2023-07-08 11:00:00
Talking poo is not really done. Yet stools are a reflection of our health. We are looking into this intimate subject… without beating around the bush!
Everyone, without exception, frequents the toilet, but it’s the kind of trivial and taboo subject that no one discusses, as if it’s better to forget this final part of our digestion. However, the expression “how are you?”, at the end of the Middle Ages, meant – it seems – “how do you have a bowel movement?”, because excrement (then made in the open air) was a important indicator of health status.
7 out of 10 French people feel uncomfortable pooping in a place that lacks privacy. Parcopresis is even an intense discomfort (which can become a phobia) at the idea of defecating elsewhere than at home. It is related to social anxiety disorders and leads to “holding back”, which promotes constipation.
What does our stool contain?
A normal saddle contains between 75 to 85% water and between 18 to 22% “dry matter”. The latter are a mixture of 85 to 90% organic compounds (including fibers, cellulose, some undigested proteins and fats), minerals (mainly potassium, but also phosphorus and nitrogen), cells epithelial cells from the intestinal wall, and bacteria from the intestinal flora, in large quantities since there are up to 10 billion per gram of stool!
Black, green stools… What does this mean?
They float : probably an excess of gas, or the presence of fibers or fats. No panic!
They are black: this may be due to an intake of iron, coal or licorice. Otherwise, and if they are smelly as a bonus, they can reveal a digestive haemorrhage (located in the upper part of the tube because the blood has been “digested”): it is necessary to consult to find the origin.
They are green: if you have not abused spinach or taken iron (which turns black or green), it may be that your transit is too fast (and the bile does not have time to darken).
They are red: “the fault” with beets, red and black fruits in large quantities, food coloring, it is then temporary. Otherwise, it may be blood, possibly revealing lower hemorrhage or hemorrhoids.
They are yellow: this can reflect poor digestion of fats, sometimes a problem of the pancreas.
Why do stools smell bad?
Bacteria in the digestive tract break down food by releasing dozens of malodorous substances such as sulfur derivatives, ammonia, acids (acetic, propanoic), cadaverine and putrescine or indole, a molecule also present in. .. jasmine and orange blossom!
Why are stools brown and how many do we produce?
The natural color of the stools is due to two bile pigments: stercobilin (dark brown) and urobilin (orange-yellow).
We produce 150 g to 200 g of stool per day, a little more when we eat a lot of fiber. It doesn’t seem like much, but still represents almost 55 kg per year…
What is the correct position for going to the toilet?
When we sit, it’s anti-physiological and it doesn’t facilitate the opening of the anal sphincter. Ideally, in order not to have to force too much (and suffer from hemorrhoids), it is better to use the Turkish toilet where you squat, which reduces the angle between the stomach and the thighs, aligns the rectum and anus and facilitates the exit and the complete emptying of the rectum. The solution ? A small stool under the feet, especially if you tend to constipation. Failing that, the position of Rodin’s thinker (tilted chest, elbows on knees) is recommendable… and validated by science!
Is toilet paper good for us?
In fact, no because it is neither ecological nor hygienic (despite its name), because it does not really clean, in addition to irritating, therefore weakening the anal mucosa and promoting micro-wounds and cracks! However, when there are “some left”, the bacteria will lodge in the marisques, these thick “wrinkles” located around the anus. To have the buttocks clean, it is necessary to wash with water and soap, in a squatting position (to spread the buttocks). This avoids leaving traces, therefore germs, and risking irritation and rectal itching.
You may also be interested in:
⋙ Stools, urine, skin… our bodily waste in the service of science
⋙ How to poo quickly?
⋙ The shape of your stool says a lot about your health!
1688846746
#smell #color #stools #valuable #clues #state #health