Pooping, every does it but no one really talks about it.  So, let’s talk about it! Pooping can tell us a lot about what is happening with our digestion so let’s dive in on exactly what poop is and can tell us.

First off, let’s talk about why we poop.

Pooping is actually the final stage of digestion.  Our digestive system has three main functions to digest, absorb and eliminate.  Elimination is pooping!

Let’s say you had some avocado toast. First things first your body is going to break down that avocado toast into all the different nutrients. Then your body, specifically your small intestine, will absorb all those nutrients.  Whatever is left will be made into your poop.

Poop is like the kitchen trash. The kitchen trash collects all the scraps of food we don’t need and poop is the waste of our digestion.  

We want to be pooping every day.

You read that right. We really should be pooping every day.  Not pooping every day is like letting the kitchen trash build up but never taking it out.

Everyone has their own pooping schedule, hello morning poops before work, but you don’t want to be pooping more than 3 times a day or less than every 3 days.

Healthy poops have a certain look.

When I say healthy poops I am referring to poops that are easy peasy where you don’t strain and are daily. The type of poops that are smooth like a snake and just slide down the toilet bowl with a little plop into the water.

Consistency.

In fact, there is such a thing as a bristol stool chart that actually gives us a definition of what healthy poops should look like.

The ideal poop is type 3 and 4. They are nicely formed, beautiful shape and smooth or kind of smooth surface.

Type 1-2 is for sure constipated poop. So even if you poop every day but your poop looks like a type 2 that is still constipation.  Type 5-7 are loose poops with 7 definitely being diarrhea.

One of my fave fiber supplements, Regular Girl, has a beautiful chart explaining the different types of poops. I actually use this chart with all my clients in my gut reset program to explain what their poop is saying about their health.

Coloring

Poop should also have a good coloring.  You’re looking for that pretty cocoa like hot chocolate color.  

I always tell people that if they poop and its red make sure that you didn’t eat beets that day before you freak out. Beets and food coloring can make your poop red! But if you noticed bright red blood on or in your poop indicates some bleeding at the end of your GI tract and could be something like a hemorrhoid.

The color to really watch out for is black. Black poops that are also sticky, like the poop sticks onto the toilet bowl, are a bad sign and indicated bleeding in your digestive system.

If you do notice blood in your stool or big change in the consistency of your poops with texture, color, or frequency then that might warrant a call to your doctor.

Sinkers and floaters.

Ideal poops make a graceful dive down the toilet bowl and sinks.  We all get occasional floaters which is ok but if your poop is always floating in the bowl then that would also warrant a call to the doctor. Poop that always floats can indicate fat malabsorption. A lot of fat in your poop can make it float.

I'm the Vanna White of popping today! ⠀ Diet plays a huge role with pooping but so does your posture! Tbh I never really gave much thought to my pooping position until I started to have gut issues of my own.⠀ ⠀ If you find yourself having enough time to ready the newspaper on the toilet (and you're not just trying to get some quiet time away from the family) than you're spending too much time on the toilet.⠀ ⠀ Here is why pooping position matters.⠀ ⠀ Squatting positions your body for optimal elimination.⠀ Can help with constipation.⠀ Can help with hemorrhoids.⠀ ⠀ Because this is so important, I am going to be incorporating this video into a lesson for my gut reset program clients. ⠀ ⠀ What I find interesting is that many people don't realize how much they strain when the poop until they don't! Sometimes we get so used to our "normal" only to realize it can be better. Download my free cookbook with tip sheets on gut health for some more ideas, link in bio.⠀ ⠀ ⠀ #ibsdiet #guthealth #ibsfood #lowfodmapdiet #guthealthy #guthealing #guthealthdiet #guthealthiskey #gutflora #gutscience #healthylife #bloating #irritablebowelsyndrome #fodmapfree #yourgutknows #yourgutisalwaysright #gutinstinct #healthygut #goodguthealth #gutfood #trustyourgut #guthealthiseverything #pooped #eliminationdiet #foodsensitivities #pooping #highfiber #chiaseed #avocados

Pooping position for healthy poops.

There is actually a method to healthy poops. Sitting on the toilet isn’t the optimal position for pooping.  Squatting is actually the best pooping position but you don’t need to squat and hover to poop.

To best show you optimal pooping position check out my Instagram video that I did with a pelvic floor physical therapist, Dr. Carri Dominick. Hint, your new best friend might be a squatty potty!

5 hacks for healthy poops.

In case you missed it check out my post that I did on 5 hacks for healthy poops.  Check out that post here for 5 ways to get those beautiful effortless poops.

Amanda Sauceda, MS, RDN

Amanda is a pizza loving registered dietitian nutritionist specializing in mindfulness and gut health. She quickly realized that gut health goes beyond the gut; it is also about honoring our gut feelings. She is the creator of The Mindful Gut™ which uses science and strategy to help people improve their gut health.