What Does Good Bowel Regularity Mean?

It’s important to keep track of how often you poop, because this is your body’s way of getting rid of the remnants of what’s no longer needed from your food.  At this stage all the available nutrients should have been extracted from your food during digestion and only the waste is left to be eliminated.  Your poop (and everyone else's) contains undigestible fibre and food particles, bacteria, salts, and other waste matter from your intestinal tract, and it needs to leave!  

The standard number of “pit stops” to the toilet (to poop) is considered 1-3 visits per day.  If you’re only going once every 3 - 7 days (or longer) it’s time to get some help to get back on track - you don’t really want to have it hanging around this long.  

Aiming for a daily visit to the toilet to empty your bowel is ideal, but it can vary according to the quantity and kind of foods you eat.  If you’re a hearty eater, consume plenty of fibre, and have great digestive fire, you might go 3 times per day - yes it does happen!

Your poop should be soft, well formed, and easy to pass.  Texture and colour can vary according to what food you eat - by keeping an eye on things before you flush, you’ll get an idea of what your “normal” is and how that compares each day.  While the thought of checking out your poop may not appeal, it is important!  You need to catch any unusual changes.  Be aware you might notice a colour change when you eat lots of beetroot, or a change in texture when you eat a bunch of nuts and seeds, and that’s ok.   

If you’re not going regularly, you might notice a lack of comfort in the abdomen, a feeling of fullness in your waistline, subpar energy levels or fogginess, and perhaps a decrease in appetite.  You might even feel a little irritable.    

Here are some easy and simple things you can do to get more regular.   

1. Drink plenty of good quality water every day.  Stick to still water, as soda water won’t hydrate you the same way still water does.  Your bowel needs a good supply of water to create soft, easy-to-pass stools. Aim for between 1.5 - 2.5 litres a day depending on our body size. 

2. Get moving every single day especially if you have a sedentary routine.  Movement supports natural intestinal flow. 

3. Stop holding on. “Better out than in” as they say!  Avoid holding on (to poop) and go when you need too - it’s of no use to you.  

4. Let go of stress. Emotionally holding on to tension not only stunts digestion, it disturbs absorption and elimination.   

5. Up your fibre intake with fresh and raw fruit and vegetables, and decrease stodgy, nutrient-empty foods that can constipate (congest and slow things down) or aggravate (speed things up too fast).

6. Find your rhythm.  You're aiming to establish a routine where you are going about the same time every day.  It might take time for your body to form a regular daily routine, but it is possible, and relies on your ability to follow the other steps.

Remember, you're aiming for well formed, soft, and easy to pass stools, every day.  Consistent daily elimination will help you to think clearly, feel great, and digest well - all supporting your best energy.   

To help you keep your bowels moving along as they should, we’ve created our Support Pack for Bowel Regularity - a comprehensive formula of key natural ingredients for optimal regularity, digestive function, and energy. It includes two fantastic powder supplements - Gut Protect and Keto Greens - that are easily mixed into water or smoothies. 

Gut Protect contains pre and probiotics for optimal gut and bowel health, alongside scientifically researched ResistAid® for immune protection. Blended with a touch of Monk Fruit and a light, all-natural vanilla flavour, it’s a pleasant, everyday way to ensure gut health and regularity, ideal for support during keto when your fibre intake is lowered.

Greens Keto Blend offers easy super greens nutrition with added Coconut MCT for energy, body fuel, and vitality support, using certified organic alkalising greens Barley and Wheatgrass, grown in the South Island sunshine. This healthy food source supports energy levels and metabolic function without all the extra carbohydrates.