Where Did The Rumor That Healthy Poop Sinks, Get Started?

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tex
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Where Did The Rumor That Healthy Poop Sinks, Get Started?

Post by tex »

Hi All,

It has been generally accepted as true, not only on this board, but also on it's predecessor, I believe, that healthy poop sinks, and stools that float, are an indication of disease. I never had a reason to question that claim, since when I had D, my stools floated, and when I did not have D, they sank. The problem is, when I did not have D, I usually had C. :headscratch:

Recently, I've come across more than one discussion about this, by "experts" who claim to know their poop. :lol: These "authorities" claim that healthy poop floats, and if it sinks, that's a sign of constipation. Consider this, for example:
A renowned Japanese expert, specializing in human feces, said that we can diagnose our health condition by inspecting our own defecation color, smell and shape.

The healthy feces are usually 3 centimeter in diameter, golden yellow or brown in color, soft but not too soft like a mud. They have no strong smell or taste, with 2 to 3 pieces of feces for each bowel action. The absence of pressure is less or loose during defecation. You poop easily and comfortably without pressing or pushing too hard on the feces.

The feces should contain 70 to 80% of water content, and they should be floating on top of the water in your toilet ball. In term of hardness, the normal healthy feces should be soft and in a complete form. Normal stool should be cylindrical, modest in size and a feel of shiny texture. If the stool stays too long in our large intestine, it may appear in a granular form or too coarse.
http://healthmad.com/conditions-and-dis ... s-healthy/

No strong smell or taste? Does this guy actually indulge in coprophagy? Now I might have a casual scientific interest in coprology, but I ain't no coprophagist, by any stretch of the imagination. :shock: :lol:

So which is right? Should it float or not? I have a sneaking suspicion, that in the absence of D, a much higher percentage of us have C, than is commonly recognized. I know that C was always my "normal" mode, (back when I still had a colon. :lol:), but, of course, my colon wasn't normal. Come to think of it, though, none of us have a normal colon, because we have a rare disease. :shock:

Tex
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It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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Bifcus16
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Post by Bifcus16 »

My naturopath always insisted they should float. Mid brown sausages that come out easily. Sinkers were bad and supposed to often mean insufficient fibre.

And we all know the smell is worse when things are going badly.

Lyn
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tex
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Post by tex »

I reckon that's why my colon ended up in such bad condition - I always had to strain, except for when I had D.
Lyn wrote:And we all know the smell is worse when things are going badly.
That's putting it mildly. :lol: :lol:

Tex
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It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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Post by barbaranoela »

I think that Japanese Xpert never had a good shi*!!!! nor knows how everyone's differs!!

Gimme a break!!!!!

Mine always sinks to the bottom and never floats--long --short whatever----color differs!!

And the next time I poop I will have my ruler with me so as to MEASURE==

This is the best I have heard yet about pooping~~~~

Barbara--guess I didnt understand the subject---sorry again
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tex
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Post by tex »

But Barbara,

that means that you're constipated, according to what he says in the article. :wink:

So how are you feeling today? Good as new, I hope.

Luve,
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It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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Post by barbaranoela »

I know I am constipated-----am in a very angry mood--guess I didnt get the message of that post--sorry if I sounded stupid--

Kait and 2 of her friends went to a bar to celebrate Kait's birthday---first time for Kait hitting the *bar* scene---and the kids there made FUN of her---do U hear me---ridiculed her---called her an idiot~~~~ and she just laughed~~~

I have a wonderful article that has been written about Kait---a columnist --for their local paper--did a full page about Kait and her issues---the title of the article which covered a full page is called *WOMAN refuses to let disability deter her*

Kait is so pure in soul and spirit---such an innocent person---a better person than those who dont take the time to understand her issues~~

Barbara---
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Post by Jan »

Barbara,

There are so many cruel people in the world. It is their ignorance that makes them that way. I have alway been heavy, even as a child. I was ridiculed growing up. They couldn't see the wonderful person on the inside. That is their loss. Same with the ones who did that to Kait.

Barbara I hope you are feeling better after your flu bug.

As far as the poop story goes, I go at least once every day and it always sink to the bottom of the bowl. I'm not going to measure the length. To me, that's getting too up close and personal with my toilet :lol:


Jan
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Post by wonderwoman »

Continuing along these lines, I am so happy to report I had a beautiful BM this morning. Almost picture perfect. However, it sunk to the bottom as have all of mine the last three months no matter what the consistency was, and I haven't been anywhere near constipated, not even once during that time.
Charlotte

The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine, or the slowest form of poison. Ann Wigmore
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tex
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Post by tex »

I have a hunch that a minimum amount of fiber in the diet, is one of the major reasons why most of us produce non-floating BMs. Fiber is light, so when it is limited, stools are denser.

Tex
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It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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Post by tex »

Barbara,

There are a lot of callous people in the world, who don't know how to behave, in the presence of people with special needs, so to cover their ignorance, they make fun of anyone who is not like them. I think that Kait handled that situation very well, because creating a scene probably wouldn't have helped anything.

People who make fun of others, are not likely to suddenly become intelligent, just because someone objects. If they have the sensitivities of a drunken cockroach, they aren't worth worrying about. Life is too short to waste even a minute of it, worrying about them, and Kait probably recognized that fact.

Luve,
Galahad
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It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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Post by Rosie »

Life is too short to waste even a minute of it, worrying about them, and Kait probably recognized that fact.


As I've gotten older, people's attitudes and behavior toward me bother me less and less. I used to be very sensitive, and if someone was unpleasant to me I would wonder what I had done to make them behave that way. Now I just figure that they have some problem making them grumpy and don't let it bother me............

Rosie
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Post by Stanz »

It's interesting that this renowned poop expert is Japanese and perhaps that might be the explanation. I heard long ago that Asian poop does not stink as much because Asians do not eat as much meat and rarely eat beef, that it was meat that made feces smell bad. Not sure of the accuracy of this, but - it's a possible reason.
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ant
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Post by ant »

Just a theory, but another possibility is I think......in the old days Asians had less gluten (more rice) and less or no milk. So, I assume less gut problems leading to malabsorbtion = less smelly. :???:

All the best, Ant

P.S. I read somewhere that the Emperors of China had their poop inspected every day by doctors to check their health.
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Post by Rosie »

Interesting! Another side fact is that babies when breast fed don't have smelly poops, but when you start adding solids, especially meat, they get real stinky.

Rosie
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Post by Stanz »

Well, this debate could go on and on trying to find a reason. Reality is that I wouldn't want to wake up next to my poop or anyone elses and I'm none too fond of my grandkids diapers either. If I ever get to the point where I have no control, just shoot me.
Resolved MC symptoms successfully w/L-Glutamine, Probiotics and Vitamins, GF since 8/'09. DX w/MC 10/'09.
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