OhKAY! Poop! Ayurveda talks a lot about poop. And in case nobody ever mentioned it, I am here to tell you, you should poop every day! And ideally in the morning. I know, I know, not glamorous. But it’s important to talk about poop. The only way we can tell what’s happening on the insides is by what comes out.
Why is it so important? Because it is a direct reflection of our digestion, which is of #1 importance. If poop doesn’t come out, that means we are keeping the garbage inside. If we poop too much, we might not be absorbing the nutrients from the food like we should. So look at your poop! It’s important.
Now that I’ve broken the ice and we are in poop mode, let’s go into it a little more.
Ideal Poop: Ideally you should go in the morning after waking up. If you are really healthy, your need to go might even wake you up. That’s awesome. The poop should float and should be one solid piece – like a big brown floatey banana (oh come on, you can handle it). However! If there are any fats/oils in your poop or floating in the water, that is not at all good. That means there is so much fat/oil in the body that it’s coming out in the poop.
Sinking Poop: If your poop sinks, you ate something that’s too heavy or off harmony with your natural balance. It could also be a sign of toxins, but that’s not always true either. You can correct sinking poop mostly by changing your diet and eating foods that balance your dosha(s). For example, a pitta person might eat salads and their poop will float. A vata person might eat salads and their poop will sink. It’s per your individual balance.
Seeing food in the Poop: This means that your food is not being digested or absorbed. It’s going in and coming right out. A main cause is not chewing the food properly. Our stomach says, “I dunno what to do with this…I don’t have teeth. I’ll just send to the intestines and colon and let them deal with it.” And out it goes. So chew your food!
Constipation: Constipation is a vata problem because of the dry and light qualities. The colon is the seat of vata and a good clue that someone has increased vata is that they can’t poop. It’s mostly due to dryness where the little stoolies get all hard and can’t move. A person may not be eating enough oils/fats (lubrication) and/or not drinking enough water. Constipation has a major effect on concentration, moods, and can cause headaches. Literally the crap stays inside and it toxifies the enitre system. Unreleased emotions can also cause constipation. So for the sake of pooping, learn let it go.
Diarrhea: According to Ayurveda, if someone has diarrhea, let them have it! The body is trying to rid something, so let it work itself out. The problem occurs when it just turns to water and then it needs to be stopped. For the most part though, the body is angry about what’s inside and it needs to get rid of it. As long as it’s not frequent, just let it happen. If it’s frequent a nutritional (and could be emotional) check is in order.
Loose Poop In Pieces: Pitta types usually experience poop in pieces. And they tend to poop more than once a day. Their fire and water elements cause the poop to lose it’s form a little…as opposed to dry vata, it can be too watery. Healthy amounts of fiber would help dry it out a little so it sticks together in a nice poo form. Sometimes pittas can go, but feel like the poop wasn’t complete – like they still have to go. That could be because the pieces are breaking off and not coming out all the way.
Big, Lots o’ Poop: Kaphas will have a very healthy poop (probably why they are always so happy) and there will be a lot of it. Kaphas have to be mindful that there is no excess oil or mucus in their stools. If there is, it means that there is too much heaviness in the body and is a good sign of ama. Kaphas need to keep up with their fiber and veggies to get their poop to float.
Really Smelly Poop: That’s not a good sign. It’s a sign of ama and/or a sign that the food didn’t get absorbed all the way. Perhaps the body cannot process what was eaten.
Ok that’s enough for now. Remember, this is all according to Ayurveda. Any poop questions?
22 responses so far ↓
1 tiko // Jul 25, 2009 at 4:44 pm
What about pebbly poop?
2 Monica // Jul 26, 2009 at 8:53 pm
Pebbly poop is still on the dry side of things. More oil and/or water will help you. If you drink plenty of water, try adding more healthy fats and oils to your diet. Ghee would be GREAT for you!! Let me know if this helps!
3 tiko // Aug 20, 2009 at 11:23 am
I think it’s working! I started taking black currant seed oil everyday. It took about a week, but I’m starting to notice a difference. I’m vata, and I think I’ve been approaching things all wrong. I was always focused on how much fiber I was getting. But, I’m thinking I need to focus more on how much water and oil I’m getting in my diet. Am I correct on this?
