5 Easy Ways To Have Better Poops, All The Time

Let's talk about poop. Ideally, you’ll have one to three bowel movements a day.

People look at me funny when I say that. “I’m lucky if I have one a day,” they sometimes reply. “Usually it’s more like two or three a week. Oh yeah, and that stampede to the restroom after girls’ night out at our favorite Mexican restaurant.”

So let’s clear up a few things. You should never have to run to the bathroom. When you move your bowels less than once a day, you’re constipated. When you strain, create tiny poops, or have a poop that stops halfway through, you’re not having poops to be proud of.

Poop reveals more than you might think. An oily residue or slick slides means you aren't absorbing dietary fat well. If you have rabbit pellets or you're straining, you need to step up your fiber intake. Floating poops could be from excessive gas produced by an overgrowth of bad intestinal bacteria.

Besides, when you don't eliminate properly, you can become bloated, fat, and feel miserable.

One study found patients diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) who exercised regularly reported significantly improved symptoms of constipation. High-intensity interval training and weight resistance become efficient, effective exercise to blast fat and alleviate constipation, but even 30 minutes of vigorous walking can help get things moving.

When people do all these things and still struggle, I recommend herbal blends like cascara sagrada, senna, Chinese rhubarb, and frangula. Only use these for a few days, since dependence could irritate the gastrointestinal lining and create chronic issues.

Constipation and other bathroom problems could also be symptoms of more serious problems like thyroid imbalances. If you’re doing all these things and nothing happens “down there,” please visit your doctor or integrative specialist.