Let’s talk about POOP, Baby…

 Let’s talk about poop, baby

Let’s talk about you and me

Let’s talk about all the good things and the bad things that may be

Let’s talk about poop, let’s talk about poop!

Ok, maybe Salt-N-Pepa didn’t sing it quite like that but you get the idea (And now that song is stuck in my head!!) As uncomfortable (or funny) a subject this may be, it’s also a pretty serious one as well.  So today, let’s talk about poop!

If I were to show you a chart on poop consistency could you pick the one that yours looks like most of the time?  This chart is called a Bristol  Stool Chart and if you’ve never seen one click on the website linked here. (By Cabot Health, Bristol Stool Chart – http://cdn.intechopen.com/pdfs-wm/46082.pdf, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=41761316.)

Gross, you say? Of course!  But it’s necessary that you know what a healthy *#!% looks like.  After all, it ultimately determines the health of your gut.  So, with that being said, where are YOU on the scale?  The consistency of your BM should be loose enough to come out easily without straining. Too much straining can cause another list of problems including hemorrhoids or a prolapsed rectum.  Too loose and well, you will have a sore bum from toilet paper rash and maybe a few skid marks in the ol’ undies, how fun!!

And how often are you going? Is that daily, once a week or is it several times/day?  A healthy gut eliminates a few times per day but everyone’s systems are different. Also, elimination and frequency can be determined by your diet.  Are you eating things that are constipating frequently such as cheese, bread and milk?  Are you intaking too much caffeine, which can increase bowel movements? And then finally, do you have gut and bowel conditions such as IBS, Crohn’s disease or colitis for example that could increase or decrease your frequency and the consistency?

So how do we “fix” this?  The key is to get a diagnosis, if needed, and to know your body.  Know which foods trigger constipation or diarrhea with you and use them less frequently or eliminate them.

For me, having IBS can determine the consistency and frequency of my BM’s really stemming back to my most recent diet and supplementation. I take supplements that can help me on a regular basis, based on how my diet was that day (if I had a lot of constipating foods.) Once I began these supplements and eliminated on a regular basis I felt calmer, less anxious and I had far less distention in my gut (a common symptom of IBS).  These supplements include magnesium citrate, Milk of Magnesia and Oxy-Powder  by Global HealingCenter http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/ which oxygenates the gut, cleaning it out. I rotate through these supplements each night but take all of them with a tablespoon of Braggs apple cider vinegar in a full glass of water.  I also keep water by my bedside at night to stay hydrated.  In the morning I begin my day with several glasses of warm water with lemon essential oil.

If my gut seems very off and I am not going as I should or I am type I or II of the Bristol scale I may include Ginger and Fennel essential oils into my diet (I am partial to doTerra essential oils.)

So, I know today’s topic may have been unpleasant, and now you have a poop song stuck in your head to boot, but I wanted to emphasize how pooping on a regular basis with a good consistency can make you really feel on top of your game-mentally and physically!

Good luck and happy elimination!!

Jill

See!  Everyone poops!