Shop
Joyous Health Recipes Food
Joyous Health Wellbeing Well-Being
Joyous Health Beauty Beauty
Joyous Health Family Family
Podcast
Previous Episodes 
ABOUT
Contact
RESOURCES
Podcast
ABOUT
Contact
RESOURCES

What Your Poo Says About You!

In 2010, I wrote a post that quickly became one of my most popular: What the Colour of your Poo Says About You. Due to the popularity of this post and also
Mar 4, 2013 | Joy McCarthy

In 2010, I wrote a post that's quickly become one of my most popular: What the Colour of your Poo Says About You. Due to the popularity of this post and also because I recently finished writing the chapter on digestion in my book I thought it was high time I write a follow up that delves deeper into your poop.

Just like your eyes are the window to your beautiful soul, your poop is the window to the health of your digestive system. Your gut provides you with signs and symptoms such as constipation and heartburn when things are off, so when your poop's a little off, it's actually telling you a lot about your digestive system.

In holistic nutrition and traditional medicine, your digestive system is the root of your health (and where many disease states begin). So listen up to what it's telling you!

Disclaimer: If you get queasy or grossed out easily, you might not want to read this post.

Okay now let's talk poop!

Skid Marks

If your poop leaves a skid mark in the toilet after flushing because it's sticky, it's likely because you have too much mucus. The two most common mucus forming foods are dairy and wheat gluten.

Joyous Solutions:

This is a common problem with people who are obese, making fat loss essential for healthy poop.

Raunchy-Smelling Poop

I don't need to go into further detail but generally speaking heavy meat-eaters have seriously stinky poop. This is a sign of an acidic body, excess of yeast and a weak digestive system indicating there is likely putrefying and rotting matter in your large intestines. All of these problems are likely due to a poor diet and stress. This may also indicate more serious conditions such as celiac disease and Crohn's, so be sure to pay attention to when this happens and how often.

Joyous Solutions:

Rabbit Poop that Plops

This is usually from dehydration which makes you constipated. If you are constipated, then your liver is going to be congested. This is also from eating too many white foods lacking fibre: white rice, white bread, white pasta, sugar.

Joyous Solutions:

Greasy Poop (usually combined with skid marks)

This is really common sign of a liver imbalance and a poor diet from eating fast food.

Joyous Solution:

  • Eat more whole, fresh, raw foods. If this is new to you, eat one raw meal per day or make sure 50% of your plate is raw. Side note: I just saw a woman at a corporate talk I did last week who I hadn't seen in almost a year. She has been eating the "joyous health way" (she's been to many of my workshops and follows the recipes on my site) and she lost 55lbs by eating more raw!!
  • Do a liver cleanse. I really like this one and just did it for two months: Floressence. This would be a great cleanse combined with a clean eating plan. Do not do a liver cleanse unless you plan on ditching alcohol, dairy, sugar, gluten, coffee and all junk food.
  • Eat more detox-friendly foods. 

Race Car Poop

Either you are SUPER TYPE A and spend no time chilling out (you know, the classic overachiever constantly in sympathetic nervous system-mode) or you drink too many stimulants -- coffee? Black tea? Red Bull? So your poop evacuates like it's on a mission to the finish line.

Joyous Solution:

  • Ditch the stimulants, but if you are drinking more than 1 cup of coffee per day, cut back slowly otherwise you will be in for some withdrawal symptoms. If after removing the stimulants, you get constipated, then you need follow the suggestion in my constipation post or better yet book a Skype session with me.
  • Chillax! Do yoga, meditate, take 10 deep diaphragmatic breathes at 3 distinct times throughout the day. Your gut is your second brain. What you manifest in in your head, will always be reflected in your poop health.
  • Take a day off work. Spend more time with your family.
  • Take a probiotic. If your poop is evacuating in first gear everyday, you are probably not absorbing much from your food. Good bacteria helps the body absorb vitamins and minerals.

