t have to be well-formed logs. They can
disperse in the toilet water; they can break down.
FLOATING versus SINKING?
Opinion a) Stools should float because buoyancy is a sign
that the body has absorbed the minerals in the food and that
these nutrients are not contained in the waste.
Opinion b) Stools should sink because of their bulk and fiber
Loftiness is not impressed with either argument: most stools
will sink. Whether it floats or sinks really doesn't seem to
make any difference.
An occasional deviation from this total picture is usually
considered okay; chronic deviations (or any featuring blood) are
not, and should be checked with a doctor.
If Your Stool Looks BLACK, TARRY, AND STICKY It Could
Bleeding in your upper digestive tract. The black color comes
from digested blood cells.
If Your Stool Looks VERY DARK BROWN It Could Mean:
You drank red wine last night or have too much salt or not
enough vegetables in your diet.
If Your Stool Looks GLOWING RED OR MAGENTA It Could
You've eaten a lot of reddish foods such as beets.
If Your Stool Looks LIGHT GREEN It Could Mean:
You're consuming too much sugar, or too many fruits and
vegetables with not enough grains or
If Your Stool Looks PALE OR CLAY-COLORED It Could
Minimal amounts of bile are being excreted, perhaps because of
problems with the
gallbladder or liver.
If Your Stool Looks BLOODY OR MUCUS-COVERED It Could
Hemorrhoids, an overgrowth of certain bacteria in your
gastrointestinal tract, colitis (inflammation of the colon),
Crohn's disease (also known as inflammatory bowel disease), or
colon cancer. Red blood usually means the ailment is located
near the end of your digestive tract, whereas black blood
signals partially digested blood coming from an ailment higher
up the tract. Seek medical advice promptly.
If Your Stool Looks PENCIL-THIN AND RIBBON-LIKE It
A polyp or growth in your colon that narrows the passage for
stool. Or spastic colon. It can also be from a prolapse at
either side of the transverse colon constricting the colon and
lack of fiber.
If Your Stool Looks LARGE AND FLOATING, WITH GREASY FILM
ON TOILET WATER It Could Mean:
Malabsorption -- your digestive system isn't getting full
nutritional use of food.
If Your Stool Looks LOOSE AND WATERY, SOMETIMES DIARRHEA
WITH UNDIGESTED FOODSTUFFS It Could Mean:
Possible causes are food poisoning, lactose intolerance,
antibiotics, antacids, dietary intolerance, dietary changes,
travel, anxiety, stress, inflammatory bowel disease, or
irritable bowel syndrome.
If Your Stool Looks SMALL, HARD, ROUND PELLETS It
Constipation-even if you're defecating frequently. Possible
causes are eating too much dry food, including protein, and not
enough vegetables and raw foods; laxative abuse; worries; or
irritable bowel syndrome.
If Your Stool (Has) ALTERNATING BOUTS OF DIARRHEA &
CONSTIPATION It Could Mean:
Irritable bowel syndrome. This chronic condition can be
aggravated by red meat, spices, sugar, alcohol, LACK of fiber,
allergy-causing foods, irregular hours, and chaotic
If Your Stool (Is) REALLY BAD SMELLING It Could Mean:
An imbalance of intestinal bacteria or eating too much animal
protein, which can putrefy in your digestive tract.
If your stool-watching isn't winning any awards, you might
want to try a Colon
Cleanse before joining the ISWA (International
Stool-Watchers Association :-)
By Martiga Lohn (Natural Health magazine article)