells in the gut change every few days, and our immune system holds a memory response for reactions to particular foods. Consequently, benefits from a change of diet or supplement can either happen very quickly or take time for some symptoms to subside.

Here are some suggestions to change your bowel motion into the Poopie Policeman!

Supplement with magnesium

Magnesium draws water into the bowel and is an antispasmodic, its also a calming mineral which supports stress and anxiety. So, if you are experiencing constipation or a fast transit time due to stress try magnesium. Too much magnesium can cause diarrhoea however, so its important to work with a naturopath to find the right type of magnesium and dosage for you.

Drink more water!

The rule of thumb is 30ml per kg of weight for your personal water requirements. People with hot constitutional types will feel better with cold beverages, especially in hotter times of the year. Vice versa for people with cold constitutions. Neutral constitutions can adjust depending on the season, so in summer drink cooler beverages, in winter hot teas are best. Avoid alcohol and caffeinated drinks as while they may cause you to have a bowel motion they also dehydrate the bowel and make it dependent on these stimulants.

Eat more fibre rich foods

Fibre will stimulate the movement of poo through the bowel and is a food source for the bacteria in the colon who are responsible for 70% of our immune system. So, it’s to our benefit to keep these little guys happy, fed, and in a healthy diversity and balance. Try some soaked oats or chia seed for breakfast, a colourful salad or tomato, kidney bean and chili soup for lunch, then some fish with a quinoa and oven baked vegetable salad with pesto sauce for dinner. Its not difficult and can be delicious to make healthy food lifestyle changes.

Eat less dairy, wheat and protein

These products all tend to glug up the bowel and make it difficult to move waste along. Dairy and wheat are very common food intolerances, which result in symptoms like constipation, diarrhoea, mucous and hay fever symptoms, eczema, asthma, and even weight gain.

Calm the farm and reduce the stress

We live fast paced busy lives and stress, anxiety and depression are common expressions of an internal discontent. Try meditation with a guided app through SoundCloud or take a meditation course. See a naturopath for some herbal or essential oil suggestions to bring gentle sedation, calm and happiness. Breathe! Into the diaphragm with slow inhalations and exhalations.

See a naturopath if these suggestions don’t work

There may be underlying conditions at play which a naturopath can assist you with. For instance, food allergy or intolerance testing. Treating inflammatory gut conditions. Testing and treating SIBO or bacterial dysbiosis. Adjusting hormonal balance if constipation occurs at menstruation due to higher progesterone levels.

BOOK A CONSULTATION

Shine bright,

Nic

References:

Chek, P. (2004) How to Eat, Move And Be Healthy! Vista, United States; C.H.E.K Institute, LLC.