When you go to the bathroom to have a bowel movement, you can easily detect whether or not things are going well.. There are many reasons why stool may not have the characteristics necessary to speak of “normal”, such as frequency, color, shape, size and consistency. However, it is not always clear to us what is normal and what is not.
It seems that for many it is a subject that does not need to be talked about. Even at the doctor’s visit it has been neglected. But the reality is that poop can give much more information than we sometimes think about the health of our whole body, so let’s talk about it.
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The 7 types of feces according to the Bristol Scale.
The content of fecal matter is mostly water in the first instance, and then fiber, dead cells, live and dead bacteria, and mucus. Thus, organic matter represents 90-95% of the dry weight.
The proportion of the composition varies greatly depending on the type of feces.. Below we are going to look at the 7 types of stool from the Bristol Scale, a visual chart used in medicine to classify human stool.
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Type 1: Major constipation.
In type 1 cases, the subject suffers from serious constipation. The stool is very hard and no liquid is present. It is poop with a very rough appearance and is presented in separate pieces, as if they were rabbit droppings.
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Type 2: Mild constipation.
These are no longer so hard stools. They tend to present an elongated shape and it is as if there were different lumps stuck together. They are considered a mild type of constipation and you must be alert to return to normal.
Type 3: Normal
This poop is in one piece, elongated and consistent, and has different slants on its surface. This is a type of defecation that is considered to fall within the parameters of normal.
Type 4: Normal
This type of stool is also in one piece and its surface is defined and smooth. Its consistency is not so hard, it is rather soft, but it keeps its shape.
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Type 5: Lack of fiber
Type 5 is far from normal, and is characterized by its pastiness. It usually presents in different fragments, and loses the consistency that we have seen in the previous cases.
Type 6: Light diarrhea
In this type of stool the presentation is already rather liquid. It is very soft and considerably out of the normal parameters.
Type 7: Significant diarrhea
The diarrhea in this case is total. The stools are totally liquid. It is common to have to go more than once to the bathroom and in addition to look at the problem itself, special attention must be paid to the loss of fluid from the body.
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The types of abnormal stools on the Bristol scale.
In stool types 1 and 2, intestinal transit is difficult and defecation can be difficult and even painful.. In these cases the matter may have been inside the digestive tract for a long time, which represents a potential problem. The waste substances should leave the body as soon as possible to prevent the body from absorbing undesirable substances.
Types 3 and 4 are representative of the shape and texture that the stool should have, and indicate a good state of health. A balanced diet, drinking enough water and regular physical activity promote this type of stool.
Stool type 5 is no longer normal and is usually associated with a poor diet. In types 6 and 7 there is already diarrhea and it is likely to suffer from an intestinal virus or any other condition that affects the health of the body. or any other condition that affects the health of the body.
If liquid evacuations persist, it is necessary to watch out for possible dehydration. The affected person should drink plenty of fluids with electrolytes so as not to lose too many mineral salts.
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Bad odor is not normal
There are many people who suffer from excessive flatulence and bad odors. The origin of these problems is in the colon, where undigested food is fermented to extract the final nutrients and discard the rest.
If the colon is functioning properly, it gives way to regular bowel movements without emanating too much odor. On the other hand, when the stool becomes very smelly, it is because there are harmful bacteria and yeasts that affect the functioning of our digestive system..
This harmful intestinal flora produces abundant gases such as carbon dioxide, methane or hydrogen. It is an indication that the food is poorly digested and the colon has difficulty performing its functions. The main problem is the lack of good bacteria, which can be promoted through the intake of probiotics.
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