We’ve all been doing it since we were a baby: getting rid of the brown mass of undigested food, intestinal secretions, water and bacteria that we call stool.
But how often is it normal to poop? Are there any warning signs to watch out for? And can you do something to make going to the toilet easier?
We asked Christian Lodberg Hvass, chief de clinique of the department of gastroenterology and liver diseases at Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark and a lecturer at the Institute of Clinical Medicine at Aarhus University.
He has been researching gut bacteria and diseases for 20 years and knows a lot about this extremely complex organ and how best to take care of it – for example through your diet.
According to him, normal bowel function is a broad concept that is surprisingly difficult to grasp in simple terms. Still, he wants to give an indication of how often adults should poop, because he thinks it’s a subject we don’t talk about often enough.
‘Almost everyone agrees that children should receive sex education at school, but knowing your body also includes bowel function. Many people think they are the only ones who have bowel problems or find it uncomfortable to go to a public toilet. We need to talk more about what’s normal,” he says.
Look at shape and consistency
According to him, adults normally defecate once or twice a day, at least three times a week and a maximum of three times a day. In addition, the consistency of the stool is important.
In that regard, he refers to a medical guide that divides the stool into seven categories, the Bristol stool scale, where you are preferably in category 3 or 4. This means that the stool is shaped like a sausage with cracks on the outside or a sausage that is smooth and soft.
Category 2 and 5 are also acceptable, as long as there is no blood in the stool or you experience pain, nausea, vomiting or gas accumulation.
Watch for these warning signs
If your bowel movements deviate from what is normal, it is always important to determine whether it is due to an illness, says Christian Lodberg Hvass.
He and his colleagues work with a number of warning signs. Always see a doctor in any of these cases:
- New and persistent diarrhea or constipation
- Blood in the stool
- Nocturnal stools
- Weight loss
He emphasizes that it’s perfectly possible to have abdominal pain or intestinal discomfort without a serious illness underlying it – but it’s always good to know for sure.
This is how you take the best care of your intestines
Hvass also gives tips on how to best take care of your intestines, and to make your bowel movements easier, for example.
So the right nutrition is important. He gives seven guidelines, based on advice from the Danish health service:
- Eat a lot of vegetable products, eat varied and not too much
- Eat more vegetables and fruit
- Limit meat – opt for legumes and fish instead
- Eat whole grains
- Choose vegetable oil and low-fat dairy
- Limit sweet, salty and fat
- Drink water if you are thirsty
Due to the fiber-rich diet, you may experience more gas formation and have to go to the toilet more often. But that’s not necessarily wrong.
“It’s fine if you have frequent bowel movements because you’re getting a lot of fiber. Research shows that this reduces the risk of colorectal cancer by as much as 50 percent,’ says Hvass.
This is the easiest way to lose your stool
He also has advice for the toilet visit itself. The position in which you sit has a major influence on the ease with which you pass your stool.
The ideal height of the toilet bowl, which allows your pelvis to tilt sufficiently and your anal canal to be straight, is 30 to 40 centimeters above the floor – quite low. And not all toilet bowls are made that way.
“Many older toilet bowls, especially in houses from the 1950s and 1960s, are about 50 centimeters high, which is a poor fit for the anatomy of the pelvis. In that case it can be smart to use a footstool to change the angle of your pelvis,’ explains Hvass.
In addition, the atmosphere in the toilet area is also important.
‘Make sure you have peace and that the temperature is pleasant. Close the door – especially for your own good,’ says the doctor.