Vegan Nutrition with Marty Davey

Should a healthy stool float?

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Not in my experience.

Stool floats, not because of too much fat in the diet, rather because of gas in the stool making it less dense. The question is—How did so much gas get in the stool?

Gas can come from a lot of sources, so let's look at how the colon works, shall we?

Thanks to my colleague, Dr. Milton Mills of the Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine, I have a better idea on what goes on around there [the colon goes up, over and down (around) the exterior of the small intestine]. You need to understand that food gets chewed for about 30 seconds in the mouth. It makes its way to the stomach in another few minutes. The chewed food, or bolus, enters the stomach and is there for approximately an hour. It is out of the small intestine in about another 3 hours.

Most folks have a bowel movement approximately 18-24 hours after eating a particular food. [Those of you with no lives can experiment on how your body works by eating corn. Looks pretty much the same way in and out] With the aforementioned time table, we have covered about 5 out of the 18-24 hours it takes for that corn to meet your teeth and end its roller coaster ride through the body and come to a complete flush.

What is going on for the rest of the time? Nutrient production and absorption, and water absorption. It is this nutrient production that can be the genesis of the gas. If nutrients aren't absorbed the bacteria in the colon have a party with what is left. The result is gas in the stool.

A change in diet, intestinal infections, or a malabsorption can bring on this problem. These can also cause diarrhea. If you have had diarrhea for more than 2 weeks, you need to see a healthcare professional.

Check what you have been eating, or if this is long term, consult with a healthcare practitioner for any lack of nutrient absorption of which this may be a symptom.

Marty Davey is a Registered Dietitian and has a Masters degree in Food and Nutrition from Marywood University. She became a vegetarian in 1980 when she discovered that the chemicals in American meat made them unsellable to Europeans. She and her husband have raised their son as a vegan. She teaches nutrition and has a private practice specializing in assisting clients transitioning to a plant-based regime step by step. Her website is martydavey.com

Get your own personal nutrition consultation with Marty here.

Disclaimer: The advice given here is for eductional purposes only. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified health care provider.

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