The Truth About Constipation

I know this is a subject not everyone likes to talk about. It may seem like a disgusting subject but the fact is we all do it, and if you aren't having a normal bowel movement something could be very wrong and you might need to visit the doctor to let him know what is going on. Many people go several years having digestive problems and make their situation worse by not bringing it to the attention of their doctor.

The color of your bowel movement should be medium to dark brown. Bile made by your liver and gallbladder has a yellowish color and changes to the brown color by bacteria passed through the gut. If the stool is too light or grey colored this means that you are not producing enough bile, and this could be a problem for you later in life. If your stool is yellowish color that means that it is passing through your digestive system too fast and isn't getting enough time for the bile to turn brown. Your stool's diameter should be 1-2". If your stool is too narrow that means that you could have inflammation of the bowels and that should be addressed as soon as possible.

Your stool should be firm, but it should NOT be too hard or too loose. If there is undigested food in your stool, that could be a sign that you have low stomach acid levels, or a lack of digestive enzymes. Everyone should be passing a bowel movement every single day. If you are not going every day this is a sign you are constipated. Some healthy people go 2-3 times a day. This is a sign you have a very healthy digestive system.

Constipation can cause blood in your stool. This is a result of tearing. If you just have a little bit on your towel from wiping you probably have nothing to worry about, however, if you have dark blood in your bowel movement and you can see it this could be a sign of a serious problem and you should probably let your doctor know right away.

If you have mucous in your stool that is a sign that there is inflammation in your bowels. If it happens regularly you should probably let your doctor know. Just a couple of times should mean that you probably had some type of food allergy. Watch this closely if it has happened to you especially if it keeps happening. This is a sign of a serious problem.