Have you listened to your stools lately?
Have you listened to your stools lately? According to many high profile doctors and research the "splash down" of your stools into the toilet bowl may say something about the health of your bowels. Are you digesting properly? Are you eating healthy? Many doctors will agree that your stools tell all.
The Sound of Stools:
If your stools hit the toilet bowel with a plop sound, it may be an indication that you are constipated, since your stool may be denser and you may need to include more fiber in your diet. According to some, stool less dense may make a quieter swoosh when it enters the water and may be the sign of a healthy diet and a good digestive system. Listening to your stools is not all there is to recognizing bowel health. Before you flush take a good look. And then look again! The healthy shape you're looking for is S-shaped. The color should be normal.
Some commonalities:
Don't be alarmed if you've eaten beets and see pinkish tinges in the bowl. That's pretty common. If you've eaten corn it may come through looking like it was before you ate it. Our bodies do not have enzymes to digest corn.
What to look for:
The color you should be looking for is blood red. Any indication of blood is an alarming sign and it is recommended that you see a doctor as soon as possible. Interesting? There's quite a bit of information just from listening and looking! We can discover a lot about our bowel health by what comes out at the end of the day. It's a pretty depictive analysis of what's happening inside your body.
Food Travel and Transit:
The journey of your food is quite a long one, indeed! From the time food is placed in your mouth and swallowed into the esophagus and deposited in the stomach where digestive juices immediately act upon it breaking down food into smaller components the body can absorb, it's a journey that involves several hours. Your food spends about 5 to 7 hours in the stomach and small intestine. By the time it reaches the large intestine most of the nutrients have been absorbed through the intestinal lining and is reaching various organs and parts of the body where it will be converted to energy for the body's use.
The large intestine or the colon is where the food you've eaten and digested spends most of the time-anywhere between 17 to 22 hours! What's left is the waste and fiber which cannot be digested. Fiber is acted upon by probiotics (good bacteria in the colon) through a process of fermentation producing nutrients that keep the colon healthy. Some of these nutrients are absorbed by the body through the colon wall and go to the liver. The liver requires these nutrients to regulate the body's cholesterol and glucose levels. That's why adequate fiber is necessary for a healthy heart. Our bodies often scream to us for help. If you're constipated, or suffer from bouts of constipation and diarrhea, or feel the need to strain for each bowel movement, your body is trying to tell you something.
What happens when you have diarrhea? When food reaches the colon, it is a mixture of water and waste. Usually, the colon absorbs water leaving the waste in a semi-soft state. When you have diarrhea the colon does not do its job of absorbing water-there could be a number of reasons responsible for this-some possible reasons may include parasites, bacteria or a viral infection, and the stools are watery and you may need to go more frequently. Doctors agree that the best treatment would be to drink plenty of fluids, include salts that will maintain the electrolyte balance in the body to avoid dehydration. In time, your immunity will take over and prevail! However, if diarrhea persists, it's time to see a doctor.
What happens when you are constipated? Constipation is when your colon absorbs too much water leaving your stools hard and stubbornly stuck. You may need to increase the amount of fiber in your diet, drink more liquids and eat more vegetables. Straining is a definite no-no! Most doctors believe that straining could lead to hemorrhoids. It is always better to take care of your constipation instead of straining on the toilet.
What's Normal? How many bowel movements should you have? What is the normal frequency? This differs from individual to individual. Most people feel comfortable with a daily bowel movement, others with 4 or 5 a day. In general, you may be "officially" constipated if you experience fewer than 3 bowel movements a week, but this is not a hard and fast rule. Some are fine with a bowel movement a week. It's the comfort and consistency that's important. If you want to add more shape to your stools, include the USDA recommended allowance of 25 to 35 grams of fiber to your daily diet.
So the next time you sit on the throne in the most private place in your home, take time to listen to your stools talk and pay attention to their looks. You may discover that colon health is something you've neglected for a long time.
Herbal Colon Cleansers:
To help you tone your digestive system and support colon health, an herbal colon cleanser, like BeneCleanse, offers a scientific approach to maintaining colon health may be just what your system needs to get your stools in shape! Digestive probiotics combined with herbs help in the efficient absorption of nutrients. Laxative herbs help to cleanse the colon from accumulated waste that can slow your system and can affect your health. In addition, BeneCleanse offers nutritional support to maintain colon heath. It consists of multivitamins, minerals, dietary fiber and alginates that work with your body to help promote regularity of bowel movement.
