All about faeces

We don't like to talk about defecation. At birthday parties, in restaurants or at work, we rarely talk about pooping, flatulence, constipation or diarrhoea. That's a shame, because your bowel movements can tell you a lot about your health.

The Dutch Digestive Health Fund wants to break the taboo around poo. People often put off visiting the doctor because they feel embarrassed, but there is no need to be ashamed of any problems in this area. If we talk more about it together, people will become more aware of any problems. Openness also creates more understanding for people with gastrointestinal diseases.

What does faeces consist of?

Faeces consist of water, leftover food that the body has not used and intestinal bacteria. The largest part of faeces consists of water, due to the digestive process. A lot of water is needed to break down and absorb nutrients. Our faeces also contain indigestible food, such as certain types of fibre that the intestines cannot properly digest, but which are important for a smooth bowel movement. In addition, our faeces contain many bacteria. They are very important in the large intestine because they help us digest our food and keep the intestinal wall healthy. Faeces also contain dead cells because the intestines are constantly renewing themselves, replacing old cells with new ones.

Recognise healthy poo

Do you recognise the signs of healthy poo? Or does your stool indicate that something is wrong? Here you can read what to look out for.

Regular bowel movements
How often you have to poo says something about your digestion and bowel movements. Do you have to poo more than three times a day? Then you may be suffering from diarrhoea. If you go to the toilet less than three times a week, we call this constipation.
Perfect poo
Its shape and colour tell us a lot about your health. Healthy stool is smooth, sausage-shaped and brown in colour. The shape can change due to what you eat, for example. Eating little fibre can make the poo harder, while food poisoning can make it too soft (diarrhoea). The colour can change due to what you eat. Spinach makes it greenish and beetroot or red cabbage make it a little red. That is normal.
What the colour says about your poo
Poop comes in many colours. Sometimes your stool looks slightly different than what you are used to. The colour of your stool can say a lot about your health. That is why it is important to look behind you before you flush.
Smell of your stool
It is not only the colour and the shape that say something about your bowel movements, the smell can also tell you something. Nobody poops with the scent of roses, your poo always stinks. But sometimes the odour can be really different than usual. The odour of your stool often changes in cases of gastrointestinal infections, digestive problems or when there is blood in the stool. But diet also influences the odour. If you eat a lot of (animal) protein such as meat, your stool will smell stronger than if you eat more plant-based foods. Certain conditions are known to make the stool smell more. So keep an eye on the odour of your stool. And if you experience any unexplained changes in odour, contact your doctor.
Pain when defecating?
Defecating should not hurt. If it does hurt, and the symptoms last longer than usual, consult your doctor. The pain could be caused by constipation, but also by an anal fissure or haemorrhoids.
Suffering from intestinal complaints?
Everyone occasionally suffers from intestinal complaints, such as flatulence or constipation. Here you will find tips for the most common complaints.

Tips for healthy stool

Check your poo!: Have you taken a poo? Then take a look behind you more often. It can literally be of vital importance to check your stool. By looking at the colour and shape and also paying attention to the smell and how often you go, you can gain a lot of information about your health. Does your (modern) toilet not have a platform that collects the stool? Then put a few layers of toilet paper in the toilet every now and then to be able to properly examine your stool.
Go when you have to: One of the causes of constipation is holding back your poo. If you do not listen to the feeling that you need to go to the toilet, this can eventually lead to hard and painful stools and stomach aches. This makes you even less inclined to go to the toilet. Holding your stool once is not so bad, of course. Sometimes there is no toilet nearby. Or there may be a toilet, but it is dirty or there is too little privacy. Unfortunately, there is a taboo against defecating at work or anywhere other than at home. Our advice? Go to the toilet when you have to! That is just how our bodies work, so there is nothing strange about it.
Correct sitting posture: Sitting on the toilet in the correct position is important for good bowel movements. You can easily create the correct sitting position with the aid of a footstool. By pulling up your knees and sitting slightly bent over, you are in a squatting position and the sphincter muscle relaxes completely. This will make defecating easier.
Eat a high-fibre diet: A healthy, high-fibre diet is very important for your digestion. Fibre is found in vegetables, fruit, wholemeal products, but also in legumes, potatoes, nuts and seeds. Fibre cannot be digested in your small intestine. It therefore ends up undigested in the large intestine. That is a good thing. In the large intestine, the fibres serve as food for the bacteria that live there. They also absorb fluid in the intestines and help keep your stool soft. This helps you pass stool properly, which can improve digestive complaints. Read more about how to add more fibre to your diet.
Exercise and relax!: It is good for your digestion to get enough exercise and to relax. This helps your intestines to function properly. If you do not get enough exercise, your intestines can slow down, which can lead to constipation. If you are under a lot of stress, you may experience loose stools or diarrhoea. Therefore, make sure you exercise for at least 30 minutes a day. And make sure you take time to rest and allow your body to relax.

