Welcome Back! Let’s keep talking about all things poop.
Now that you know what your poop should look like and let’s hope you are taking a look now, let’s talk about frequency. And connected to when you poop, HOW you poop is a great discussion.
Are you a:
-Scheduled Pooper: someone who goes at least once a day and the same time of day most of the time.
– Anytime, Anywhere Pooper: someone who has a “gotta go, let it fly” mentality.
– Nope, Not Here Pooper: someone who only goes in the comfort of their own home no matter how they feel.
-Lucky to Poop Pooper: someone who doesn’t think about this much because they feel lucky to even go, that’s how infrequent it is. Or they do think about it and still can’t go…
-No Idea Pooper: someone who never thinks about going and therefore has no idea what they do. And would probably like to stop reading now. Don’t do it! Keep reading!!!!
-Sir or Ma’am Mix-A-Lot Pooper: A combo of 2 of the above.
There is no perfect amount or timing for pooping because everyone is different and individual. But there are some common threads as there is with anything health-related so it’s best to take a look at them.
This is a typical quote from a medical site and I’ve seen it many times:
Depending on your diet, age, and daily activity, regularity can mean anything from three bowel movements a day to three each week.
That one came from WebMD. But so did this one:
If fecal material sits in the colon, the harder the stool becomes and the more difficult it is to pass. A normal stool should not be either unusually hard or soft, and you shouldn’t have to strain unreasonably to pass it.
And here’s that “common thread” idea on this one, the longer you wait to go, the harder it is on you to get it out. That’s just usually the way it goes. And the longer it sits in there, the more toxic it is to you and the rest of your body.
So let’s simplify things: You eat. That food gets processed from stomach to small intestines to the large intestines. It’s broken down, the body uses what it needs and the rest is waste. That waste gets moved through the body and then it needs and HAS to come out. When this doesn’t happen in a timely fashion, toxins build up as the waste sits in your colon. There is no possible way anyone can think that this is healthy. Right? Waste hanging out in your body…..a couple of common threads can lead to this:
One, not eating enough fiber.
The American diet lacks fiber, people! Gradually adding it in helps the digestive system tremendously. Read on and find some ideas on how to boost your fiber intake.
Two, not drinking enough water.
I literally could talk about water all day. Drink it. If you don’t, you risk being full of S%&*.
“I drink a ton of water, Mandi”, you all say. Huh. Well, what is it you are eating or taking to deplete and dehydrate you? Prescription medications, processed foods, coffee, dairy, excessive workouts, alcohol, super stressful daily life….all of these dehydrate the body. Are you drinking enough water and eating watery foods to compensate? Gotcha!
Now, let’s grab on to some cool ideas and tools to help with positioning to get the best poop going, ways to increase fiber safely and MORE water and then one last little tidbit I can’t leave out.
Increasing Fiber:
-Utilize a fiber powder that is organic and safe helping to flush out that glorious colon! We at YHH love Purium’s Gluten Free Daily Fiber in Caramel Apple flavor. Drop a scoop into your daily smoothie. Wow – tastes amazing and next day, BAM. You’ve got a Type 4 Log.
-More fruit less juice. Eat the actual plant, people. There’s fiber in there. Same goes for the veggies. Eating greens helps a ton. Please have some salad. Please!
– Add in legumes like beans, peas, lentils. Yum!
Positioning:
-Going to get a little graphic here – prop those feet up on something. Unkink the colon. My clients are a big fan of the one and only Squatty Potty. Watch the video below and try one. You’ll never want to poop without it again if you can avoid it which takes me to my next point.
If you are a Nope, Not Here Pooper please read this part carefully:
Holding in your poop for any reason is not a good idea. I think people do this for lots of reasons like, it’s an inconvenient time to go, you are not near a bathroom or you aren’t sure if that’s just gas or you really have to go……but…..there are other reasons people have that over time could be dangerous for your body. An example, I am not comfortable anywhere but home. This isn’t very realistic. You aren’t always home. And when you have the “gotta go poop” feeling, your body is talking to you. It’s telling you that you have toxic waste to dump and it would like it out now. Not some time in the future when it’s convenient for you. I know this can be terribly off-putting and gross to even address, but maybe it’s a good idea to start thinking about your body with love and loving it means getting out the crap that needs to come out.
Sometimes I’ve found with clients as we talk things through that their life feels out of control and over time this is one of those things they feel they have some control over. Where they go and when. And that is true to a point. But not at the expense of your health. Does this make sense? Love yourself enough to go poop earlier and more often. Maybe give the Anytime, Anywhere Pooper mentality a try for a week. See how you feel. What have you got to lose other than some waste you really don’t need?
Coming up in our next Volume: Constipation…..make it stop!
Missed Volume 1? Here you go:
