ASIDE from he occasional toilet humour here and there, nobody really talks about their poo, do they?
But did you know your poo can tell you a lot about your overall health?
GettyIf you’re concerned about the colour of your poop then you should see your GP[/caption]
In fact, your number twos could be the first sign of serious disease.
Poos can vary in colour and consistency, depending on several factors like your diet, digestive health and underlying illness.
If you’re concerned about the colour of your poop then you should see a medical professional.
WHAT COLOUR SHOULD POO BE?
A healthy poo should be a medium brown, but that doesn’t mean it won’t sometimes be another colour, Dr Rhianna McClymont, lead GP at Livi previously told The Sun.
She said: “Beetroot, for instance, can cause a red-pink tinge, which might be quite concerning at first glance.”
But there are some colours that you need to worry about, so make sure you keep an eye on what goes into the toilet.
BLACK POO
Dark poo can be a sign of something serious.
According to Charlotte Dawson, a registered nurse and head of support and information at Bowel Cancer UK, black poo is a red flag sign for bowel cancer.
“A black stool indicates bleeding from somewhere within the digestive tract so if someone presents with that you would really want to investigate both the bowel and the stomach,” she said.
YELLOW POOP
Indirectly, your diet could cause yellow poop.
If you have coeliac disease, your body can’t handle a protein called gluten, which is in wheat, barley, and rye.
According to Guts UK, around in 100 people have the condition.
If you have the disease and eat foods that have gluten, like many breads, pastas, and cookies, your intestines won’t work as they should.
So, if you’re eating those foods, and your poop is yellow, it may be time to see a doctor.
According to Dr Nigma Talib, a naturopathic doctor and gut expert, yellow number two’s could also be an indicator of Crohn’s disease.
Crohn’s disease is a bowel condition that can cause inflammation anywhere in the digestive tract.
Over 500,000 people in the UK have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the two main forms of which are Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
GREEN POOP
Have you ever looked down the loo and noticed your poop is a bit on the greener side?
Despite how dodgy it can look green poop is not always a bad thing.
Carla Oates, CEO of health website The Beauty Chef, said green stool suggests you’ve got lots greens in your diet, such as kale, broccoli and spinach.
Greenish poops can also be a result of eating blue foods, like blueberries, as well as purple and black foods.
It can also caused by bile, which is a sign that your liver and pancreas are working well.
But green poo can sometimes signify you have a bacterial infection.
If you feel unwell and have diarrhoea, it may be a bug in your gut like salmonella, giardia, or norovirus, Carla explained.
This is because these bugs cause diarrhoea, your poop passes too fast through your intestines for bile to break it down properly, and turn it brown.
Medications can also turn your faeces green, including some antibiotics, contraceptives, and iron supplements.
RED POOP
Bright red poop probably means there is blood is your stool – but this is not necessarily cause for panic.
According to the NHS one-off bleeding from the bottom is not usually a serious problem.
But it can be a sign of bowel cancer.
This is easier to treat if it’s found early, so it’s important to get it checked.
It can also be a sign of another condition called haemorrhoids, or piles, the NHS says.
These are swellings of blood vessels found inside your bottom.
They normally don’t cause any pain or discomfort but can cause bleeding, itching and swelling.
If the symptoms persist you should speak to a doctor.
NORMAL FOR YOU
When it comes to going for a number two, plenty of people aren’t really sure what’s normal.
Depending on your diet, age, and activity, regularity can mean anything from three bowel movements a day to three each week.
Keeping an eye on what’s ‘normal’ for you though is crucial, as is being aware of the signs and symptoms of bowel cancer.
The NHS says the five red-flag symptoms of bowel cancer include:
Bleeding from the back passage, or blood in your pooA change in your normal toilet habits – going more frequently for examplePain or a lump in your tummyExtreme tirednessLosing weight
If you notice any changes to your usual habits, don’t be embarrassed, speak to your GP.