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Your Most Underrated Health Metric - Hint: 💩
Your stool can tell you a lot about your digestion, stress levels, hydration, fiber intake, and even your hormones. One of the simplest tools we use to assess gut health is the Bristol Stool Chart.
What Is the Bristol Stool Chart?
The Bristol Stool Chart is a visual guide that categorizes stool into seven types based on shape and consistency. It helps identify whether you're constipated, experiencing diarrhea, or somewhere in the optimal range.
The Goal?
Type 4 Stools: smooth, soft, and easy to pass. Snake-like, formed, but not hard. No, this is not TMI.
If You’re Experiencing Constipation
(Type 1 or 2 → aiming for Type 4)
Type 1: Hard pellets
Type 2: Lumpy and sausage-like
These types often signal slow digestion or possibly dehydration.
What To Do:
1. Increase Fiber Intake
Focus on:
Vegetables
Fruits
Whole grains
Both soluble and insoluble fiber matter (we’ll break that down below).
2. Increase Water
Fiber without water can actually make constipation worse. Hydration helps stool move through the digestive tract more smoothly.
3. Manage Stress
Stress can slow gastric emptying and gut motility. If you're chronically stressed, your digestion often follows suit.
Simple tools:
Walking
Deep breathing
Consistent sleep
Eating meals without multitasking
If You’re Experiencing Loose Stools
(Type 6 or 7 → aiming for Type 4)
Type 6: Mushy
Type 7: Watery, no solid pieces
This can signal irritation, inflammation, food sensitivity, stress, or infection.
What To Do:
1. Add Psyllium Husk
Psyllium is a soluble fiber supplement that adds bulk and helps normalize stool consistency.
2. Focus on Insoluble Fiber for Binding
Especially from:
Beans
Legumes
Whole grains
This adds structure to stool.
3. Replenish Fluids & Electrolytes
Diarrhea increases fluid loss. Make sure you’re:
Drinking water
Adding electrolytes as needed if tolerated
4. Reduce Irritants
Temporarily reduce:
Alcohol
Gluten (if sensitive)
Dairy (if sensitive)
Any known trigger foods: spicy or fried foods, caffeine, coffee, etc.
A Review of Soluble vs. Insoluble Fiber: What’s the Difference?
Both types are essential, but they work differently.
Soluble Fiber
How It Works:
Soluble fiber attracts water and forms a gel-like substance during digestion. This slows digestion and supports blood sugar regulation.
Benefits:
Lowers fat absorption
Supports weight management
Stabilizes blood sugar
Reduces LDL cholesterol
Lowers cardiovascular disease risk
Feeds healthy gut bacteria
Found In:
Fruits: figs, avocados, plums, bananas
Vegetables: carrots, broccoli, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, onions, Jerusalem artichokes
Grains and legumes
Nuts and seeds: almonds, chia, flax, psyllium
Insoluble Fiber
How It Works:
Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water. It adds bulk to stool and helps food pass more quickly through the digestive system.
Benefits:
Prevents constipation
Lowers risk of diverticular disease
May reduce risk of colon cancer
Balances intestinal pH
Supports overall bowel regularity
Found In:
Whole grains (bran portion)
Legumes
Fruit and vegetable skins
Fibrous vegetables like celery and kale
Nuts and seeds
Period Poops: Why They Happen
If your digestion changes around your cycle, you’re not imagining it!
Prostaglandins are hormone-like substances that help your uterus contract to shed its lining each month. When your body produces higher levels, those prostaglandins enter the bloodstream and stimulate other smooth muscles, including the ones in your intestines.
Prostaglandins can also increase in pregnancy, particular in later trimesters.
The result of higher levels of prostaglandins?
Increased bowel urgency
Looser stools
Gas and bloating
It’s common! And it usually resolves once your period lightens.
The Big Picture: Gut Health Is Multifactorial
Your stool consistency is influenced by:
Fiber intake (type and amount)
Hydration
Stress levels
Food sensitivities
Hormones
Activity levels
Before jumping to extreme elimination diets or supplements, we start with the basics:
✔️ Adequate fiber (both types)
✔️ Identify your unique food sensitivities (if any)
✔️ Consistent hydration
✔️ Stress management
✔️ Regular meals
✔️ Movement
Absolutely no one has “perfect digestion.” What we aim for is consistent, comfortable, Type 4-ish bowel movements most of the time.
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