What constitutes a “normal” bowel movement?

[DavidN 1]

- Normal stool should be close to a walnut-brown color.

-Stool should have a consistency similar to tooth paste. It should not be hard pellets or chunks (that means you are dehydrated and need to increase your water intake).

-Stools should pass easily and you should never strain.

-Stools should be about the size and length of a good-sized banana.

-Stools should have no gas or strong odor, constipation causes excess gas and odor (since the food stays in the colon too long and begins to ferment and decay).

-Stools should settle in the water, then gently submerge. If it quickly plummets to the bottom then there’s not enough fiber in the diet (note: you need 30 to 40 grams of fiber daily, most Americans only get 15 grams). If it floats then either too much fiber or too much undigested fat (too much fat in your diet).

The rest of the article is found here.

[BelwinMills 0]

- Normal stool should be close to a walnut-brown color.

-Stool should have a consistency similar to tooth paste. It should not be hard pellets or chunks (that means you are dehydrated and need to increase your water intake).

-Stools should pass easily and you should never strain.

-Stools should be about the size and length of a good-sized banana.

-Stools should have no gas or strong odor, constipation causes excess gas and odor (since the food stays in the colon too long and begins to ferment and decay).

-Stools should settle in the water, then gently submerge. If it quickly plummets to the bottom then there’s not enough fiber in the diet (note: you need 30 to 40 grams of fiber daily, most Americans only get 15 grams). If it floats then either too much fiber or too much undigested fat (too much fat in your diet).

The rest of the article is found here.

hmm interesting nice too know ewww

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

The title of that article made me laugh out loud

[DavidN 1]

You should not drink a lot of fluid with your meals. Doing so will dilute the body’s digestive enzymes and hinder proper digestion. It is best to minimize fluid intake during meals.

Add essential fatty acids to your diet (flax seed oil, borage oil, fish oils). These help in lubricating the colon and with constipation.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

What Analyzing Your Stool Can Tell You

Simple observation of feces provides valuable guidelines to what is or not needed in your daily diet. The transit time (the time it takes for foods to travel through the digestive tract) can be too slow or too fast. Looking at what you created is like looking at a picture that tells a thousand words. Thinking this is degrading or embarrassing is like not facing reality.

The Bristol Stool Form Scale divides stools into seven distinct types of size, shape and color.

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Dry with hard lumps or clumps. When transit time is too long, one may be extremely constipated. Usually caused by a lack of fluids, lack of friendly bacteria, essential oils, stress, excess mucosa, and not enough good fiber. Avoid alcohol, baking soda, and all products with refined white flour, sugar, white rice and yeast.

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Like lumpy sausage.

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Like sausage with surface cracks.

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Long smooth surface. Normal, good color, quick exit, and easy to clean.

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In blobs with well-defined margins.

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Fluffy with ragged edges.

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Watery with no solids. Diarrhea is usually caused by a bacterial or virus infection from foods or water. It can also be caused from anxiety, food allergy, drugs, or problems in the colon. This is a sign that something is wrong and the bodies are trying to clean. Drink extra water with vitamin C and electrolytes added to avoid dehydration. If it continues for too long a colonic irrigation should end it.

I feel 10 years younger energy wise, my eyes are bright, whiter and no longer sunken. Transient aches and pains I've had are gone. Headaches, gone. My appetite has increased and, best of all, I have greater patience with my children and am sleeping better.

Jennifer L., Williamsburg, VA

... read more success stories

The size and shape of the stools indicate the transit time through the digestive tract. The color can tell you how well your digestion is and alert you to other changes concerning your wellness.

The lighter in color (pale) may indicate a blockage in the bile duct or a deficiency in producing bile (a digestive aid). Because of the high fat content, stools may be foul smelling and sticky like clay making it difficult to flush. This is usually the result of mal-absorption.

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Blood (red) in the stool is a good indication of colon disease, internal hemorrhoids, or parasites.

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Eating beets will add color to stools and urine and be used as an indication of transit time.

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Dark stools are usually from a diet of dark greens, iron supplements, or meat.

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Black stools may indicate bleeding in the stomach or smaller intestine caused from an injury,bleeding ulcer, tumor, or worms.

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Slimy stools contain excess mucus caused by bacteria, Candida, tumor, or other problems in the colon.

The healthy stool is long, round, and smooth with a texture similar to creamy peanut butter and golden brown in color. It should be slightly acidic so it floats on the surface of water breaking up soon afterwards.

This article has been syndicated with the permission of http://www.appliedozone.com.

http://www.oxypowder.com/constipation/analyzing-stool.php

[#@!!* 0]

Wait a minute.

So bright orange and shaped like a turnip is bad?

[iceyspots 0]

Ok.. I'm about to go have dinner... banana cream pie, anyone?

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Wait a minute.

So bright orange and shaped like a turnip is bad?

Unless you're a rabbit.

[iceyspots 0]

I'm never having peanut butter again...

[#@!!* 0]

Oops. I had better make a change to that I-129F

[Fandango 1,440]

-Stools should have no gas or strong odor, constipation causes excess gas and odor (since the food stays in the colon too long and begins to ferment and decay).

Yeah, good luck with that one

The Bristol Stool Form Scale divides stools into seven distinct types of size, shape and color.

Fluffy with ragged edges.

This article has been syndicated with the permission of http://www.appliedozone.com.

http://www.oxypowder.com/constipation/analyzing-stool.php

I've never heard of poop being described as 'fluffy'

[Aymerlu 3]

wow....this is a crappy thread!

[Fandango 1,440]

[crashandcari 0]

THIS is the first posting I chose to read ??? lol

Once again Lisa... you never fail to make me laugh when I need it

Edited May 17, 2006 by crashandcari

[almaty 19]

wow,,,a good topic..i remember that lady with the 24 foot sh!t....