Mucus in your poop

This is likely due to inflammation and/or excess yeast.

Joyous Solutions:

  • Take oil of oregano every morning on an empty stomach for three weeks.
  • Clean up your diet. How? Start making your own food from scratch at home. Try out any of my recipes which are the last thing from mucus forming.
  • This can also be a sign of detoxification -- which is a good thing!
  • Do an anti-candida diet. This is very intense and can be challenging. There are some good herbal remedy kits at the health food store like this one, but remember that your diet is just as important as popping herbs.

The Oil slick (similar to greasy poop)

If your poop looks like an oil spill in the toilet, pay attention! You are not emulsifying your fats effectively. Translation? You need to give your liver and gall bladder some lovin'.

Joyous Solutions:

  • If you've had your gall bladder removed, then you definitely should be on a good fat digesting enzyme.
  • You NEED to do the Joyous Detox. No ifs, ands or buts about it.
  • Parasites, bad bacteria, poor gall bladder function all promote oil slicks.
  • If you have oil slicks, you are likely not absorbing your fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K either. So additional supplementation is needed*. However, do be sure to get yourself checked out and talk to your MD plus your natural healthcare practitioner.
  • *Make sure you talk to your natural healthcare practitioner for recommendations on dosage amounts and brands.

BEFORE YOU GET PARANOID AND THINK SOMETHING IS WRONG, PLEASE NOTE:

Changes in the color, consistency, and frequency of your bowel movements is completely normal from time to time. Your diet and level of stress will immediately impact your digestion which will be visible going out the other end. As well, this advice is NOT meant to treat or diagnose. Please visit your doctor or qualified practitioner for advice or getting your poop in order.

I really hope all this information helps you better understand what's going on with your body. There is a natural solution to every single digestive problem you may experience. The key is to listen to your body instead of suppressing the symptoms with medications or simply ignoring it.

Here's to joyous poops!

Joy

13 Comments
Carrie   •   March 4, 2013

Thank you! My husband and I have been gluten free for about a month and the diet plus a pro biotic capsule has improved my digestion 100%!

Reply
Joy McCarthy   •   March 4, 2013
Andrew   •   January 14, 2018
Rachel Molenda   •   January 15, 2018

Linda   •   November 6, 2017

So very interesting

Reply

Samantha   •   April 17, 2018

Hi Linda two years ago I had my gall blader removed and I also had high level reading on my liver which caused me to itch all over I'm better now but I've just started with oil slick poo and cramps fir three days what can I do to help this stop

Reply
Rachel Molenda   •   April 17, 2018

Shikha   •   May 11, 2018

I’m pooping oil from yesterday it’s totally dark orange oil what’s happening to me I’m I going to die I’m really afraid plzz help me

Reply
Rachel Molenda   •   May 14, 2018

Bee   •   July 20, 2018

Hi, thanks for the great post! I was wondering if you could say more about mucus in the stool possibly being a good sign of detoxification. Im on day 25 of an elimination diet (no gluten, grains, dairy, alcohol, caffeine, sugar, etc) following a SIBO and leaky gut diagnosis and have been cooking all of my own meals. I’ve been feeling really good for the last few weeks but for two days in a row now I have noticed some mucus in my stool. I can’t even imagine why this would just happen all of sudden and I’m frustrated since I feel like I’ve cut literally everything toxic/bad out of my diet as it is! I was wondering if you could say more about the possibility that this might be related to detoxing? Many thanks in advance!

Reply
Rachel Molenda   •   July 20, 2018

Linda   •   October 17, 2018

Thank you! Very informative ! I'm a celiac but don't eat "right"although I don't eat anything w/gluten.

Reply
Rachel Molenda   •   October 17, 2018

Post Comment

Welcome to thoughtful, organic beauty

Hello Joyous is an organic, plant-based, sustainable beauty brand here to bring more joy to your day.