Healthy Bowel Movements

With the increasing incidence of colon cancer, it is necessary for anyone worried about the health of their colon to know what is a healthy bowel movement. For many people, they judge a healthy bowel movement as one in which they have made for that day.

Even though it might seem peculiar or embarrassing to talk about bowel movements, they are important. For a long time it has been believed that the digestive system played a major role in the health of the person.

Therefore, whatever the person chooses to eat, would affect his or her digestion leading to some form of gastrointestinal illness.

Therefore, it is simply not enough to consider that one bowel movement a day is a sign of a healthy bowel. Instead it is necessary to look at the frequency, color, odor, or the consistency associated with the stool.

The frequency of the stool is necessary to take note of especially is there is a concern that you might be constipated. Bowel movements can be as little as one a day to as many as three bowel movements depending on how “regular” the person might be. An increased frequency is not seen as a healthy bowel movement.

Another area to look at when considering bowel movements is the odor. If the odor accompanying your stool is plenty or has a very bad smell, then this is not the sign of a healthy bowel movement. A healthy bowel movement would not be covered by excess gas, and would not make the person embarrassed.

The color of the stool should also be thought about when discussing a healthy bowel movement. Usually stool is brown in color, if this color changes and becomes to pale, or too dark in color, then this is an indication that something is going on in the intestine.

The consistency is also important as if the stool is too soft or too hard, this will not be a sign of a healthy bowel movement. Instead a stool that is not to hard is key to removing wastes from the intestine, and should be considered a healthy bowel movement.