We all love talking about food. But food has to come out eventually, and it’s only natural. It is a part of life because… that’s how the human body works.
And admit it or not, people enjoy talking about poop. Lots of laughs all the time there.
There’s a science to poop too. The color, consistency and smell reveal a lot about your overall health. So keep reading and learn to decipher what your stool says about you.
Diarrhea That Smells Like Sulfur Could Point To Giardia
Eggs for breakfast smell really good, but that’s a smell you don’t want in the bathroom.
If your bowel movements are leaning towards diarrhea and the smell of sulfur, that may be a parasite called Giardia.
Giardia lives in fresh water. If you live near a lake and you swim in it, or if you drank unpurified water then you could have gotten the pest.
Your diarrhea can last for weeks,and you could feel healthy aside from the parasite.
But do get tested. Parasites rob your body of essential nutrients, so antibiotics are usually the answer.
Oily Floaters Might Mean You’re Gassy
Floaters usually mean you’re just gassy. When you eat foods like beans, sprouts and cabbage, those can cause your poo to float.
What’s unhealthy is when there are oil slicks on your stool.
Your body isn’t absorbing fat, so it could be a pancreatic infection or inflammation from a food allergy.
Visit your doctor if you notice oil slicks.
Loose Stool (That’s Not Diarrhea) Or Yellow, Foul-Smelling Stool Could Be Celiac Disease
There is a significant percentage of Americans who have celiac disease and they don’t even know it.
Watch out for loose stool, like when you visit the bathroom several times throughout the day.
Stool will have a distinct yellow color since celiac disease causes your body to not process a protein called gluten.
The body cannot breakdown and absorb fat properly, which makes stool extra greasy and foul-smelling.
Having celiac disease while eating gluten destroys the villi in your intestines.
The body can’t process gluten. That can lead to malnutrition and even three different types of cancer.
Visit your doctor and try a gluten-free diet. And if you’re asking, celiac disease can cause depression and fatigue as well.
Explosive And Liquidy Seaweed Green Stool Could Be An Infection
An explosion of liquidy, dark green poop could mean you have a Clostridium difficile (C. diff) infection.
C. diff is always in your digestive track. Antibiotics can get rid of the other bacteria that keeps it at bay.
Without good bacteria, C. diff in your GI tract can give you serious stomach issues.
It can even cause severe dehydration.
If poo is green and explosive, go see a doctor. If you’re on antibiotics, you may have to stop taking them.
Bright Red Stool Could Be Blood Or Kool-Aid
Bright red stool may indicate bleeding in the lower intestinal tract, an area that includes the large intestine and rectum.
You could have pesky hemorrhoids or something worse.
Though it’s not always bleeding that causes red stool.
Eating anything with red food coloring (red sports drinks, Jell-O, Kool-Aid) or even highly pigmented produce like beets, cranberries, or tomato juice, may give a reddish tint to your stool.
Black Stool Could Mean Internal Bleeding
Black stool could mean your upper GI tract may be bleeding.
It could be a stomach ulcer or complications from drinking too much alcohol.
Taking too much ibuprofen can lead to inflammation and cause internal bleeding in the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum as well.
You could also be taking too many anti-diarrhea meds or even iron supplements.
Eating black licorice is also a cause but other than that, go see a doctor.
White Or Clay-Colored Stool Could Be The Result Of Medications
If what comes out is beige, white or clay-colored, your poop is lacking bile, meaning your bile ducts could be obstructed.
However, certain medications can cause white or light-colored stool.
Bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol) and anti-diarrheal drugs are some of them.
Green-Tinted Stools Might Be Full Of Bile
A sickly green tint could mean poop is full of bile. Food passes through the large intestine too quickly so the bile won’t have time to break down.
That will cause you to miss out on absorbing key nutrients from foods. That can lead to diarrhea.
If it’s not diarrhea, then green tint could be just food coloring.
Flavored drinks or sugary ice pops can tint poo.
Even leafy green veggies and iron supplements can do the same.
Green poo isn’t always bad, but that doesn’t mean it’s always healthy.
Pencil-Thin Stools Could Be A Sign Of Rectal Cancer
Another sign of constipation is having bizarre, pencil-thin poops for a day or two. Try to eat high-fiber foods but if this persists, you may have rectal cancer.
The cancer takes up space inside the rectum, and since it’s hard, the feces struggle to push past it to come out.
That makes poo come out in a long string.
Get a colonoscopy to get your answers.
Hard Stools That Comes Out In Pieces And Are Difficult To Push Out Mean You’re Constipated
Constipation takes place when the colon absorbs too much water from slow moving stool. That’s why it’s hard, dry, and difficult to let out.
Not getting enough fiber and eating too much junk food can cause this.
The recommendation is that women consume 25 grams and men 38 grams a day. Eat more fruits, veggies and whole grains. Beans, nuts and seeds are good options too.
You can also go for fiber-fortified foods.
But if you have a high fiber diet, your constipation could be caused by something else.
Eating too much dairy or fatty, high-sugar foods, or taking certain medications like antidepressants can aggravate constipation.
Lack of exercise can also cause constipation so take the time to get in a workout.
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