Are you pooping enough?

You may have heard that you should have a bowel movement once per day. The truth is, however, that as long as you go to the bathroom three times per day or more frequently than that, you're perfectly healthy. Hello, this is Dr. Jen Gunter (music) from "Body Stuff with Dr. Jen Gunter". I talk to my patients about poop more often than you might think as an ob-gyn and pain medicine specialist. I generally hear a lot of anxiety about it. Even though it's a fictitious metric, some people worry if they don't go to the bathroom once a day. Constipation is a problem for some other people. They frequently do not receive the proper care, and they may even resort to risky treatments like colon cleanses. One word, however, stands out among all the talk about poop: fiber.

Let me walk you through the process from eating to pooping. In fact, digestion begins in the mouth. Smaller food particles are created during chewing. Saliva mingles with your food as you eat, moistening it and containing enzymes that begin to break down those fats and starches. As the esophagus contracts, food is forced into the stomach, where it is further broken down by the stomach's acid, gastric juices, and enzymes. With assistance from the pancreas, gallbladder, liver, and microbiome, the food then moves to the small intestine where fats, proteins, carbohydrates, and micronutrients are further broken down so they can be absorbed across the small intestine and sent to the liver for processing. What is left travels to the large intestine, also known as the colon, which has three main functions: absorbing water and electrolytes, producing and absorbing vitamins, and forming and squeezing the substance, now known as stool, towards the rectum.

The anal sphincter muscles should relax when the rectum sends a signal to the brain that it is full. If it is, the brain then considers whether it is a socially acceptable time to poop. You already know what happens after that big bang. In healthy people, this process typically takes between 24 and 120 hours and involves more than 10 organs. It's therefore a good idea to think of poop as everything that isn't digested during this process. It is a mixture of fiber, water, bacteria, mucus, and dead cells.

From top to bottom, it has an impact on the digestive system. Just put, it's a carbohydrate the body can't process. Fiber passes by sort of moseying along, doing all sorts of cool things, while other carbohydrates are broken down into sugars. High-fiber foods physically take longer to consume, helping us pace our meals. Additionally, the bulk prolongs your feeling of fullness by slowing down digestion, especially in the stomach. The stool is kept soft by fiber, which also draws water into it. To put it mildly, a hard, scratchy stool is unpleasant. Additionally, it boosts bacterial mass. The stool becomes more bulky as a result of the water and bacteria, which facilitates transit. Additionally, fiber reduces the absorption of fats and cholesterol and slows the release of sugar into the bloodstream. Additionally, fiber feeds your beneficial gut bacteria as it builds up in your colon, assisting in the maintenance of a balanced microbiome. Fiber has been linked to a lower risk of diabetes, heart disease, a number of gastrointestinal disorders, and even some cancers. But the majority of us don't get enough of it. For instance, in the US, the vast majority of adults don't consume the daily recommended amount of fiber, which is 28 grams. Actually, the daily intake of fiber for the average American is only 15 grams.

The general answer to the question of how to obtain more fiber is to consume more whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes. I do, however, want you to think about some additional fiber-rich foods that I personally enjoy, such as pears, raspberries, blackberries, avocados, artichokes, high-fiber cereals, whole grains (my favorite is farro), lentils, kidney beans, and chickpeas. Other options include sunflower seeds, almonds, and pistachios. Reach for those if you're unsure. happy pooping is also.