Healthy Bowel Habits [Important to know]

[silentfaker]

Introduction
What's Regular, Anyway?
How often do you go? Every day . . . every other . . . a few times a week? And is that "normal"? When it comes to bowel habits, many people have misconceptions about what's normal. Some overuse laxatives because they believe toxins will accumulate in their body if they don't have a daily bowel movement, while others live with the bloating and discomfort of constipation.

Normal Bowel Movements

Most of us do not spend a great deal of time thinking about our bowel movements, so it’s no surprise that many people do not know what exactly constitutes a “normal” one. The fact is that there is no one definition of a normal bowel movement. There is an entire spectrum of what would be considered normal, and each person's regularity is going to be highly individualized. There are, however, several signs that a bowel movement is no longer in your personal range of normal, and should be discussed with a physician.

Size And Shape Of Bowel Movements

A bowel movement should be soft and easy to pass, though some people may have harder or softer stools than others. In general, stool should be brown or golden brown, be formed, have a texture similar to peanut butter, and have a size and shape similar to a sausage. In many cases, a stool that varies a bit from this description is no cause for alarm, especially if it is an isolated incident. If your stool suddenly changes, it is something that is worth talking about with your physician.

Constipation

Constipation is a very common problem and is estimated to be the cause for approximately 2 million doctor visits each year. Constipation is hard, dry, lumpy stools that are difficult or painful to pass and which may be accompanied by bloating and discomfort. Chronic dehydration, lack of exercise, and low amounts of dietary fiber can all lead to the development of constipation. Drinking enough water each day and avoiding caffeine can help prevent dehydration. At least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week is recommended for better overall health (even brisk walking is better than no aerobic activity) as well as better digestion. There should be enough fiber in your diet to insure that stools are soft and pass painlessly and easily.

Diarrhea

Diarrhea is loose, watery stool that occurs more than 3 times in a day. For most adults, diarrhea is a common problem that happens a few times a year, usually lasts a day or two, and does not need any treatment. Causes of diarrhea include infection, side effects of medication, and food intolerance. Diarrhea may need treatment if it lasts more than 3 days and is accompanied by fever, severe pain or dehydration, or if it looks black, tarry, or contains blood.

Change in Bowel Habits

A normal bowel movement is different for each person and may vary in consistency and frequency. There are, however, several indications that a bowel movement is abnormal and may be the sign of a more serious problem.

A change in bowel habits includes any constant change in bowel frequency, color, consistency, or shape of stools. This sign warrants special concern in people who are over the age of 50 years because they are at a greater risk of developing digestive disease.

Blood: Frank blood in the stool is never normal, and could be a result of several conditions that range from mild, such as hemorrhoids, to serious, such as infection or colon cancer. Bloody stools could be an indication of bleeding in the lower digestive tract and should always be evaluated by a physician as soon as possible.

Black stools: Black, tarry stools with a foul odor can be the result of eating certain foods, taking iron supplements, or possibly from internal bleeding high up in the gastrointestinal tract.

Red or maroon stools: Red or maroon stools could be from something benign, such as eating red-colored foods, or it could be caused by several different conditions, including hemorrhoids, anal fissures, colon polyps or colon cancer, diverticular bleeding, or inflammatory bowel disease.

Green stool: Green stool may be caused by green or artificially-colored foods, iron supplements, or decreased colonic transit time. In newborns, green stools are common in the first few days of life.

Pale or clay-colored stools: Stools that appear pale or look like clay could be the result of lack of bile salt (which gives stool a brownish color), antacids, barium from a recent barium enema test, or hepatitis.​

Additional Info about the color of Stools​

Causes Of Red Or Black Colored Stools​

A change in stool color can cause a lot of stress when you don't know why it is happening. Common reasons for a change in stool color include foods and supplements. In the case of red stools or black stools, if an explanation such as food coloring can't be found, it could indicate that there is bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract (the stomach, small intestine, or large intestine). Blood is a warning sign for both serious digestive problems such as colon cancer and relatively common problems such as hemorrhoids.

