What Your Poop Is Telling You: A Digestive Health Wake-Up Call
Let’s talk about something we all do—but few of us really think about: pooping.
The book “What Your Poop Is Telling You” by Josh Richman and Dr. Anish Sheth takes a humorous yet surprisingly eye-opening look at how our bowel movements are windows into our health. Yes, your toilet habits can reveal more than you’d expect!
Here are the most important (and oddly fascinating) lessons from the book:
1. Your Poop Has a Personality
The book breaks down poop into categories—yes, with actual names—like “The Log Jam,” “The Clean Sweep,” and “The Hanging Chad.” As funny as these sound, each one offers clues about hydration, fiber intake, and how your digestive tract is functioning.
Big takeaway: Ideal poop is soft, sausage-shaped, and sinks slowly—anything too hard, loose, or oddly shaped could mean something is off.
2. Hydration & Fiber Are the Unsung Heroes
Most poop issues come down to two things: not enough water and not enough fiber. Dehydration makes stools hard and difficult to pass, while fiber helps regulate bulk and speed.
Tip: Drinking more water and eating more soluble and insoluble fiber is one of the fastest ways to improve digestive health.
3. The Gut-Brain Connection Is Real
Stress, anxiety, and even lack of sleep can dramatically affect your digestion. The book mentions how the gut is often referred to as our “second brain”—and for good reason. It houses over 100 million neurons and is directly influenced by your mental and emotional health.
Tip: Relaxation, sleep, and stress reduction aren’t luxuries—they’re essential for gut health.
4. Regularity = Stability
Your poop schedule matters. Going too often, or not often enough, is your body’s way of alerting you that something is off. Pooping daily (ideally at the same time) can signal healthy digestion and metabolic rhythm.
Now Let’s Talk Natural Support for Your Digestive System
General Stomach Ache: Applying Peppermint or Digestzen topically is a great way to target stomach discomfort. Taking these oils internally will also offer great targeted support.
Diarrhea: Take Peppermint Softgels until symptoms start to ease.
PB Restore: Take this pre, pro, post biotic to work proactively to maintain a healthy gut.
TerraZyme: One of the greatest tools to help your body break down the foods you have eaten is Enzymes! And most of us are not producing enough on our own. (When TerraZyme is sold out as it often is, we like to use Rhythm Enzymes found here.
Gut Cleanse: On occasion we all need some help cleaning out the extra junk. Even the cleanest diets can contain heavy metals and other environmental toxins and its important to do a quarterly cleanse. As Boyd always says, “When something gets stuck, something goes wrong.”
Bottom Line
Your poop is not gross—it's one of your body’s most honest messengers. By learning to read it (and support it naturally), you can stay ahead of digestive issues and take greater control of your overall wellness.