I usually drink a ton of water, but I wasn’t getting enough oil. And, it’s funny, but adding oil also helps with my menstrual cycle…so, I guess my body is trying to tell me, we need more oil! :)
Also, is there a better oil to take? And, how much is a good amount to take? I’m currently taking 1800mg/day.
4 Monica // Aug 22, 2009 at 10:57 am
GOOD GIRL!! See, that’s the thing. Fiber is actually DRYing and LIGHT so for vata it’s not going to help. It will just make you more bloatey, gassy and airy. You need the grounding and lubricating qualities of an oil to push things down and out. So yes, the water (warm or room temp) and oil will really help you.
Menstrual cycle will be improved too because your whole body is being nourished. Think about dry dirt. In a sense that’s what happens to our colon and girl parts if there is not enough oil & water. But, if you add some oil and water, it turns to a nice mud and can flow. Does that make sense?
You are on the right track. Any oils are good. Ghee is best because it also increases agni. You can also do sesame (cold-pressed) or almond oil. Flax seed is also good. You can take any on their own in the morning 1-2TBL and wash down with warm water. And/or you can combine it with a shot of warm milk (might taste a little nar nar, but not too bad) and drink it down.
Keep me posted. You are doing GREAT!!! xoxo
5 Veronica // Nov 10, 2010 at 4:49 pm
You didn’t leave any advice for the smelly poop. For about a year I have had very smelly bm’s. I went to the Dr. , they took a stool sample and didn’t find anything wrong. Mine used to be perfect, once a day, in the morning just like your description in the “ideal poop”. My diet is pretty much the same as it has always been. I’ve also had very bad gas with the same smell for the same time. Any thoughts?? I”m desperate!!
6 Veronica // Nov 10, 2010 at 7:26 pm
BTW, I’m a Pitta.
7 Monica // Nov 11, 2010 at 8:12 am
Hi Veronica, thank you for your nice questions. Yes pittas usually have the smelliest poops of all the doshas. Your diet is the same you say? How long has this been and what else has changed since this happened? Weather, emotions, traumatic event? Anything? Smelly poop is usually the food coming right out the other end without it absorbing properly into the body. If you see pieces of food in your poop, that is evidence that unabsorbed food is true in your case. Also, are you eating any different spices than you had before? Like extra onions or garlic?
8 Monica // Nov 11, 2010 at 8:13 am
Also, in general what kinds of food do you eat?
9 Veronica // Nov 19, 2010 at 8:58 pm
Thanks for your reply Monica. It started in August 2009. The only connection I can make is that I had a cyst on my ovary burst and it seemed to start right after that. I haven’t seen any food in my stool, and it seems like its never ending, like its not clearing out like it used to. As far as what I eat its really all over the place, but at the same time consistent. I eat healthy stuff for a week straight ( salads, veggies, chicken ) and other weeks I eat too much cheese, bread, potato chips. ha. But I’ve been eating like this my whole life. I generally don’t eat anything too spicy. I just started taking a pro-biotic since last week in the hope that it helps. I haven’t noticed a change yet. Thanks for any feedback you may have.
10 Casey // Jan 4, 2011 at 11:51 pm
Hello, recently I started getting like these random sounds in my stomach that sometimes sound like farts. It’s so weird but I read about how too much fiber makes it dry, then perhaps I need more water. My poop has been coming out loose in pieces which I find really odd… Any other suggestions?
11 Monica // Jan 5, 2011 at 10:11 pm
Hi Casey! Yah, if you are having excess fiber, that could be the little internal fart sounds. Too much air and space in there (vata increase)! Try laying off the excess fiber and simply get your fiber through fruits and vegetables. It sounds like you might be having too much which is causing bloaties. You might need more water, reducing fiber should also help, and remembering that to relieve a dry vata problem you don’t need just water, you also need oils. Have warm foods (not cold raw salads) with some nice healthy fats and oils should move things through nicely. This might be your body’s way of telling you it doesn’t need all that extra fiber. Good luck! Shoot me an email if you have success!! :)
12 Casey // Jan 13, 2011 at 6:44 pm
Hey Monica, well I tried eating more fruits and drinking more water and I think you were right. See at college I was eating oatmeal in the morning everyday because it was sooo good and then I’d have some granola bars in handy sometimes so I think perhaps I need to drink more water and have fruit handy instead. I bet you that’s the answer! Because this whole thing started as soon as I started college. You suggested some warm foods with some healthy fats. But what do you mean, like what kinds of foods? Thank you so much for your help by the way!
