What Your Poo Says About You: The Health Report You’re Flushing Away and the Solid Gold It Can Provide (see what I did there?)

Let’s get this out of the way. Yes, we are talking about poo. And yes, I am going to ask you about it. Every time.

Not because I enjoy making things awkward. Although, watching some of you squirm is kind of funny, I have to admit! But because it is one of the fastest, most honest ways to understand what is happening inside your body.

You can tell me your energy is low, your hormones feel off, your skin is breaking out or your mood is unpredictable. I will still ask about your bowel movements. Because digestion sits at the center of all of it.

If digestion is off, everything downstream is affected. And I mean EVERYTHING!

Energy drops. Hormones become harder to regulate. Skin flares. Inflammation rises. The nervous system becomes more reactive. You cannot build health on top of poor digestion. And your poop tells me exactly how that system is functioning.

In general, I am listening for three things. Frequency. Form. Ease.

A healthy baseline is simple. One to two bowel movements per day. Formed but soft. Easy to pass. You feel done when you are done and you don’t need a lot of swipes to clean up. Again, I know this is awkward, but we can and will dredge on! 

Anything outside of that gives clues.

If stools are loose or unformed, your body is not transforming food efficiently. In Chinese medicine, this often points to a weakened Spleen system. The body is not extracting and distributing nutrients the way it should.

If you are constipated, there is a lack of movement (I know, Captain Obvious!). This can come from dryness, stagnation, or tension in the system. Stress plays a major role here. So does blood deficiency in TCM. The body does not have enough substance to keep things moving smoothly.

If stools are hard and come out in small pieces, also think dryness. Fluids are not reaching the intestines in the way they need to.

If you feel urgency or have to run to the bathroom, your system is overreactive. This often ties back to stress and the Liver overacting on digestion.

If stools are sticky, hard to clean, or have a strong odor, we start thinking about excess dampness. The body is not processing fluids cleanly, and things are accumulating instead of transforming.

None of this is random. It is feedback. And here is why listening to that feedback matters more than most people think. Your gut influences almost everything. Did you read this month’s Anatomy of Trust blog? If not, go back. Your gut can and will affect EVERYTHING! And if it’s not happy, boy can it make quite the stink! (I’m sorry, I can’t help myself with the poo puns.)  

It impacts how you absorb nutrients.

It affects hormone metabolism and balance.

It shapes your immune response.

It communicates directly with your brain and influences mood.

If this system is struggling, you will feel it in more places than just your digestion.

Now let’s make this practical. If your digestion feels off, start simple. Eat at consistent times. Your body likes rhythm. Slow down when you eat. Chew your food. Digestion starts in the mouth, not the stomach. Avoid eating when you are stressed. Your nervous system has to be in a state that allows digestion to happen. If you tend toward loose stools or bloating, shift toward warm, cooked foods. These are easier for the body to break down. Stay hydrated. Make sure you are sipping on beverages throughout the day and eat foods that are high in water content. Think soups, stews, and fruits.

And then there is acupuncture.

This is where we regulate the system. We strengthen digestion. We improve motility. We calm the nervous system so your body can actually process food. We reduce inflammation that is interfering with function.

Patients often tell me they did not realize how off their digestion was until it improved. But wait, there’s more! With improved digestion they have more energy, less bloating, more stable moods, and the best part, better skin! All of this from getting this one system working better?! Oh yes my friend, I sh*t you not!

So yes, I am going to keep asking you about your poop. And yes, we will always, and I mean ALWAYS support your digestion. Because it works, and I enjoy making you guys think I am the best in the biz. I also enjoy you getting the results you deserve and the health outcomes to show for it. That’s why you pay me the big bucks! 

So don’t just flush that treasure trove, take a look first and report back!

If you are ready to get your digestion working for you instead of against you, let’s fix it.

Book your appointment or schedule a consultation. We will figure out exactly what your body is trying to tell us and what to do about it.