Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Learning more about your body

I know I usually blog about food as medicine, but today, I want us to look at another function in our bodies, bowel movements. Bowel movements are one of the key ways to learn more about your body.

Did you know that ancient Chinese physicians had to study the excrement of emperors for hidden illnesses and to identify the foods he should be eating? Do you look at your stools? You need to. Look at the consistency, color, quality and smell.

The ideal stool should be:

· Medium brown, the color of plain cardboard, or it should be reflective of the foods you have been eating

· Leaving the body easily with no straining or discomfort

· Similar to toothpaste in consistency

· Approximately 4 to 8 inches long

· Excreting very little gas or a slight odor (Note: you're passing methane and bacterial degraded food so there's going to be an odor, but the odor should not be very strong or pungent)


Some possible bowel issues:

· Whitish mucus in your stool may reflect inflammation in the intestines.

· Your stool should sink when it hits the water. However, when the body isn’t properly absorbing fat from the foods you eat, the fat ends up being excreted in your stool. The result is a stool that’s yellowish in color, greasy in consistency, foul smelling, and that floats in the toilet. Certain medical conditions, like celiac disease, can cause these mal-absorption problems. And since essential nutrients could also be lost along with the un-absorbed fat, it’s important to see your doctor if you experience this problem. These fatty, smelly stools are also side effects of eating foods that contain Olestra or from taking the weight loss drug Xenical (or its over-the-counter cousin, Alli).


Issues according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM):

· Loose stools with abdominal bloating, lack of energy and poor appetite can be signs of a condition known as spleen qi deficiency. It does not necessarily involve your actual spleen, but it is linked to tiredness and weak digestion brought on by stress and poor diet. Try eating warm or hot foods, and drink tea with your meals.

· Pellet stools are when the stool comes out in small round balls. According to TCM, pellet stools are caused by a condition known as liver qi stagnation. Liver qi stagnation can be brought on by stress. Lack of exercise can worsen the problem. To improve the quality of your stool, eat more vegetables.


In some cases, an unusual bowel movement is harmless and can be attributed to a particular food or medication -- but not always. Changes in bowel habits that persist can be a serious matter and should be investigated. What comes through your digestive track will tell you how well or ill you are. So, take a look at your bowel movements today to learn more about your body.