13 Monica // Jan 15, 2011 at 5:56 pm
Good Casey! Glad to hear it. Yeah, I think you were probably eating foods that we too dry. Water and fruit will help things move through a bit better :) Warm foods like rice bowls, pasta, cooked veggies, stir fry – anything warm. NOT salads or raw foods. Healthy fats are nuts, avocado and healthy oils (even from fish!). Hope this helps!!
14 Jennifer // Jan 20, 2011 at 11:27 am
I am a VataPittaKapha and have had horrible poo issues since at least age 6. I don’t go at all for days and when I do it is “sinking pebbles” and not many at that. Once in a while, maybe every three or six months, I will be hit by terrible pain and in the bathroom for a few hours while I clear EVERYTHING out. Its so bad that I break out in a sweat and have passed out.
I have recently (3 mo.) been following a combination of Eat Right for Your Type (A) and Ayurveda way of eating. I drink 60 to 90 oz of water daily and just finished the “New Years Cleanse” recommended for Vata Season. I am adding Ghee to just about everything I eat too.
Still having the same poo issues – HELP
15 Monica // Jan 20, 2011 at 10:23 pm
Ohhhhh, you poor thing!!! Where do you live? I ask because I think you should maybe see an Ayurvedic Practitioner for a vata treatment called basti. But you need to work with someone who knows what they are doing. In the meantime, you can drink 1 tblsp melty ghee with warm water first thing in the morning (sounds a little gnarly, but it’s not bad. just chug it). Then while you are getting ready for work/school, sip 8-12oz of warm water. Use ghee with your meals as normal. Make sure not to have foods that are cold or dry. Favor watery fruits, warm soups, and noodles with sauce. If you are having coffee, dilute it so it’s more watery and have less (coffee is constipating). Or have black tea for a couple days instead. See if it makes a difference. And then let me know where you live! xo
16 Jennifer // Jan 21, 2011 at 12:26 am
Thank you for the response! I live in Troy, Michigan (near Detroit).
I will be following your advice :) If you have a recommendation near me I would greatly appreciate it.
17 Jennifer // Jan 26, 2011 at 11:58 am
Thank you for the response! I live in Troy, Michigan (near Detroit).
I will be following your advice :) If you have a recommendation near me I would greatly appreciate it.
18 Marie // Jun 23, 2011 at 8:45 am
Hey Monica… excellent information this post. Well, I am a vata and yes, I have all those digestive problems, sadly. I am very interested in starting taking oil and see how it works. But the oil has to be liquid?? What about capsules? Do they work the same way??
19 Monica // Jun 23, 2011 at 7:41 pm
Hi Marie!
I started years ago (before I knew about Ayurveda) with flax seed capsules and they helped a bit. At the time, I was too shy of taking oils or incorporating them into my diet so it was an ok alternative. Now I just eat more oils in my foods, which is best. Take small steps if you want – however you feel comfortable. Try the oil in capsules if you want. If it doesn’t work, then go for the liquid. Ideally, you’ll use more in your food rather than having to take a capsule but if you want to start this way, it certainly won’t hurt you.
20 Fabiana // Jun 24, 2011 at 10:33 am
How can I add oil to my diet? And what kind of oil because i dont think that vegetable or canola oil will be good or am i wrong?
21 Monica // Jul 12, 2011 at 3:25 pm
Hi Fabiana,
Choosing foods with natural oils/fats would be a good place to start. Foods like avocado, salmon, nuts, all have good oils. For cooking, there are lots of oils to choose from including ghee, olive oil, toasted sesame oil (this is different from the cold-pressed sesame oil used on the skin), and flax seed oil, to name a few. You are correct, canola and corn oil in general is not so good. When in doubt just use olive oil! It’s great! :)
22 Sarah // Nov 17, 2011 at 10:25 pm
Hi Monica!
My poop tends to come out in pieces, is yellow-brown, and I rarely feel satisfied after going. This is all described above, which was relieving, because I know I’m not alone! This has only been going on for a few months though, and I really want a way to change it. Any suggestions?
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