Page 12 - Seniorstoday October 2021 Issue
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Sulphur-smelling stool – If you are
suffering from diarrhoea and running
a fever with an eggy smelling stool, you
should get it checked by your doctor. This
kind of stool is an indicator of a parasite in
your gut that requires medical attention.
Pale-looking stool – If your stool looks
white or flushed out it means you are
lacking bile. Bile is a digestive fluid that
Overloading on gassy food such as cabbage and broccoli is part of the liver and gallbladder. If your
can cause too much gas in your digestive system
bile duct is blocked your stool will appear
Colour, Consistency and Smell chalky in colour. This could happen due
Green stool with a liquid consistency – to the side effects of certain anti-diarrhoea
This isn’t normal and is an indicator of an medicines. If your stool appears pale you
infection that generally occurs when you should consult your doctor for treatment.
have antibiotics. These kinds of medicine
kill the good bacteria in your stomach Signs of Good Bowel Function
which causes colour and consistency. It Apart from your stool appearing normal in
could also lead to dehydration and you may term of consistency, smell and colour, here
want to seek the advice of your doctor. are the signs of good bowel movement –
Yellowish loose stool but with some •Able to hold on to the pressure for a short
solidity – This kind of bowel movement is time till you reach the bathroom. If you are
an indicator of not eating right. The bowel unable to hold on to the pressure and pass
movement shows that what you eat isn’t the stool it is a sign of poor bowel function.
being processed correctly. You may want •Passing stool within a minute after
to consider a gluten-free diet. It could also sitting down. A sign of good poop is when
mean you could have Celiac disease, so you everything comes out without pushing or
should get your doctor to run a test. waiting for it.
Bloody or black colour stool – This •No sign of struggle while pooing,
kind of bowel movement indicates everything comes out soft, smooth and easy
internal bleeding and it could indicate without any struggle of passing hard and
haemorrhoids or stomach ulcers. You dry stool.
should consult your doctor immediately if •When you empty your bowel all in one go
you notice blood in your stool. – no need to return to the bathroom soon
Floating stool – If your stool floats it after.
means you have too much gas in your
digestive system. This can happen when Dr Prasanna Shah advises all senior citizens
you overload on gassy food such as above the age of 60 to get an endoscopy
brussels sprouts, beans, cabbage, broccoli done every 18 months as a preventive step to
and others. Or it could be an indicator of ensure gut health and safety. Dr Shah can be
a health condition related to the pancreas. reached Monday through Friday, 3-6pm at
If your stool is persistently floating you Tel: 022-23676598/83.
should consult your doctor. Email: drpssshah@yahoo.co.in
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