What Does the Shape and Color of My Poop Mean? [feedly]

What Does the Shape and Color of My Poop Mean?
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The color of your poop does mean something, but often times it has more to do with what you eat than what horrible things could be happening in your body. If you have a concern, you should always play it safe and consult your doctor or another medical professional—something none of us at Lifehacker are, by the way. For that reason, we asked Dr. Spencer Nadolsky, medical editor at Examine.com, and Dr. David Dragoo, MD, to help get to the bottom of this problem (so to speak).

What the Shape of Your Poop Can Tell You

As it turns out, there's a chart dedicated to the shape of your poop. Dr. Nadolsky explains:

There is something called the "Bristol Stool Chart" which we use sometimes in the office when dealing with patient's GI health (e.g. constipation). This chart gives a good idea of what the consistency and shape should be of our stools.

What does the Bristol Stool Chart look like? Here's one courtesy of Wikipedia (that you might want to view on an empty stomach).

You can probably identify your own poop on this chart, but what do all the types mean? Here's a breakdown:

• Type 1 and 2: You've got constipation! Those little pellets or lumpy sausages you struggled to push out mean you're having some difficulty. Constipation can become very painful if it isn't already, and there are different solutions based on the problem. Go to your doctor and get examined. Generally they'll just push on your stomach to see what's up, so don't worry—you probably won't end up with a finger up your butt.
• Type 3 and 4: Good work! You're in the ideal camp. Nicely formed sausage and smooth and silky snake-like poops are the ideal turds we all try to achieve. If you've pooping these little daily miracles, you're doing something right.