{"id":98276,"date":"2023-09-25T14:48:43","date_gmt":"2023-09-25T14:48:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/turbocelebrity.com\/?p=98276"},"modified":"2023-09-25T14:48:43","modified_gmt":"2023-09-25T14:48:43","slug":"the-truth-about-marble-poos-and-how-its-a-sign-you-need-to-act-now-or-risk-painful-complications-the-sun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/turbocelebrity.com\/lifestyle\/the-truth-about-marble-poos-and-how-its-a-sign-you-need-to-act-now-or-risk-painful-complications-the-sun\/","title":{"rendered":"The truth about 'marble' poos – and how it's a sign you need to act now or risk painful complications | The Sun"},"content":{"rendered":"
WHEN it comes to poop consistency, doctors consider the gold standard to be long, soft and sausage shaped. <\/p>\n
Not only is it easier to pass, it also indicates that you're eating enough fibre and not constipated. <\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
Now you might be wondering: what does it mean if my number twos are more like marbles? <\/p>\n
Hard, separate and lumpy poos shouldn't be something you experience too often, as they typically mean you're constipated. <\/p>\n
NHS guidance says you'll be able to tell you're constipated if:<\/p>\n
\n
you have not had a poo at least three times during the last week<\/li>\n
the poo is often large and dry, hard or lumpy<\/li>\n
you are straining or in pain when you have a poo<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Read more on bowel habits <\/h2>\n
<\/picture>POO KNEW? <\/span><\/p>\n
The truth about 'caterpillar' poos – and how it's a sign something isn't right<\/h3>\n
<\/picture>PHANTOM FAECES <\/span><\/p>\n
The truth about 'ghost poos' and why it\u2019s a sign you\u2019re 'super healthy'<\/h3>\n
Aside from straining over your toilet bowl for what feels like ages, constipation can also leaving you feeling bloated and sick or cause a stomach ache. <\/p>\n
But according to GP Dr Sarah Jarvis, the uncomfortable affliction can also bring on painful complications in the long term. <\/p>\n
She told Sun Health: "Your poo can definitely say a lot about your bowel health.<\/p>\n
"Constipation is linked to all sorts of other medical problems such as piles, diverticular disease and even an increased risk of bowel cancer if this is a long term issue."<\/p>\n
Most read in Health<\/h2>\n
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Rishi Sunak & David Beckham hail NHS heroes at The Sun’s Who Cares Wins awards<\/h3>\n
<\/span><\/p>\n
<\/picture>STARS IN THEIR EYES<\/span><\/p>\n
Huge celebrities queue up to meet Sun\u2019s Young Hero at WCW awards<\/h3>\n
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<\/picture>OUR HEROES <\/span><\/p>\n
Paramedics granting last wishes & brave youngster reduce WCW viewers to tears<\/h3>\n
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<\/picture>BUN IN THE OVEN <\/span><\/p>\n
Jamie Oliver reduces midwife to tears after hiding WCW gong in oven<\/h3>\n
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Constipation has a number of causes and it can be pretty common during pregnancy and after giving birth. <\/p>\n
But it can also be caused by: <\/p>\n
\n
not eating enough fibre, which is found in fruits, vegetables and cereals<\/li>\n
not drinking enough fluids<\/li>\n
not moving enough and spending long periods sitting or lying down<\/li>\n
being less active and not exercising<\/li>\n
often ignoring the urge to go to the toilet<\/li>\n
changing your diet or daily routine<\/li>\n
a side effect of medicine<\/li>\n
stress, anxiety or depression<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Not holding off when you get the urge to poo might do a lot for your bowel health and make your toilet trips easier. <\/p>\n
It's also a good idea to add some fibrous foods to your diet, drinking lots of fluids and cutting down on booze. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Wheat bran, oats or linseed might do the trick and ease your backed up bowels. <\/p>\n
And incorporating exercise into your routine might get things moving inside as well. <\/p>\n
You've probably heard of the Bristol stool chart at some point or other. <\/p>\n
