Whenever you go to the toilet, the moment the stool is discharged from the anus, you will naturally be able to grasp the approximate humidity, length, and hardness of the stool. Looking into the toilet again, the shape of the stool is clearly visible. However, you may notice that the shape of each stool is not necessarily the same. Sometimes it is granular; sometimes it is strip-shaped; sometimes it is watery. What is the reason behind this? In fact, the shape of stool is closely related to our intestinal health.

Does poor stool shape mean poor health?

Sometimes the stool will be grainy or watery. This is actually normal and there is no need to worry too much. This can be attributed to the following reasons: 

• Weak intestinal peristalsis
• I have poor eating habits recently, with more meat and less vegetables and is greasy.
• However, exercise and sleep cause the body's intestinal feedback mechanism to sound an alarm.
• Hidden intestinal problems, such as irritable bowel syndrome（IBS）

The shape of stool only reflects the short-term condition of the body's intestinal tract. It can be improved by re-developing good living habits or adding supplements such as probiotics. When dealing with stool situations, we can make good use of the Bristol stool classification method

1. Constipation (Types I and II)

The first type of stool is in the shape of a small hard ball, which is hard and dry, and requires effort to push the stool out of the anus; the second type of stool is sausage-shaped and has an uneven surface. Both types of stool are loose stools. If your recent stools are similar, it proves that your intestinal peristalsis is poor. The longer the stool stays in the large intestine, the less water will be absorbed, making the stool dry and hard. If you want to improve, you should eat more foods or fruits rich in dietary fiber and replenish water.

2. Normal (types III and IV)

Type 3 stool looks like corn or sausage, with a few cracks on the surface, and just needs to be replenished with water; Type 4 stool is like a banana, long and smooth and tender. If your stools are normal, congratulations, your intestines are healthy.

3. Diarrhea (types V, VI, VII)

Type 5 stools are in the shape of broken pieces. The stool passes easily through the intestines, making it slippery and soft. At this time, there are symptoms of mild diarrhea; type 6 stool is mushy, with water in the stool and particles in it; type 7 stool is watery, with no particles at all. If your stool is diarrhea, it means there are too many bad bacteria in your intestines, or you have some hidden intestinal problems, such as irritable bowel syndrome or diarrhea. Most of them are caused by nutritional imbalance and dehydration. At this time, it is recommended to eat small meals frequently, avoid dairy products, sweets, alcohol, coffee, etc., and supplement soluble dietary fiber, probiotics and vitamin B complex in a timely manner. If the condition is severe and persistent, it is recommended to seek medical advice as soon as possible.

Key review

• Stool can be divided into stool, normal and diarrhea categories
• If the stool is normal, just continue to maintain your current living habits
• If the stool belongs to other types, it means that the environment of the large intestine is not very good in the short term and more dietary fiber, water and beneficial bacteria need to be absorbed.

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