Did you know how long you can go without pooping? On average, pooping anywhere from three times a day to three times a week is normal. If you need to strain to poop, take a long time to pass stools, or the stools are hard, you may be constipated.
What your poop is trying to tell you?
A sudden change in your stool’s size, color and texture can signal a change in your digestive health.
Red stool. Might be as simple as having eaten red foods such as dragon fruits or beets. More seriously, red stool can point to bleeding in the large intestine or rectum, which may be symptoms of disorders like diverticulosis, Crohn’s disease or conditions like colon cancer.
Oily stool. A signal that your body is not able to properly digest fat. The consistency changes could be a sign of celiac disease or a problem with the pancreas, such as pancreatic cancer or pancreatitis.
Black stool. It can result when a person eats too much black licorice, blueberries or iron supplement. It could also signal bleeding or tumors in your intestinal tract.
Many people with constipation choose to use laxatives to treat constipation. Although it provides rapid relief, continuous use can cause the colon to stretch and weaken and, eventually the colon may not work right without them.
Another natural ways to relieve constipation?
Just eat more fiber from vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts and legumes. Try whole grain food especially in place of refined products. Did you know that a slice of wholemeal bread gives you 2g of fiber while one piece of cream cracker serves only 0.5g of fiber.
Drink more water as it keeps the food you eat moving through your intestines. Drinking at least six to eight cups of water helps hydrate stools, making them easier to pass.
Don’t hold your poop. You should pass stool whenever you feel the urge. The longer the stool remains in the colon, the more fluid is absorbed, and the harder the stool becomes.
Empty your bowels without straining. The best position to poop is to lean forward and keep your knees higher than your hips – by placing your feet on a foot stool, which helps to open the anus so you can pass stool without straining.