The Scoop on Poop & How to Test Your Own Transit Time

​"All disease starts in the gut." -Hippocrates 

As you may have noticed, digestive health plays a big part in overall health.  The gut is also like our "second skin", because it protects you from unhealthy outside toxins.  In fact, did you know that the digestive system is considered an exterior organ of our body? It's not considered interior until the nutrients are absorbed into our bloodstream.  I think that's pretty cool!

Also, 90% of our neurotransmitters (brain chemicals that regulate mood) such as serotonin are made in our gut.  Mood swings, depression, anxiety, and other mental disorders can occur as result of poor gut health.  There's a reason why we have a "gut feeling"!

(See my post Guidelines For Good Digestion and the Relationship to Health.) ​

​Now, let's talk dirty.... POOP!

What you see in the toilet is a good indicator of the health of your entire digestive process.  In general:

• You should poop once or twice a day.  
• You should not have to strain or feel excessive pressure.  
• Poop should be soft, yet formed.  
• It should be sausage-like in shape, not little balls, nor watery.
• It should sink (not float).
• It should not smell too badly.
• There should be little to wipe.

Where does YOUR poop fall?  ;-)

Compare it to the Bristol Stool Chart to find out!
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• Types 1–2 indicate constipation. 
• Types 3 and 4 are ideal stools (especially 4), as they are easy to defecate while not containing any excess liquid.  
• Types 5, 6 and 7 tend towards diarrhea.

​Read much, much more about what each type could indicate this in the article WHAT EXACTLY ARE NORMAL STOOLS? on gutsense.org
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Image source: Wikipedia

Bowel Transit Time

You should know how long it takes for what-goes-in to come-back-out!  

• If your transit time is too short (less than 12 hours), you may not be absorbing all the available nutrients from your foods.  
• If it's too long (over 30 hours) the fecal matter sitting in your colon may irritate the mucosal lining and increase the possibility of re‐absorption of toxins back into the bloodstream.  YUCK!

To improve a sluggish transit time:
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• Increase the consumption of fiber rich foods, pure water, wet foods such as fruits and vegetables and healthy oils.
• Eat less clogging and drying foods such as overcooked meat, commercial dairy, refined foods.
• Avoid dehydrating liquids such as alcohol, sodas, and coffee.
• Get adequate exercise (to promote abdominal muscle movement.)
• Reduce stress (contracted abdominal muscles are a physical reaction to stress.)

(For more info on constipation, read my posts FIBER- It's NOT just for old people!  and  All Stopped Up?)
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Test your transit time:

Since we're getting rather personal... I might as well share my transit time experiment.  (BM= bowel movement)
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(TRY IT ON YOURSELF!!)  You will just need a pen and paper, plus some whole sesame seeds, which work nicely because they are light in color.  Simply swallow the seeds with some water at different intervals, look at your poop in the toilet, and figure out how long they take to come out the other side.

Sunday: BM at 7:15 am.  Swallowed 2 T. whole sesame seeds after.  And, Yes, I washed my hands!  ;-) 

Monday:  BM at 7:05am (24 hrs later) which contained seeds.  At 12 noon I swallowed 2 T. more seeds.

Tuesday:  BM at 7am (19 hrs later) contained seeds. At 4pm I swallowed 2 T. seeds.

Wednesday: BM at 6:45 am (approx. 12 hrs later)– no seeds.

Thursday:  BM at 6:55am contained seeds (from Tuesday).

From this experiment, I estimate my bowel transit time to be approx. 19 hours.  This was a typical week for me as far as both stress and food choices.  My stress is relatively low.  My food contains plenty of fiber from vegetables and healthy fats.  I also drink plenty of water.   I also was conducting a school assignment to slow down and chew food thoroughly, which surely helped aid my digestion.  I did not exercise on Sunday, but did the following days.  Quite often I do not have a BM on the days after I rest, but this week I did.

Well, we know each other a little more intimately now.  Hey, everyone poops!  I hear even Oprah likes a good poop!  

If Your Digestion Needs Work...

If your stools or transit time show that you may have digestive issues to tackle, the best book available on improving digestion is Digestive Wellness, by Elizabeth Lipski, PhD.  

Because "All disease starts in the gut", it can truly change your life!
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And if you want a SUPER HUGE LAUGH, watch this real commercial on YouTube.  Trust me, it's hilarious!  (And make note: if your #2 smells this bad... you need to work on your digestion!)

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