A gut doctor has revealed the four signs you may be experiencing an unhealthy bowel movement: from what time you poop to what color it is.
Dr. Roshini Rajapaksaa gastroenterologist at NYU Langone Health and author of the bestseller Gut Renovation Unlock The Age-Defying Power Of The Microbiome To Remodel Your Health From The Inside Out, has detailed what your poop can tell you about the state of your health.
The specialist explained that things like ‘your mood’ and ‘how you gain weight’ can influence your bowel movements.
She added that different colored stools meant different things and could even be a warning sign of something serious.
Gut health specialist Dr. Roshini has revealed the four signs you may be experiencing an unhealthy bowel movement: from what time you poop to what color it is
Speak against Todaysaid dr. Roshini that the gut microbiome, which was made up of bacteria and beneficial organisms, can affect every aspect of your health.
The doctor added that “your mood, your development of many chronic diseases, how you gain weight, [and] rheumatoid arthritis’ can make your poop look and feel different.
She added that if your microbiome was unhealthy, you would feel it.
Dr. Roshini explained that you would notice symptoms such as bloating, abdominal pain, mood, concentration and even immunity.
The first thing you should always do is examine your poop schedule.
She said that your bowel movements should be somewhat on a regular schedule.
“I don’t want people to get too hung up on (the idea that, “I have to run like clockwork every day.” Having a bowel movement every one to three days is fine, especially if that’s your regular pattern,” added Dr. Roshini to it.
In addition to going to the bathroom regularly, you should also pay attention to how you feel on the toilet.
“You want to make sure it’s not a struggle — a struggle in the bathroom.” Things should just come out smooth and even. You shouldn’t be sitting there for half an hour,” the gut health expert told Today.
Next, you want to take note of the consistency of your poop.
Dr. Roshini said your stool shouldn’t be “very hard, stony or painful.”
But she noted that it shouldn’t be loose either. The gut health doctor said it should be soft but formed.
The gut health specialist explained that everything should come out ‘smoothly’ and it should never be a struggle (stock image)
Finally, the intestinal doctor advised people to pay attention to the color of their stools.
And while your stool can often change color due to what you eat, it shouldn’t be an overwhelming shade of red, yellow, pale, or green.
She noted that chewing a significant amount of leafy greens, beets, or other foods with artificial coloring may cause a slight discoloration, but that wasn’t cause for alarm.
However, green poop can often be a sign of food poisoning.
A red stool may indicate bleeding in the lower gastrointestinal tract, while black stools may indicate bleeding higher up in your system.
Dr. Roshini begged people to “please look at what’s going on down there.”
If you start noticing changes in your patterns, such as smaller poops or abdominal pain when going to the bathroom, the colon health practitioner noted that this could be a sign of colon cancer.
Anal bleeding, unexplained weight loss, and constipation are all other signs of colorectal cancer.
If you notice any bleeding, persistent abdominal pain, vomiting or diarrhea, Dr. Roshini said to seek medical attention as soon as you see “any sign of blood.”