Are your stools normal - what to look for in healthy bowel movements and how to identify a bad b.m.
© Neva J Howell, All Rights Reserved
Related Colon Health Article:
What Causes Gas And Bloating
What is an abnormal stool?
This first paragraph addresses the situation of a person with what I considered severe constipation.
She had described her bowel movements as small, rounded pellets like rabbit droppings and her doctor said that this was ok .... my response and introduction into what constitutes an abnormal stool .... or how to tell a bad b.m. from a good b.m.
I would definitely consider small, rounded pellets to be a bad b.m. although any kind of bowl movement is preferrable to none at all.
Small, hard balls are abnormal stool unless you are, in fact, a rabbit. If I passed stool like that, I'd consider it a sign of dehydration, constipation, toxicity, or some other type of colon health challenge.
Dehydration is actually a far more common problem than most people realize and an underlying, chronic contributor to constipation in many. If the bowel does not have sufficient fluid in it, stool becomes hard and can become impacted
in the colon.
To avoid dehydration, make a habit of drinking water all thru the day. In fact, water should become your beverage of choice with other liquids only being consumed occasionally.
Detoxing and colon health:
Now, when you begin to detox, if your colon is toxic, you might temporarily see this kind of stool but it should be very temporary.
I strive, personally, for a soft, unformed (by that I mean it isn't larger in places and very small in others but of uniform shape) two foot long stool.
Yes, I said two foot long stool. Normal.
I don't always get that but when I drink sufficient water, eat only vegetarian and/or raw foods, I invariably get a whole lot closer to the two foot mark. Learn more about detoxing properly.
Abnormal Stool Color and Consistency:
If you pass dark-colored stool, it's been in the colon longer than it should have been unless you've eaten some type of food that is very dark and it's obvious that it's only a color thing, not a consistency thing.
If you pass whitish stool, it can be a sign that your gallbladder or liver is under too much stress or that you have a bilary blockage. If this condition continues, see a doctor because your pancreas, liver and gallbladder could be in trouble.
Stool that floats is abnormal stool and could indicate that your body is not metabolising fats properly. Should this continue, see a doctor.
Mucus in stool: Stool containing more than just a small amount of mucus is abnormal stool unless you have just begun a detox and it is clearing colon toxicity. The excess mucus is still abnormal but the fact that you are detoxing it is good. Excess mucus in the bowel movement may is one symptom possible with conditions like Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis. It may also signal a bacterial infection.
Blood in the stool is abnormal and may or may not be serious. Fresh looking blood may just mean you have a hemmorrhoid while darker looking blood could signal other medical conditions including cancer.
If the blood is so dark you are not even sure it's blood, it could be something called melena. If it is melena, it will stink. This type of blood in stool indicates a problem further up, in the stomach or gastrointestinal tract. See a doctor if you think you see melena in your stool.
If your stool is narrow and stringy, this is abnormal stool. If your stool is pinched into little pellets, and has to be passed with effort, I would call that abnormal stool.
I honestly can't see how anyone would consider small, rounded pellets a normal stool unless it was during a detox period and the beginning of a loosening of old waste.
What is Healthy Stool?
* What is Celiac Sprue?
What's the best detox for a toxic colon? I know of several very good cleanses but I'd have to say the very best would be
the Colon Cleanse Kit from Blessed Herbs. I get great results with it as well as their more comprehensive full-body detox. You'll see information on both products thru the link provided.
I can can actually smell the potency of the ingredients in this cleanse when I open the package. I believe in the company and the herbs used.
Colon Health Care Disclaimer: Abnormal stool is often a temporary and non-life-threatening condition. However, if you have blood in stool or see excess mucus in stool, that's more than a bad b.m. so please see your doctor. Likewise, stool that floats is abnormal and so is whitish stool. See your doctor if either type of bowel movement persists.
