colon cancer or polyps. Thin stool could be an indicator of a mass in your colon that your stool is being forced to pace through.
Pale or Gray
The color of your bowels is often determined by your diet and medications you take. Unhealthy hues, such as pale gray, are not okay. The bile that the liver excretes not only assists to break down the fats in your food, it also gives your waste color. If your liver is unhealthy, your stool may have a pale appearance.
Red
Now before you go rushing to dial 911 because you have red colored stool, think about what you recently ate. If you ate beets or a red popsicle CALM DOWN.
If not and you see streaks of blood, talk to your doctor. This is a sign that you are bleeding inside somewhere. Often this is due to a hemorrhoid or small ripping from straining to go.
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Extremely Dark
If you have tar-colored stool it could be something as simple as the vitamin you take daily. Iron supplements can have this effect on your bowels. If you aren’t taking vitamins, consult your doctor as this could be a sign of internal bleeding in your intestinal tract.
Stinky and Floating
Your poop should sink. Improperly processed waste hasn’t had the fat removed. This results in yellowish, foul-smelling, floating bowels. This isn’t good, as it means that your body isn’t receiving the nutrients it needs from the food.
Irregular
Not going at all? Everyone’s body has its own normal when it comes to how often you should “use it”, but if you notice a sudden change in your body’s pattern, you should consider why.
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A change in diet can do this. It’s best to monitor this and make sure that your body isn’t constipated and that you are eating a well-balanced diet regularly.
Visit the BlackDoctor.org Digestive Disorders center for more.
