Poo is the body’s way of getting rid of waste and products that it doesn’t need.
Digestion is a crucial part of the body’s natural cycle, but any slight problems to the process can show up in your poo.
Checking your business after you’ve used the loo could tell you a lot about your overall health, nutritionists have said.
Whether it’s lumpy, liquidy or fluffy, your stool could be telling you to make subtle changes to your lifestyle.
“Your stools can tell a lot about your health, and whether you need to make changes in your diet and lifestyle,” said Now Healthcare Group’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr Andrew Thornber.
He told Express.co.uk: “A normal stool is generally a sausage shape, either smooth or with small cracks in the surface.
“Mushy or liquid stools generally indicate that there is an inflammation, and if you have small soft blobs you are more-likely lacking fibre in your diet.
“Small hard lumps tend to be from someone with is suffering with constipation.”
The Bristol Stool Scale was designed to help diagnosed medical conditions, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
The scale – which runs from one to seven – allows patients to match their stool to a potential diagnosis.
Category one and two indicate that the patient is constipated as the stools are firm. Category six and seven resemble diarrhoea and loose stools.
London nutritionist, Lily Soutter, told Express.co.uk: “If suffering from stools with a consistency of separate hard lumps then it’s indicative of constipation. Constipation may occur because of a lack of dietary fibre, dehydration, a lack of exercise or movement, IBS, side effects of medication or even food stress, anxiety or depression.
“On the other hand, stools with a mushy or even liquid consistency indicates mild to severe diarrhoea.
“There can be numerous causes of loose stools including a bowel infection, IBS, food allergies or intolerances, stress or anxiety or even medication.
“If symptoms of loose stools have been going on for a prolonged period of time, it may also indicative of lactose intolerance or even coeliac disease.”
It’s almost important to notice the colour of your stools, Soutter said.
Black poo may be a sign of bleeding in the gastro-intestinal tract, and could indicate bowel cancer.
White or pale grey stools could indicate a liver disorder, she added.
Thornber said: “Bright red blood in stools can be an indication of piles or a tear, but if dark red or black its usually worth seeing your GP, as it could be something more serious which needs medical attention.
If you find blood in your blood, or if you notice changes to your bowel habits that have lasted more than three weeks, you should see a GP immediately, said the NHS.
Finding blood in your poo doesn’t necessarily mean you have cancer; it could also be signs of IBS or Crohn’s disease.