The most frequently asked questions about faeces

Now that you know more about faeces, you may have questions about your own situation. See our most frequently asked questions here. Please note: we cannot give personal medical advice and do not employ doctors. For personal questions, we advise you to contact your family doctor.

Your stool can tell you a lot about your health. It can literally be vital to check your stool. It can provide you with a lot of information about your health. It is important to know your own bowel movements and what to look out for. This makes it easier to notice changes and take action if necessary. The sooner a problem is detected, the better. If, for example, bowel cancer is detected at an earlier stage, the chance of a cure is greater. So look back regularly!

In the past, toilets had a platform, making it easy to check your poo. Nowadays, there are many more flush toilets. The faeces then fall directly into the water. This can make it more difficult to check your faeces properly. However, there are ways to check your faeces with this type of toilet. For example, you can put a number of layers of toilet paper in the toilet. Or you can stretch a bin bag over the toilet bowl and the bag will catch the faeces.

Probably because a flush toilet causes less odour pollution. It is also more hygienic because the faeces immediately ‘disappear’ into the water. One disadvantage is the splashing.

Unfortunately, we cannot answer personal questions. The Dutch Digestive Health Fund does not employ doctors. For personal medical questions, it is best to contact your family doctor. Check your poo regularly! Pay attention to the colour, smell, shape and how often you go to the toilet. This will give you a lot of information about your health. Changes in your stool can also indicate an illness. Do you have any complaints or have you noticed changes in your bowel movements that you cannot explain? Then contact your doctor.

See your doctor if your stool pattern changes, or if you have had stool-related symptoms for more than two weeks. Also do so if the symptoms keep coming back. Is there blood in your stool or is the stool colourless? Then it is always advisable to see your doctor. It really may not be anything serious, but it is good to get clarity about it.

Unfortunately, we cannot answer any personal or medical questions. The Dutch Digestive Health Fund does not employ any doctors and we cannot diagnose or give personal treatment advice based on your question. Therefore, please discuss your symptoms with your doctor or family doctor. You can also discuss questions about treatment or medication with your doctor or family doctor.

Your stool can turn red because of what you eat. But the red colour can also be caused by blood in your poo. This is not always dangerous, as in the case of haemorrhoids or wounds around the anus. However, it can also indicate more serious conditions, such as chronic intestinal inflammation or bowel cancer. If you see blood in your stool, it is always a good idea to see your doctor.

Constipation is often caused by an unhealthy diet low in fibre and water, but also by a lack of exercise. The advice is to eat a high-fibre, healthy diet. Fibre is found in fruit and vegetables, wholemeal grain products and legumes. Also drink enough water and get enough exercise. This will help make your stool more liquid. Want to know more about how to remedy or prevent constipation? Then click here. Constipation can also be caused by Irritable Bowel Syndrome, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease, Coeliac disease and depression.

Everyone passes wind, it is quite normal. On average, about 20 times a day. You pass much more wind with flatulence. Flatulence can be caused by eating certain foods that produce gas, such as cabbage or low-fat products. Keeping a diary of your food intake and symptoms can give you more insight into which products cause your symptoms. You can also do this together with a dietician. Flatulence can also be caused by constipation or conditions such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBD), lactose intolerance or chronic inflammatory bowel disease. If you continue to suffer from flatulence, contact your doctor.

Many people regularly suffer from stomach aches. The pain can occur in various places in the stomach. Sometimes there are other symptoms as well, such as nausea or constipation. Occasional stomach aches are annoying, but not worrisome. If you really often have stomach aches, go to your doctor. Abdominal pain can be caused by constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, coeliac disease or diverticula. Read more about the causes of abdominal pain and what you can do about it.