Causes Of Black Or Dark Stool
The medical term for passing stools that are black and foul smelling due to the presence of blood is "melena." To detect how much blood is passed in a black stool a physician may order a fecal occult blood test. Melena is diagnosed if 6 tablespoons (200 milliliters) of blood or more was passed in the stool. The darkened color of the blood usually indicates that the bleeding is coming from higher up in the gastrointestinal tract and not from the lower part, or the colon. This type of bleeding might be caused by:

• bleeding ulcer
• gastritis
• esophageal varices
• tear in the esophagus from violent vomiting (Mallory-Weiss tear)

A black stool caused by food, supplements, medication, or minerals is known as "false melena." Iron supplements, taken by many women to combat iron-deficient anemia, may cause stools to be black or even greenish in color. Multivitamins that contain iron may also have the same effect. In addition, foods that are dark blue or black in color may cause black stools. Substances that can cause false melena are:

• black licorice
• blueberries
• iron supplements
• lead
• Pepto-bismol (bismuth subsalicylate)

Causes Of Red Stool

The passage stool that is red or maroon colored due to the presence of blood is called "hematochezia." The brighter color of the blood indicates that it may be coming from a source in the lower gastrointestinal tract. A physician should investigate blood in the stool to rule out potentially serious conditions. Causes of blood in the stool can include:

• hemorrhoids
• anal fissures
• colon polyps or colon cancer
• diverticular bleeding
• inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)

A common source of bright red blood in the stool or on toilet paper is hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids are enlarged veins in the rectal area that may burst and bleed. Hemorrhoids are not usually serious, and can often be treated effectively with over the counter medications. Troublesome hemorrhoids that won't heal may need the attention of a physician or prescription medication.

A fissure is a tear or ulcer in the lining of the anal canal (the last part of the rectum before the anus). Fissures can occur in anyone, but are more common in middle age or young adults and can cause bright red bleeding. Acute fissures generally heal with non-invasive treatments.

Colon polyps can also cause red blood to appear in the stool. Polyps are growths on the inside of the colon that are believed to be the precursors to colon cancer. Blood that may be from polyps or colon cancer is not always visible in or on the stool. This type of blood is called "occult blood," and can be identified with a simple stool test. The fecal occult blood test may be done as part of a screening panel for colon cancer.

IBD and diverticular disease are also sources of bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract. Both Crohn's disease of the colon and ulcerative colitis can result in blood passed in the stool, frequently along with diarrhea. Pouches in the colon wall (known as diverticula) caused by divercular disease may produce considerable amounts of blood in the stool.

Finally, several different types of food with natural or artificial coloring may also cause red colored stools. These can include:

• red gelatin, popsicles, or Kool-Aid
• tomato juice or soup
• large amounts of beets

Tips: Healthy Bowel Habits ​

1. Find your best time of day to have a bowel movement. Usually the best time of day for a bowel movement will be a half hour to an hour after breakfast. For some people a half hour to an hour after lunch will work better. These times are best because the body uses the gastro-colic reflex, a stimulation of bowel motion that occurs with eating, to help produce a bowel movement.
2. Make sure that you are not rushed and have convenient access to a bathroom at this time.
3. Eat all of your meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) at a predictable time each day. The bowel functions best when food is introduced at the same regular intervals.
4. The bowel functions best when food is introduced in similar amounts. The size of the different meals taken through the day may vary, but the amount of food eaten at a given meal (breakfast, lunch, of dinner) should be about the same each day quantities from day to day.
5. Eat a high fiber diet.
6. Drink plenty of decaffeinated fluids, ideally 64 ounces a day or 8 glasses of water.
7. Exercise daily. Bowel function is helped most when exercise is at a consistent daily time.
8. Keep caffeine to a minimum. Caffeine is a diuretic drawing fluid from your colon and leaving your stools hard.

Bowel movement technique:

• Sit on toilet and lean forward, resting forearms on thighs. Lift heels or place feet on stool.
• Alternate position- may try leaning forward and grasping ankles.
• Relax rectum, feeling it slightly bulge outward.
• Keeping lips, jaw and mouth open will facilitate relaxation of the pelvic floor during your bowel movement.
• Breathe in through nose and exhale through mouth or perform gentle hissing through the teeth. Gently direct the air down and back to the rectum, keeping your abdomen firm.
• If post-partum or if you have perineal descent, place your fingers externally on the perineum (area between v***na and rectum)..
• When finished – contract pelvic floor muscles to restore normal pelvic floor tone.

