GET FREE SAMPLES

sign up for our newsletter to get free sample alerts

Is Your Poop Abnormal?

Everyone poops — but are some poops healthier than others? Find out what every kind of dump indicates about your health
Photo 10/12
Corn Poop
What It Looks Like: This is what Sheth refers to in his book as the "deja poo," wherein you see bits of undigested food in your stool — corn kernels being one of the most common. Think of these substances as little revenants — or something that has returned from the dead — that are in no way, shape or from as good-looking as Leo.

What It Means: Don't worry, your gastrointestinal tract isn't broken. "A lot of the foods we eat, including corn kernels, are basically insoluble fibers that our body is unable to digest," says Sheth. "Corn, various seeds and a lot of plant-based food have cellulose in them, which we cannot digest — so they're going to come out the way they came in. It is completely, 100 percent normal to see those substances in your stool undigested." Other common encore offenders include celery or tomato skins.

Photo 11/12
Diarrhea
What It Looks Like: If you don't know what this looks like, lucky you. The most shapeless of stools, this waste is loose, watery and usually occurs so frequently that you dare not stray from a toilet. It can come on quite suddenly and may — in extreme instances — arrive before you're even able to make it to a toilet, otherwise known as the unglamorous phenomenon of sh*tting your pants.

What It Means The bad news is that you probably have food poisoning or some sort of 24-hour gastrointestinal bug. The good news is that diarrhea disappears almost as suddenly as it appears, usually taking two to three days to run its course. Caused by a virus or bacteria, diarrhea does not signify anything is amiss with your GI tract or regular diet (unless you habitually reach for potentially compromised food that's been sitting out for too long). Sheth advises sticking to a bland diet of easily digestible foods, like bananas, rice and applesauce, as well as drinking lots of fluids to maintain hydration while the bug runs its course.

Photo 12/12
The Extra-Long Poop
What It Looks Like: Ever look down at the toilet and wonder, 'How did that come out of me? This type of bowel movement is massive — it's large, long and may or may not take up most of the bowl. It may, in fact, be so large that you're oddly proud of it and may call someone into the bathroom to witness its sheer scale. Whatever you do, just don't Snapchat that sh*t — your followers can do without knowing you that well.

What It Means: "Congratulations," says Sheth. "If it's large, that just means it's a bulked-up stool and that's a reflection of your diet being very high in water and fiber." Likewise, Sheth says a large poop can indicate that you're getting regular exercise, which helps moves things downstream efficiently.

So go ahead, celebrate! You may even want to go out dancing now that you're lighter on your feet.

BY ROSE CURIEL | OCT 20, 2017 | SHARES
VIEW COMMENTS
Full Site | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy
TotalBeauty is a property of Evolve Media Holdings, LLC. © 2024 All Rights Reserved. | Affiliate Disclosure: Evolve Media Holdings, LLC, and its owned and operated subsidiaries may receive a small commission from the proceeds of any product(s) sold through affiliate and direct partner links.