What Your Bowel Movements Say About Your Health

While your bowel movements aren’t a pleasant topic for dinner parties, your pooping habits are an essential part of your health. And your poop can tell you a lot about what’s going on in your body. 

A bowel movement is the last stop food and drinks make in your digestive tract. Your body absorbs all the nutrients it needs and then expels the rest. Sometimes changes in bowel habits can simply be something you ate, but other times it could indicate a more serious issue.

At GI Physicians, Inc. in Lima, Ohio, gastroenterologist Ven Kottapalli, MD, CNSP, leads our team in helping our patients understand what their bowel movements are telling them. This month’s blog focuses on what a normal bowel movement should look like and when to seek professional care for abnormal poop.

What defines a healthy bowel movement?

Everyone’s bowel habits are different. While some people poop three times a week, others may poop three times a day. The color, consistency, and shape of the stool can vary from person to person, but in general, these are the guidelines for what a healthy bowel movement looks like:

Color

Brown is the gold standard for poop color. Bile and bilirubin from your digestive tract give normal bowel movements varying shades of brown. 

Small traces of red indicate rectal bleeding, which can be from hemorrhoids or something more serious. Any other unusual stool colors that don’t clear up like dark red, black, or pale white are cause for concern, so schedule a visit with us if you experience unexpected and long-lasting color changes. 

Size and shape

Healthy bowel movements should be easy to pass and have a cylindrical shape that’s a few inches long. 

Small pellets that are difficult to pass indicate constipation, dehydration, and a lack of fiber. Hard poop can be from diet, lack of exercise, an intestinal blockage, or hormonal changes. Watery stools or poop that don’t have a very defined shape signal diarrhea which can be from diet, illness, or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

If you have poop that’s the wrong size and shape for more than two weeks, there may be something going on that requires professional treatment. 

Frequency

Whether you poop every day or a few times a week, it should be consistent. If you notice a change in the frequency of your bowel movements that concerns you, don’t hesitate to book an appointment to see us. 

What to do about bowel movement changes

While something you eat can affect the consistency and color of your bowel movements, if you notice a more long-lasting change in any aspect of your pooping habits, don’t hesitate to see our team for professional help. 

We can discuss your concerns and perform any necessary diagnostic tests to find possible culprits for your bowel movement changes. We may also recommend practicing healthy habits that encourage better bowel movements such as exercising more, drinking more water, and consuming more fiber.

To schedule an appointment with our team about bowel movement concerns, call our office or book online today.