Hello My Dear Readers,
If one’s bowels move, one is happy; and if they don’t move, one is unhappy. That is all there is to it. ~Lin Yutang (1895–1976)
Right?!? How crappy do you feel (hehe) if you go a day without a bowel movement? One of the first things I always do with my clients is have them fill out a health history form that gives us insight to their digestive health. And the Poop Chart is sure to make an appearance in the initial meeting!
Keeping track of your bowel health is one of the best things you can do for your health, as digestion is at the root of all health. It’s important to make sure you are eliminating DAILY (1-3 movements)!
If you are not eliminating, you are reabsorbing harmful toxins from your colon back in to your bloodstream, which puts extra pressure on your liver, as well as the rest of your body. Your liver is part of your digestive system and has over 500 important functions in the body, including detoxification. When we put extra burden on the liver, we end up with a multitude of issues like hormonal imbalance (think PMS symptoms), fatigue, depression, and inability to lose weight.
The fact is, even if we are eliminating daily, we could still be constipated! This means that your bowel transit time is more than 24 hours. How on Earth would one know that? Eat some beets!
ENTER ~ Bowel Transit Time Test a.k.a. Beetroot Test!
Here’s how to test your bowel transit time:
- Eat a large serving of beets (at least 1/2 cup of raw beets or 1 cup cooked beets)
- Note the date and time of consumption
- Check your poop in 12 hours+! When you notice your stool is the colour of the red beets, you’ve figured out your transit time.
Interpreting results of your transit time:
Between 12-24hrs ~ Generally speaking 12 to 24 hours is the optimal transit time, which is what you should work toward.
24 hours+ Transit time that exceeds 24 hours may mean your bowels are not eliminating and wastes are sitting in your colon for too long. This can lead to a toxic bowel, which can eventually lead to colon disease and a body that is overloaded with toxins. This means you need more fibre (from sources like fruits, vegetables, chia and ground flaxseeds), water, relaxation techniques, and daily movement. Your nutritionist or natural healthcare practitioner can recommend specific dosages of magnesium citrate and or senna leaf when necessary
Less than 12 hours ~ Less than 12 hour transit time could mean that you are experiencing malabsorption of nutrients. This could be an indication of a hidden food sensitivity or intolerance which would require you to start an elimination diet process or get tested of food sensitivities.
Curious about your transit time?? Put it to the test!!
xx
