All About Poop

What does your poo say about you?

Your bowel movements provide us with a snapshot of how your digestive system is functioning. As a healthcare provider, if patients are struggling to describe their poop (...and trust me, I've heard it all), I will use the Bristol Stool Chart pictured below as a metric to figure out how healthy their poop might be.

Where does your poop fall on the Bristol Stool Chart?

If you have constipation, diarrhea or perhaps you alternate between the two, this is your body's way of telling us something is not quite right. Is your poop dry? Runny? Are there undigested food pieces? I want to know about all the details!

What about the colour of your poop?

Red , black, yellow or green? The colour of your poop can be a sign that another organ system isn't working optimally, or it could be a red flag that something more serious is going on.

Are you on prescription medications or vitamin supplements that are altering your bowel movements? Has your gallbladder been removed? Are you sick? Did you recently change your diet? Are you pregnant? All of these factors should be assessed when figuring out what is going on with your poop.

There are stool tests that can be performed to figure out specific details about your digestive health. No topic is ever off limits. I have had parents bring their baby's soiled diapers for me to examine and I have had men and women show me photos of their poop if the Bristol Stool Chart wasn't enough. Trust me when I say I've seen and heard it all!

Want to know more about your bowels? Send me a message! Let's figure out what your poo says about you.