What you might not know is that it's based on a study of 2,000 people published in 1992, which sought to understand people's bowel habits and split them into different categories. <\/p>\n
It remains a pretty reliable tool to let you know what's going on with your body to cause your poo to look and feel the way it does. <\/p>\n
For example, a hard, lumpy number two could indicate you're constipated or lacking fibre while something looser can mean you're suffering from a tummy bug. <\/p>\n
Marble-like pellets that look like nuts and hard to pass are number one on the chart.<\/p>\n
As mentioned previously, this is an indicator that you're constipated.<\/p>\n
Caterpillar-like poops are number two on the chart. This basically describes poos that are long but still lumpy, indicating mild constipation. <\/p>\n
Type three – the hot dog – is long and might have some cracks on the surface, but it's the so-called gold standard of poop.<\/p>\n
A smooth and snake-like bowel movement – type four – is also considered normal. <\/p>\n
Amoeba-like poos – small and easy to pass blobs – could mean you need need to add some fibre into your diet, according to Healthline. <\/p>\n
Type six and seven – the soft serve and Jackson Pollock of poops – is where things get dicey. <\/p>\n
They basically mean you've got a case of the runs, as your stool moved too quickly through your bowels to form a healthy poo. <\/p>\n
Healthline recommended you try drinking more water and electrolyte-infused beverages to help improve this. <\/p>\n
Dr Will Bulsiewicz\u00a0\u2013 a doctor specialising in gut health \u2013 recently shared a simple maths formula to get the bottom of what's causing your runny poops. <\/p>\n
A hard or runny poop here and there happens to the best of us, but irregularities in your poop can be a sign something's up. <\/p>\n
Healthline recommends you speak to a doctor if you notice irregularities in your bowel habits for more than a couple days. <\/p>\n
But it's especially important to speak to an expert if you notice any blood in your poop. <\/p>\n
It's not always as obvious as you'd think. <\/p>\n
Blood can make your poo red – as can eating red-tinged foods like beetroot – but bleeding can also make your number twos black. <\/p>\n
Blood in your poop could be a warning sign of bowel cancer. <\/p>\n
Other symptoms can include: <\/p>\n
\n
changes in your poo, such as having softer poo, diarrhoea or constipation that is not usual for you<\/li>\n
needing to poo more or less often than usual for you<\/li>\n
bleeding from your bottom<\/li>\n
often feeling like you need to poo, even if you've just been to the toilet<\/li>\n
tummy pain<\/li>\n
bloating<\/li>\n
losing weight without trying<\/li>\n
feeling very tired for no reason<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
READ MORE SUN STORIES<\/h2>\n
<\/picture>BIG CHANGES <\/span><\/p>\n
Big Brother in huge shake up for launch as ITV clears schedules for first night<\/h3>\n
<\/picture>POO KNEW? <\/span><\/p>\n
The truth about 'marble' poos – and how it's a sign you need to act now <\/h3>\n
What's normal when it comes to bowel habits will differ for everyone.<\/p>\n
Medics say a healthy person should be pooping between\u00a0three times a week and three times a day.<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/nintchdbpict000405236581.jpg\")
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/AP-POO-SHAPES.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/child-pulling-toilet-roll-846942858.jpg\")
<\/picture>POO KNEW? <\/span><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/close-toilet-roll-holder-pink-846427962.jpg\")
<\/picture>PHANTOM FAECES <\/span><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/dk-comp-page2-who-cares-wins-v2.jpg\")
<\/picture>BIG HEARTS <\/span><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/KS_COMP_Who-Cares-Wins-kids-1.jpg\")
<\/picture>STARS IN THEIR EYES<\/span><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/TOB-COMP-WCW-28-29.jpg\")
<\/picture>OUR HEROES <\/span><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/crop-24110928.jpg\")
<\/picture>BUN IN THE OVEN <\/span><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/newspress-collage-24117378-1695636522672.jpg\")
<\/picture>![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/crop-24118953.jpg\")
<\/picture>