Guy's importante na malaman natin ito. malaking bahagi ng ating kalusugan ang pag dumi ng normal. makatutulong sa atin kung ating malalaman ng mas maaga ang mga prebensyon kung sakali man maranasan natin ang mga sumusunod.

isa lamang po itong maliit na paalala para sa wasto at ligtas nating kalusugan.

kung sakaling may mga katanungan kayo, maaari nyong ipost dito. i will try my best para masagot ang inyong mga tanong.

Maraming Salamat po!

​

 

[akosiJAYPEE]

Salamat sa info ts

 

[silentfaker]

walang anuman tol.

 

[eum1r]

salamat sa info.. nainom na ko ng biguerlai pag di talaga ako makadumi.. hehehe

 

[mykkaella krystelle]

nice share ts ^_^

 

[jhayz1316]

Try this for better bowel movement.

USANA's: The Essentials

Includes:
-Mega Antioxidant™
-Chelated Mineral™
112 Tablets / Bottle (Total of 224 Tablets)

PROMOTES:
Better sleep
Better metabolism
Better bowel movement

HOW TO USE:
Take one(1) tablet each of Mega Antioxidant and Chelated Mineral a day, preferably with a meal.

 

[julerz12]

for the info TS!

 

[cutieebabes]

nice share ts madalas pa naman ako constipated dulcolax iniinom ko pag ka ganun......

 

[lordoway24]

very informative thank you for this

 

[silentfaker]

salamat po sa mga feddback nyo!

 

[drew0512]

salamat po sa info

 

[renzzzzz]

sir pag dumumi ka po ba at may blood may colon cancer ka na ? minsan kase pagnahihirapan ako ilabas meron syang blood , pero pag d nahirapan ilabas wala naman po .

 

[silentfaker]

sir pag dumumi ka po ba at may blood may colon cancer ka na ? minsan kase pagnahihirapan ako ilabas meron syang blood , pero pag d nahirapan ilabas wala naman po .

Good question sir!

ah, not necessarily na colon cancer pero isa po iyong Early signs and symptoms.

madalas bang mangyari ito sayo?
kung oo, marahil ay kailangan mo ng mag pakonsulta sa doctor.

at kung hindi naman madalas, eh wala kang dapat ika pangamba. minsan depende rin kasi sa kinakain natin yung kulay ng dumi natin..

eto ang tips ko sayo para maiwasan ang pag kakaroon ng dugo sa dumi.

1. iwasan po natin ang Madalas na pag kain ng oily or fatty foods
2. kumain ka ng prutas, lalu na ang pinya, mabisang pang linis ng ating colon ang pinya. (pwede rin yung pineapple juice na del monte)
3. 12 glass of water a day.

wala pong masama kung gagawin natin yan.

 

[0916globe]

Bigla ako na T** pagka basa ko hehehe tnx

 

[lastgame2007]

pano pag meron blood?

hahaha.

cause din ata nun pag puro meat. meat. meat kinain mo.

 

[silentfaker]

pano pag meron blood?

hahaha.

cause din ata nun pag puro meat. meat. meat kinain mo.

tama ka jan sir.

kaya dapat balance din pag dating sa pagkain, wag puro karne. eat fruits and veggies din dapat para healthy!

 

[Gr3yw0lf]

salamat sa info ts!

 

[castor86]

ako 2-3 beses sang araw tas squat type, mas healthy daw pag lumulutang yong tae kesa sa nakalubog, tas pag mabaho naman ung tae mo ibig sabihin nun or mas madalas wrong combination ng food ang inintake mo.

 

[silentfaker]

salamat sa info ts!

sana nakatulong sayo sir!

ako 2-3 beses sang araw tas squat type, mas healthy daw pag lumulutang yong tae kesa sa nakalubog, tas pag mabaho naman ung tae mo ibig sabihin nun or mas madalas wrong combination ng food ang inintake mo.

good metabolism! ako once a day every morning..

 

[luirivera]

thanks for the info TS