What does it mean to be ‘regular’ and what do healthy bowels look like?
Many of us don’t really know what a normal bowel motion is. We may worry that perhaps our bowel motions are too runny, or too hard? Perhaps we are going too often, or maybe not at all. People often assume that healthy, regular bowel motions are typical, but this is not the case.
What is ‘regular’?
What it means to be ‘regular’ will vary from person to person. People often think that you must pass a bowel motion once a day to be regular, but this is not the case. Being regular means passing soft, well-formed bowel motions with ease anywhere from 1 – 3 times a day to 3 times per week. Some people consider themselves to be ‘regular’ when they pass a bowel motion once a day as this is normal for them; whereas ‘regular’ for others means emptying their bowels more or less often.
What does a “healthy bowel motion” look like?
A healthy bowel motion is one that is soft, well formed and easy to pass, like types 3 and 4 on the Bristol Stool Chart below. Dry lumpy bowel motions that are hard to pass, like types 1 and 2 in the Bristol Stool Chart, are indicative of constipation. On the opposite end of the chart, types 5, 6 and 7, are the soft watery bowel motions, which are suggestive of diarrhoea and urgency.
Feel free to comment below and tell me what’s normal for you?
