Has isolation caused constipation?

Check your poop.

We know it can be a little confronting but are you pooping less or more? You’re not the only one! Turns out isolation is having a big effect on our bowel movements, or lack thereof.

When it comes to our poop, it is important to understand that this is our body removing toxic waste and we don’t want to be absorbing these toxins. So while we all have a little more time on our hands at home it’s a good time to check your poop!

It is a little icky we know, but simply having a quick peep can tell you a lot! What you see is confirmation of whether or not your gut is in good shape.

Why have my bowel movements changed?

There is a lot of contributing factors that have got your bowel movements out of whack during this time and for many normality is not what it use to be. Some reasons could be our work environment has changed, working from home, supervising virtual schooling (more hours in front of the screens) or the stress due to a change of income.

CHANGES IN DIET
When the pandemic was announced we saw everyone rushing out to the shops to buy not only toilet paper but a major stock pile of things like rice and pasta. But this increase in white grain, gluten rich food in the diet can be playing havoc with our bodies. Alcohol also saw a major increase during this time and people were often switching water for a afternoon beverage more frequently.
Less water = hard poop! Water softens our poop and makes things more comfortable when number two’s are calling.

LACK OF EXERCISE
Our bowel loves exercise so this sudden lack thereof has things at a standstill. When we exercise the nervous system is stimulated and gets the muscles in our gut working hard and boots our digestive system into gear. 30 minutes of exercise at home can really help get things moving again! With gym/recreational activities being closed we are simply spending less time moving our bodies! If you are stuck for at home exercise ideas there are plenty of  free at home exercise apps available.

STRESS
Stress has been known to be a major causing factor of disease. During these stressful times for many households our body shifts its energy away from our immune and digestive system as we step into a fight or flight response. With our digestive system shut down we are less likely to absorb nutrients from the food we eat, in turn leading to malabsorption and our bowel movements  become ‘out of whack’.

IRREGULAR SLEEP
Sleep is essential for health, because, it is when our body restores itself and in particular our microbiome. Our microbiome ‘gut bacteria’ are a crucial element when it comes to digesting our food and keeping our bowel movements regular. That is why we recommend replenishing our bellies at night with our probiotics so the body can restore and repair while we sleep. In fact, one of the number one benefits that people notice when taking our probiotics daily is that their bowel movements improve immensely.

Get to know your poop!

Faeces are in fact 3 quarters water! This is what makes our faeces soft and pleasant to pass along with allowing waste products from toxic chemicals, medications and food to be safely expelled from the body.

The other components of our poop can be broken down into thirds:

• 1/3 is bacteria that have done their job through the digestive process.
• 1/3 is indigestible food fibres
• 1/3 is cholesterol and toxic chemical.

Constipation can be so harmful to the body as these toxins are just reabsorbed back into the bloodstream and liver.

Check the shape.

Rabbit Droppings = Severe constipation.
Bunch of Grapes = Constipation.
Corn Cob = Meat eaters diet.
Sausage = IDEAL! This indicates a healthy digestive system.
Chicken Nuggets = Inflammation, malabsorption, food intolerance.
Porridge = Diarrhea.
Gravy = Severe diarrhea, parasitic infection, severe inflammation.

After over ten years in the gut business  and over 25 years of research we have found that regular and consistent use of probiotics can significantly improve not only the consistency and quality of your poop but your overall gut health. Symptoms that you may being putting up with on the daily like gas, bloating, anxiety, lack of energy and in adequate sleep may all improve with an improved healthier gut.

Check the colour and consistency.

The ideal colour of your poop is brown to yellow/brown.

Black/Red:
Unless you recently ate beetroot, the colour red and signs of fresh blood in your poo can indicate hemorrhoids or something more sinister. Blood that is black can indicate bleeding further up the digestive system. Any signs of blood in stool should be addressed to your practitioner.

Light Brown/Yellow:
Are you taking antibiotics or have diarrhoea? This could signal a problem with your gut bacteria as less red pigment from our red blood cells has made its way to our gut.

Light Brown/Grey:
This could point towards a connection issue between the liver and the gut.

Green:
This could be caused by food moving too quickly through the intestines, skipping the bile breakdown. Green poop may also be an indication of antibiotic use or excess consumption of leafy greens.

While times have definitely been testing for many, with a few simple adjustments to nurture our bodies and by acknowledging any bad habits that may have crept in we can quickly and comfortably get back to better, frequent poops.

With Love,
The Nuferm Team