Understanding Your Stool — Total Wellness

by LAWRENCE LIEM

The color of fingernails, the strength of one’s hair, or the lines under one’s eyes are aspects of the human body that can serve as indicators of whether a person’s body is in good condition. However, one important indicator of health that may be overlooked is the stool.

Stool (also known as feces) is waste eliminated from bowel movements. People often delay seeking treatment even after they detect abnormal stool because doing so can lead to embarrassing, awkward conversations. However, if the abnormalities are due to serious medical conditions such as colorectal cancer, early detection can be essential and even life-saving

Excretion is a natural part of any living organism, but abnormal feces can be an indication of a serious health condition. Understanding one’s stool is a useful tool one can utilize to detect and to prevent any potential medical conditions.

Color of Stool

Noting the color of one’s stool is one of the easiest ways to tell if there are any problems. According to Bernard Aserkoff, MD, a physician in the GI Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, the product of bowel movements is generally brown in color because of bile, a compound produced in the liver that is important to the digestion process. Usually, shades of brown and green are considered normal colors for feces. Here is a chart that details different stool colors and what they can mean:

pale-yellow, greasy, foul-smelling stool

When these conditions appear, there is probably excess fat in the bowel, which means the fat is not being properly absorbed in the body. It can indicate a serious medical condition and one should seek a physician immediately.

red but not bloody stool

This can come from food items that contain red coloring. These items include beets, strawberry ice cream, red velvet cake, chili peppers, and many more. However, it is difficult to be certain whether the red coloring is a result of food colorings or blood without a professional medical opinion. Contact a physician if stool looks like it may contain blood.

bloody stool

This warrants concern as it can be a sign of cancer or an injury to the digestive tract. A doctor should be contacted immediately.

pale grey stool

This can suggest that something is wrong with the digestive tract. Since bile gives stool its natural brown color, a blockage of it may leave the feces pale in color.

black stool

This can be dried blood that results from bleedings in the esophagus or stomach. A visit to the doctor is recommended if this occurs. Black stool may also be a result of ingesting iron supplements.

green stool

Normally, green stool is caused by food items that are rich in chlorophyll(such as spinach). Taking certain medications can also result in this coloring. Thus, for the most part, green stool is not a cause for concern.

Note: Food coloring can affect one’s stool, so if one were to eat a blue cake or drink blue Kool-Aid, blue stool can emerge. After a few days, it should return to normal.

Hard vs. Soft

According to Robynne Chutkan, MD, an assistant professor of medicine at Georgetown University Hospital, stool should come out in one large piece instead of many small pieces. Common causes for breakage in feces include lack of fiber in diet, bowel spasms, and excessive straining. Bodily waste that does not come out in one piece can cause additional stress during elimination. Moreover, excreted stool should have a certain density. It should be dense enough to sink but not so hard that it causes painful elimination. Here is what happens when it is on either end of this spectrum:

too watery (diarrhea)

Diarrhea occurs when the colon is not absorbing enough water from the waste materials. This leads to watery, loose stool. Most diarrhea is caused by a virus that infects the gut. Other causes of watery stool can be adverse reactions to certain foods. For instance, this condition can be caused by lactose intolerance. In rare cases, illnesses like Celiac disease can also create watery stool.

too dry (constipation)

Constipation is defined as infrequent movement of the bowels, leading to difficulty in elimination. Consuming a diet high in fat or processed foods can increase stool transit time, allowing more water to be absorbed from the stool, further exacerbating constipation. Fiber when combined with fluid will create bulk and help soften stool. On the other hand, lack of fiber combined with dehydration hardens the stool and can lead to painful excretion.