How often should I poop

How often should I poop

By Brent Fairbanks

On 5/8/2011

Oh boy I get to say poop! Poop, poop, poop. Ok enough of the childish potty talk. This is actually a very serous issue, one that needs discussion before we flush it away. We spend so much time and effort into socializing the consumption of food, yet the byproduct is a taboo subject. One that is inappropriate to be discussing in social settings, like at the restaurant where we are consuming. This is such a taboo topic that many don't have any idea what normalicy should be. Notice that I said "what it should be." This is because I have occasionally overheard people mentioning that 1 bowl movement every two or three days was "normal" for them.

Think about it for just a minute, three days times three meals (or more) is nine meals of food you have in your intestines. No wonder you are feeling sluggish and tired. That alone could equal 5 to 10 pounds of your scale weight. It's like thinking that the purpose of eating is to consume so much that you force something out the other end. If this describes how you are living your life, you need to make a change, if not for your health but how much better you will feel.

If you are not eliminating (pooping) as many times as you consume a meal there is a good chance your diet needs to be adjusted. YES, you read it right, if you eat three meals a day you should poop three times a day. Take a good look at things (your poop) the next time you rise from the throne. Examine (not too closely or too long), what is the consistency, color, texture, of your poop and if it floats or sinks.

So, what do you do if you think that you don't poop enough or are having difficulty? If you are in pain from your digestive system DO NOT hope that things will improve! See a gastroenterologist who listens to you and you get results from; my ulcerative colitis was one of THE most painful experiences of my life (of course, I seem to enjoy suffering so I ignored my symptoms - please don't do the same).

Assuming you are not experiencing a medical condition (like I was), the first step in the improvement of your pooping is to consume the proper amount of water. This cannot be overstated enough, make sure that you are properly hydrated before you do anything else. Every additional remedy you take will make the assumption that proper hydration exists and a regular replenishment plan is in place. See this article for more information on hydration. For proper hydration you only pay attention to your water consumption. Coffee and tea do not count, nor does your soda or beer. In fact each of the previously mentioned beverages contain some ingredient that increases your water requirement. Did you get that? The more coffee or tea that you drink means even MORE water that your body requires.

The next change you need to make is to increase your fiber consumption. Colorectal cancer is at an all time high in part because of the lack of fiber in our diets. There are two basic types of fiber but that's for another article, your main concern right now is just an increase in overall dietary fiber. How much you ask? There are a lot of opinions on this but the number is between 20 and 40 grams a day for an adult. Here is a quick and easy was to get an idea if you are eating enough fiber, look into the toilet bowl again. If your poop isn't floating, the is a real good chance that you don't eat enough fiber in your diet.

Ok, add more water and fiber to your diet and you will be pooping better than you've done it all your life. I challenge you to pay more attention to the other side of digestion. To get started today get a copy of my 'weight loss myths' book.

Thanks for listening, leave me a comment.
Brent

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