Yet again we have another wet and windy start to our week!
We thought we would spin this time of terrible weather into a pun on gut health and highlight the importance of stool consistency. The state of your gastrointestinal tract is a good indicator of how well or how unwell your body is. Below we highlight some common stool samples, identifying the type of stool that is healthy and those that are less healthy.
Using the Bristol Stool Scale (above) you ideally want to aim for a Type 3 or 4, that does not have a repulsive smell and is medium to light brown.
If your bowel movement is hard, dry or lumpy (Type 1 & 2) making it difficult to pass or soft or fluffy (Type 5 & 6) passing too quickly; simple steps such as, increasing your water intake, introducing more fruit/vegetables (fibre) to your diet and increasing gentle exercise can all help to improve the transit time of a stool and either increase or reduce its softness. You may also think about introducing a prebiotic or probiotic (see previous blog posts) to help improve your gut health.
If you bowel movements are entirely liquid (Type 7) it is recommended to visit you GP as soon as possible.
We thought we would leave you with this lovingly made Bristol Stool Scale cake!
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