What constitutes a healthy bowel movement differs from person to person. While one person goes to the toilet every day for a big errand, another only has a bowel movement three times a week. As long as the stool is a smooth turd and goes without complaints, there is nothing wrong.
However, it is important to pay close attention to the color and thickness of your stool. Your stool is the mirror of your health and reveals a lot about you intestinal condition. But what does normal stool look like? Your stool should normally have a brown chocolate / peanut butter-like color. This brown color is caused by the conversion of bilirubin in the small intestine. Bilirubin is a breakdown product of hemoglobin, the substance that gives red blood cells their color. The color of your stool can change with your diet. For example, if you eat spinach, endive, or lettuce, your turd may have a green glow. This is due to the substance chlorophyll, which gives leafy vegetables the green color.
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The thickness of the turd depends on the time that the stool remains in the colon. The colon removes moisture from your stool. So: the longer the stool is in the intestine, the harder it will be. But also: if the stool passes (too) quickly through the intestine, the waterier it is. In healthy stools, the turd is firm, but smooth. If you wipe your butt, almost nothing will be left on your toilet paper (s). It consists of one flexible shape, so no dribble or a series of ‘sausages’.
Regular bowel movements help you feel good. If you can’t go to the bathroom or have to go too often, you can feel quite uncomfortable. These can be very different complaints from one bloated feeling until diarrhea or right blockage. In that case it is important to, among other things fiber-rich food to use.
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Facts & fables
Winding is a sign of bad bowel movements, and coarse whole grain bread is better for your bowel movements than fine whole grain bread. At least, that’s the firm belief of some people. But is this correct? Below we list three common myths and facts about your bowel movements.
Coarse wholemeal bread is better for your bowel movements than fine wholemeal bread
Nothing from where! Whole grains are used for fine and coarse wholemeal bread. With fine whole grain, this grain is only ground further than with coarse whole grain. You can therefore also see whole grains in coarse wholemeal bread. Coarser bread does mean that you have to chew better to be able to swallow the bread. You will therefore eat more slowly and that is beneficial for your digestion. On the other hand, you also have to chew harder to get all the necessary nutrients.
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Myth or fact: Getting wind is a sign of bad bowel movements
Another myth. Getting winded is part of normal digestion. When you eat, breathe, drink and talk, you are also gasping for air at the same time. This air accumulates in your intestines and has to leave your body at some point. The same goes for the gases that are released during the digestion of food. Maybe not that fresh, but you better let wind run free. Holding up farts is counterproductive: it can lead to stomach cramps and a bloated feeling.
Myth or fact: Plums ensure a good bowel movement
This is right. Plums are high in fiber and therefore stimulate bowel movement. It also contains a substance phenylsatein and this has a laxative effect. Don’t like plums? Then you can also take other fruit, for example a handful of blackberries or a banana. Contrary to popular belief, a banana does not clog, but it is good for bowel movements because it is so rich in fiber.
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Tips: this way you keep your bowel movements healthy
You can do a lot yourself to keep your digestion and bowel movements healthy, especially in the field of nutrition and exercise.
Eat high-fiber and varied
What you eat has a major impact on your digestion and bowel movements. Keep the following points in mind for a good bowel movement:
- Eat high in fiber. Fiber-rich foods ensure that the stool retains more moisture and stimulates the functioning of the intestines.
- Eat a varied diet. To get all the necessary nutrients it is important to vary your diet. So don’t eat potatoes with beans every day, but alternate it with a tasty pasta or rice dish.
- Breakfast every day. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. This is because it gets your digestion back on track.
View how much fiber you need every day.
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Drink enough
Fiber needs moisture to swell and make stool smoother. Therefore, drink at least one and a half liters per day. If you use extra fiber-rich food, it is wise to drink half a liter more.
Keep moving
A lot of exercise is important for a good one functioning of your intestines. Your intestines are ‘massaged’, as it were, and have good blood circulation. The advice is to exercise intensively for at least 30 minutes a day, although research by the University of Maastricht (2013) shows that a day of strolling is just as effective. By intensive exercise we do not mean taking out the garbage or walking up the stairs a few times. Only when you really feel that your heart is beating faster do you actively move. So: take a brisk walk every day.
Ensure healthy toilet habits
The rectum is located at the end of your colon. When it is full, the brain receives a signal that you have to go to the toilet. It is wise to go immediately. Delaying your toilet visit will keep your stool in your colon longer than necessary. Your colon can then extract more moisture from the stool and you can suffer from hard droppings. When going to the toilet, it is important not to push and maintain a good posture. Try to relax as much as possible.
Keep your weight
Overweight, but also underweight can cause bowel movements. Therefore, make sure you maintain your weight. You can calculate whether you have a healthy weight on the basis of the Body Mass Index (BMI index). You have to divide weight by your height in the square. A BMI index between 18.5 and 25 means that you have a healthy weight.
Pay attention to hygiene
By washing your hands regularly you can avoid harmful bacteria as much as possible. Wash your hands regularly. Not only after a visit to the toilet, but also before and after preparing food. When abroad, be extra vigilant about your hygiene. Drinking contaminated water and eating unsanitary food can quickly cause intestinal problems.
Stop smoking
Smoking causes irritation to your digestive tract. Therefore, inflammatory bowel disease is more common in people who smoke than non-smokers. Smoking also increases the risk of various types of cancer, including keel-, esophagus– in colon cancer.
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For this article we collaborated with Gezondheidsplein.nl. There you will find many more articles on health, checked by doctors and medical specialists.
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