It’s hard to think about anything else when your bowel habits are off. But one doctor recommends giving yourself a break ― and rethinking how you approach the way you poop going forward.
Gastroenterologist Dr. Trisha Pasricha, makes the case for changing up the way you poop in her upcoming book, ”You’ve Been Pooping All Wrong: How to Make Your Bowel Movements a Joy.” In fact, she swears that “pooping without judgment” is the way to go, noting that people ― especially women ― should think about their bowel habits less.
Data suggests that up to 20% of Americans have chronic constipation, meaning they regularly have trouble pooping, don’t poop often or feel like they don’t get everything out when they go. Women in particular face unique biological challenges that can make healthy bowel habits harder to achieve, Pasricha said.
That includes having more mast cells in the gut, which raises the odds of experiencing gut discomfort compared to men. Many women face GI symptoms like constipation, diarrhea, and increased gas around their period, too.
“Progesterone levels rise and fall throughout the menstrual cycle every month, and this directly impacts how quickly the stomach empties and how sluggish the intestines feel,” Pasricha told HuffPost.
Prostaglandins, the compounds responsible for period cramps, also stimulate contractions in the gut, she points out. “That can cause diarrhea at the most inopportune times,” Pasricha said.
If you’re dealing with bowel issues or if you simply feel a little concerned that your pooping habits aren’t up to snuff, Pasricha said it’s time for a change. Here’s what she suggests:
Stop assigning judgment to pooping and allow yourself to go whenever the urge strikes.
Pasricha’s philosophy on “pooping without judgment” means a few different things.
“I want people to define a normal bowel habit by what’s comfortable for them, rather than by measuring yourself against some imaginary standard of ‘normal’ that likely doesn’t exist,” Pasricha explained. “In my clinic, I find people often spend a lot of energy worrying that they should be pooping once a day like clockwork, or that their stool should look a certain way, or that needing a laxative is some kind of personal failure.”
Research suggests that there is a wide range of normal when it comes to pooping habits. What’s considered healthy for bowel movements can mean anywhere from pooping three times a day to three times a week.
“The range of ‘normal’ is enormous,” Pasricha said. “It’s going to vary so much for each individual ― and will likely fluctuate over time ― because of your diet, exercise, stress and other lifestyle factors that influence the pattern.” What really matters is whether your bowel movements are comfortable and whether they’re interfering with your life, she added.
But there’s more to pooping without judgment than that. “Pooping without judgment also means feeling free to respond to the call of nature without shame,” Pasricha said. “People are so mortified to use the bathroom at work or at a friend’s house. That leaves you with such a limited window in which to finish your business and your body isn’t always primed to go when you decide it’s the optimal moment from a social standpoint.”
She stressed the importance of removing judgment for yourself and others when you do what your body needs you to do. “Spritz a little bathroom spray, give a courtesy flush and move on,” Pasricha said.
“Spritz a little bathroom spray, give a courtesy flush and move on.”
– Gastroenterologist Dr. Trisha Pasricha
Why is judging pooping bad for your gastrointestinal health?
Pasricha stressed that you can’t have comfortable, effortless bowel habits unless pooping is the least of your concerns — and that you just go when your body is ready.
“Suppose your body signals to you that you need to use the bathroom in the middle of the work day and you are worried about using the bathroom for fear of judgment,” she said. “Eventually, your colon may stop squeezing, which is what gives you that feeling of urgency, and you’ll feel like you can get back to normal so you can do your business at a more appropriate time later.”
Here’s the problem: Even though it may feel more socially appropriate to use the bathroom when you get home, it’s not necessarily best for your body.
“Once you get home from work, your colon is no longer offering you that extra ‘push,’ so you’re going to have to strain harder for the magic to happen,” Pasricha said.
Regularly avoiding the urge to go raises the odds you’ll end up dealing with constipation, too. This is because stool becomes drier and harder when it sits in your rectum, making it harder to push out than if you had simply gone to the bathroom when you had the urge to go, Pasricha explained.
What’s normal — and not — with poop changes
In general, Pasricha said you should simply do your business when the need strikes and move on. But it’s understandable to check out what lands in the toilet bowl.
There is a range of consistency, patterns and colors that are considered normal, according to Pasricha. But if you’ve spied something that’s concerning, she recommends taking a picture to show to your doctor.
“Red, maroon or black stool has me worried for bleeding, and you should seek help immediately,” Pasricha said. But bowel movements that wake you up in the middle of the night or severe abdominal pain should also be checked out quickly.
“Outside of these bigger red flags, any symptom that bothers you or interferes with how you’re enjoying your daily life is worth discussing with your physician,” Pasricha said. “Even if it seems like ‘no big deal,’ if any discomfort, bloating, or other pattern related to your bowels is keeping you from enjoying activities you love or causing you significant distress, talk to someone sooner rather than later.”