Have you ever stopped to look at your poo?
- Is it small and round?
- Long and skinny?
- Does it break apart easily?
- Or is it chunky with bits of food?
Did you know that the shape of your poo can tell you a whole lot about your health?
Not only does the shape tell you a lot, but also the colour, smell, texture and quantity of your poo.
The healthiest of poops is what I call "Mr. Happy." It has a smooth sausage shape that is effortless to pass, just think toothpaste. It's medium to dark brown in colour, mild odor and can be anywhere from two inches in diameter and eight to 18 inches long!
Taking a look at your poop before you flush allows you be your own health detective. You can even potentially catch harmful conditions before they progress, such as parasite infection, leaky gut syndrome or even colon cancer.
What does your poo look like?
Take a look at 10 hilarious cartoon poos and rate which one you are!
Every time you eat a meal signals for your parasympathetic nervous system for digestion and excretion. But it doesn't happen immediately. It takes your food 24-72 hours to go from your mouth and into the toilet.
The parasympathetic nervous system is also responsible for your body's ability to absorb nutrients, rest, recover, repair tissue, stimulate your immune system, trigger growth hormones and de-stress. This is why it's important to eat in a calm and relaxed manner.
The same can be said for going to the toilet. Straining and rushing goes against your parasympathetic nervous system and can lead to constipation and injuries to the rectum and anus.
One of my favourite tricks for putting the body into a restful state is taking three slow, long and deep belly breaths. Focus on inhaling deep into the belly and exhaling twice as slow through the nostrils. These three breaths take no time at all and can really improve your digestion, bowel movements and sleep.
So before you flush, make sure to look and see what shape your poo is...
And don't forget to practice mindfully deep belly breathing before you eat, use the toilet or go to sleep for a healthy mind and body.
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