An unhealthy diet and unhealthy habits could upset the pH balance of the body, which tends to become acidic with the following symptoms.
As the gastrointestinal functions decline, toxins accumulate and cause defecatory disorder – difficulty in emptying the rectum. Various fats and metabolic wastes of proteins begin to rot inside the intestines and generate large volumes of gases. Gas builds up and causes swelling or bloating in the abdominal area.
When the body is slightly acidic, defecation is obstructed and accumulated faecal matters become dry and hard. The vicious cycle make it even more difficult to pass them out of the body. Eventually, they accumulate in the intestines. Shockingly, faecal accumulation can weigh up to 5 to 25 pounds and create the unsightly pot belly. The waist line can expand by 3 to 10 cm, resulting in central obesity! Faecal accumulation is also a cause for dull skin complexion and acnes. It can also upset the qi balance and cause bad breath and similar symptoms.
As the name suggests, faecal accumulation refers to faecal matters accumulated inside the body that are yet to pass through. After it is chewed in the preliminary stage of digestion, food enters the oesophagus and then reaches the stomach, where it mixes with gastric acid and various digestive juices thoroughly before entering the intestines. It then passes out of the body through the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, colon, sigmoid colon and rectum. During the process, water is only absorbed when the digested food enters the colon. The debris come together and begin to form faecal matter. Faecal accumulation refers to the faecal matter accumulated at the end of the colon before it passes through the body.
Defaecation is a daily habit. Observing the frequency, colour, shape, and smell of stools can help us understand the health conditions of the intestines.
Frequency： A person should pass no more than three times a day; if a person has less than three bowel movements a week, it is a sign of constipation.
Weight： A healthy stool is sausage-like with a 2 to 3 cm diameter, about 15cm long, and weighs about 100 g.
Colour： A healthy stool is yellow or brownish yellow. People who eat more vegetables have lighter stools, and people who eat primarily meat have brown stools.
Shape： A healthy stool has a banana shape with approximately 70% to 80% water content. If the water content is less than 70% and the stool is in bead shape or very hard, it is a sign of constipation. If the water content is higher than 80% and the stool is semi-paste like or runny, it is a sign of diarrhoea.
Smell： Abnormal foul-smelling stools is an indicator of the intestinal health. A high-protein diet is a cause of foul-smelling stool. If there is indigestion in the intestines, stools would have a pungent acidic odour.
Bathroom time： A healthy bowel movement is usually complete within 5 to 10 minutes.