For many years we’ve been encouraged to reduce our consumption of our beautiful planet’s resources in varying ways like living locally, using less plastic, and recycling and up-cycling where possible. But what has this possibly got to do with poo and gut health I hear you ask?
Well, hopefully we’ve all enjoyed the pleasures of the amazing ghost poo.. you know, the one that pops out and disappears around the toilet bend before you know what’s happening. No evidence of this guy on the toilet paper either. Perfect. Aside from the disappointment of not being able to celebrate your poo (for those that look), this kind of effortless pooping experience is the gold standard of the poo world!
Seriously though, greasy, slimy poos that require an inordinate amount of paperwork and leave skid marks in the pan are an indication that things are not so happy on the inside of your body. A decent poo should make itself known and give you adequate time to find a loo, present without pain or discomfort, not require pushing or straining, and need only one cursory wipe of the bottom to ensure it’s clean. I like the image of a sleek penguin, diving elegantly into water!
Those that suffer with piles might need an extra wipe as, if external, they can make the anus uneven and therefore present more of a challenge, but you get the gist.
If you’re having to spend ten minutes on the paperwork to tidy up your bottom every time you have a poo, your gut is trying to tell you something, and it’s not that you’re single handedly depleting the rain forests!
It’s likely that your diet is seriously lacking fibre, or you’re producing a large amount of mucous in your stool. Some mucous is normal, but excessive amounts can indicate a problem, and if you ever notice bloody mucous, I’d advise you to visit your GP. Some foods, like dairy products, are actually mucous forming so you might try to avoid these and watch for the difference in your bowel movements.
Why Eating Fibre Supports Gut Health
Increasing natural fibre in your diet gives the bacteria in your gut something to live on, which in turn supports a myriad of other essential functions in your body, not least your immune system. Fibre also bulks out the stool, making it easier to move cleanly through the intestines, keeping them clear and healthy, but remember, if you’re increasing your fibre, don’t forget to keep your fluids up too.
One of the most effective things I have found for the perfect, glossy, one plop, no wipe poo is flax bread. Flax bread is made with milled flax seeds. It’s really easy to make with a prep time of no more than five minutes. Even if you don’t fancy yourself as a chef, you’ll be able to pull this off.
Flax Bread Recipe
Instructions
- 160 gms of milled flax seed
- 80 gms of olive oil or coconut oil (melted)
- 5 x regular eggs or 4 x large eggs
- large pinch of salt
- squirt of honey or maple syrup (optional)
Mix everything together in one large bowl and pour it into the lined loaf tin. Bake in the oven at about 180 deg C for between 20 and 30 minutes. Leave to cool, then slice and munch away!
You can get creative by mixing in different seeds like pumpkin or sunflower, and possibly raisins too, or you could just sprinkle them on the top.
Lots of people these days are having restricted diets and many try to avoid traditional bread and pastries, so finding an easy alternative that is gluten free, wheat free and yeast free has been a real boost for me.
It might not be advisable to those suffering with diverticular disease because of the small seeds, but otherwise, try it out and let me know how you get on.
I’m sure your bowels will be over the moon as will the rainforests!