What Your Poop Reveals About Your Health

Some think it’s funny. Others don’t want to talk about it. But one way or another, everyone has to poop, and the state of your bowel movements can actually be pretty telling of your overall health.

“The digestive tract contains more bacterial cells than there are cells in the entire body,” says Dr. Jean-Pierre Raufman, a gastroenterologist at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. “It’s very important that our bowels work well to absorb necessary nutrients but also keep out any foods, chemicals and germs that could do us harm.”

The kinds of food you eat and how active you are can determine whether or not some of these digestive issues happen in the first place. If you think you may have a digestive disease, don’t try to self diagnose it. See a physician for a proper diagnosis.

Experts say that health problems can be indicated in your poop, so take note next time you have a bowel movement. This is what to look for: