Tag: Health

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The Effectiveness Of Reiki

Based on an early 20th-century Japanese practice, Reiki is best described as spiritual healing. The term is typically not associated with hospitals or medicine, especially in America; however, more reputable facilities have been adopting and offering reiki programs in recent years.

As the skepticism wains, it is natural for patient questions to arise. Is Reiki effective? Is it real? While questions are abundant, the answers are few. Few, if any, peer-reviewed journals have offered studies of the practice, and any studies that do exist elsewhere focus on a patient's feelings rather than science-backed data.

If the science of Reiki cannot be proven, then why are hospitals permitting and suggesting reiki treatments to patients? In a nutshell, pain management is challenging and comes with its fair share of risks, primarily when narcotics are involved. Reiki offers an alternative to prescriptions that some might find compelling. Additionally, many patients find the combination of medications, therapy, and Reiki effective.

Lack of Evidence

There is no concrete proof that reiki works. However, when meditation and yoga became mainstream, there were few studies to prove their effectiveness.

While people might be concerned that a hospital is offering alternative medicine to patients, there is no mandate that they have to use it. The growing popularity and recognition of such programs suggest popularity and usefulness.

Unfortunately, popularity does not equate to tangible and measurable change. Many opponents to the acceptance of Reiki argue that any results are placebo, that patients are not experiencing any real benefit. However, proponents of the practice and its adoption into hospitals say that a positive response is effective enough.

Power of Positivity

While there is no significant evidence to support Reiki as a legitimate medical therapy, research and evidence support the claim that a positive attitude improves patient outcomes. Studies have proven that people who maintain a positive outlook about treatments, surgeries, or conditions typically experience fewer adverse side effects and pain, suggesting that psychology plays a role in treatment and outcome.

While Reiki might not have a swath of supportive evidence, patients express feeling better after a session. Don't patient feelings matter. As some medical experts expressed, there is no definitive way to measure pain, but doctors still believe patients when they say it, so why can't professionals accept that Reiki works for some people.

Is Reiki Right for You?

Unfortunately, because Reiki does not have much supportive evidence, it is up to you to decide if it is right for you or not. The best way to tell is to schedule a reiki appointment with a professional and certified practitioner. See how the visit goes. If you experience something positive, then it might be worth it for you.

Reiki is not for everyone, and there is little evidence to suggest it works. However, despite the lack of credible evidence, Reiki can still be an effective practice, especially when combined with other treatments.

What do you think about Reiki? Do you have experience with the practice?

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Staying Mobile Into Old Age

Mobility is something you need to maintain as you age. Failing to focus on your mobility and to take action to sustain it means increasing discomfort and limiting independence. While regaining mobility after significant losses is challenging, you can do it, and focusing on healthy habits before losing mobility can mean you reduce the amount of decline you experience.

Staying Active To Maintain Mobility

While there is little to be done to negate natural decline, there is a lot you can do to minimize the effects. Human biology is not designed for prolonged athleticism. Your body takes on a use-it-or-lose-it approach to function as you age, meaning you need to use it to prolong mobility.

One thing many seniors overestimate is how much physical activity is necessary to repair mobility or maintain it. Experts suggest that seniors receive at least 30 minutes of moderate activity per day, including walking. Additionally, you do not have to perform that 30 minutes consecutively. You can do 15 minutes in the morning and another 15 in the afternoon or evening.

The best way to fight decline is to avoid a sedentary lifestyle. Get outside and walk. Go to the grocery store. If you can, take a yoga class. Stay active to stay healthy.

Visiting Your Doctor Shouldn’t Become Optional

Many people hate going to the doctor; the feeling can stem from a fear or anxiety issue. Visiting your doctor is one of those things that you should want to do. Granted, many people have bad memories about hospitals and doctors’ offices, but in the grand scheme, a physician is there to help improve your health and prevent future problems.

People who routinely visit with their doctors experience less preventable health disorders because these problems are typically caught early. Additionally, from a mobility standpoint, your doctor can address mobility issues early, potentially slowing or preventing significant decline.

Additionally, if you have been living a sedentary life for many years, you should speak to your physician before starting any program. Getting into a fitness regimen that your body is not ready for can do more damage than good. So, talk to a professional about where you should be starting.

Balancing and Bodyweight Exercises Might Be the Best Options

As people age, their balance tends to fade. Many seniors get into life-threatening situations because they become off-balance and fall. While medical alert devices can help and do provide life-saving services, it is best to avoid falling altogether.

Balancing and bodyweight exercises can help seniors maintain mobility, control, and confidence in their movements. Yoga, Pilates, and other activities are excellent forms of low-impact exercises that help older individuals maintain flexibility and mobility.

Finding Support and Motivation

Exercise is a challenge for anyone at any age. The primary difficulty is committing to the activity, so finding support through groups, family, or friends is often the best motivation. If you do not have family close by to support your newfound life goals, consider looking into senior centers in your area, many will offer exercise classes and groups.

Maintaining your mobility as you age should be a priority, and it essentially comes down to remaining active and healthy. Keep in touch with your doctor, find local groups, and focus on mental and physical wellness.

What are your best tips for maintaining mobility as you age?

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6 Best Foods To Support Healthy Aging

We may not be able to stop aging, but what we can control is how we age. Eating a variety of delicious foods with essential vitamins, powerful antioxidants and good fats can support better health whether you’re 25 or 65. What are the best foods for feeling great at any age?

1. Carrots, Sweet Potatoes & Tomatoes: Smooth Skin

Carrots, sweet potatoes and tomatoes may all look different, but they have something important in common: antioxidant vitamins called carotenoids. These nutrients are essential for youthful skin.

Cooked or fresh, these colorful veggies help protect your skin against harmful UV rays and premature signs of aging skin. That way you don’t have as many wrinkles or “crow’s feet” around the eyes.

2. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO): Overall Health

When you think of Italy and other places in the Mediterranean, images of extra virgin olive oil drizzled over salads and pasta probably come to mind. It’s no surprise that the average life expectancy for many places in Europe is over 80 years.

Why is EVOO so good for aging in style? This delicious oil can lower your risk of countless health problems:

  • Heart disease
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Metabolic syndrome
  • Some cancers

Even doctors encourage people to eat lots of EVOO. It's rich in healthy fats that protect your heart.

3. Fatty Fish: A Happy Mind and Body

The people of Iceland also live a long time. The island's entire population has an average life span of about 82 years. Their diet probably plays a big part. Icelandic dishes feature a lot of fresh fish, veggies and wild berries.

Salmon, tuna, trout, sardines, herring and mackerel are more than tasty. They’re full of omega-3 fatty acids — healthy fats that help your heart, nervous system and other organs.

Omega-3s are phenomenal for fighting inflammation and stiffness. Including more fatty fish on the menu can even help your mood, chasing away depression and giving you feelings of calm.

4. Blueberries: Wrinkle Defense

Raspberries, blueberries, cranberries and other red berries have a high level of antioxidants for protecting your cells. These tangy berries support aging in a big way by slowing down the amount of collagen you lose over time. You can enjoy healthier, more elastic skin and stronger joints.

5. Papaya: A Healthy Gut

When your gut is happy, you’re happy. You feel more comfortable and get more benefits from the foods you eat. Take good care of your digestive system with fresh papaya.

This tropical fruit helps with gut troubles such as bloating, heartburn and constipation naturally. Just half a papaya has a whopping 30% of the total fiber you need in a day.

One special enzyme in papaya, called papain, is so good at alleviating stomach upset that it’s included in many over-the-counter products. You won’t believe how fast tummy inflammation goes away.

6. Red and Yellow Peppers: Sharp Eyesight

You probably already know that vitamin C is a super-vitamin for aging, but what you may not know are the best places to get it. Juicy citrus fruits are good sources of vitamin C, but red and yellow bell peppers have even more — over 150% of your daily needs!

When you get lots of vitamin C, it lowers your risk of cataracts and other age-related eye problems. You can take great care of those lovely peepers and enjoy tastier meals at the same time!

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The 5 Worst Ways To Start Your Day

How you feel in the morning has a huge impact on your mood the rest of the day. A relaxing morning makes it easier to stay positive during your workday. Feeling stressed or angry puts you on edge. Is your morning routine helping or hurting you? Here are five of the worst morning habits to avoid.

1. Checking Your Phone Right Away

Many people keep their phones next to their beds. When they wake up in the morning, the first thing they do is check text messages or respond to work emails. Unfortunately, flipping on your phone first thing is a great way to ruin perfectly good morning:

  • Anxiety: The second you go into “work mode,” stress starts to kick in. People who look at their phones right away in the morning have a lot more anxiety than those who don’t.
  • Negativity: Instead of the positive feelings of wellbeing you would normally have after waking up from a good night’s sleep, checking work messages turns on your inner critic. This negative voice makes you worry you’re not doing enough or something bad is going to happen.
  • Productivity problems: Believe it or not, reading work emails first thing can make you less productive, not more. It can distract you from important tasks with other things that aren’t that urgent.

Give yourself a break! Make your morning routine a phone-free zone. If there’s something truly urgent, co-workers or family members will call you anyway.

2. Skipping a Healthy Breakfast

You wouldn’t dream of driving your car to work on an empty tank of gas, right? That’s exactly what skipping breakfast is like for your body and mind. Breakfast kickstarts your metabolism.

Do you tend to feel drained of energy or sluggish all day? Do you have trouble concentrating? Those are signs you’re not getting enough fuel. A healthy breakfast with plenty of protein is the best pick-me-up!

3. Watching TV

If you work from home, you may be tempted to flip on the TV in the morning while you get ready. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a laugh to start your day, but the problem is that TV shows are purposely designed to take up at least 30–60 minutes of your time. Once you start, it’s hard to stop, and you can end up “watching” your entire morning disappear.

4. Hitting the Snooze Button

"Just five more minutes," you say. Your body doesn't understand what that means. Hitting the snooze button throws off your internal clock, your metabolism and your normal sleep routine. This makes you more sleepy than if you had just gotten up right away!

5. Getting Angry

It’s not always easy for moms and dads (or couples for that matter) to avoid little irritations in the morning. Kids can make a mess or your significant other can leave the toothpaste tube squashed the way you hate again. If possible, push those things out of mind until later.

Create an enjoyable family custom in the morning that everyone likes. It can be as simple as a hug and kiss before leaving, or sharing a cup of coffee.

A Healthy Morning Routine

Set aside time for yourself in the morning. It's worth investing 15 minutes for stretching your legs, eating breakfast, breathing fresh air and making someone smile. The benefits for the rest of your day are amazing.

How do you start your day off right? What makes you smile in the morning?

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5 Effective And Affordable Tools For Correcting Your Posture

Poor posture affects more than just your spinal function and comfort. Poor posture contributes to rounded belly, agitation, stress, anxiety and depression. It can also lead to long-term physical health issues, such as poor circulation, high blood pressure, joint dysfunction and more. For all these reasons and then some, it’s crucial that you invest in your posture sooner rather than later. Check out the top five most effective and affordable posture correcting tools on the market today.

1. Evoke Pro A300 Posture Corrector

This lightweight, breathable posture corrector is slim enough to wear under your clothing and comfortable enough to rock all day long. Designed to improve posture and provide pain relief, the Evoke Pro A300 realigns the spine and shoulders while you wear it. It boasts soft armpit pads and flexibility that lets you move freely while you’re wearing it. Priced for just under $25 on Amazon, and bosting a 3.5-star rating, this is a cheap but effective way to achieve better back support.

2. SOMAZ Adjustable Posture Corrector

The SOMAZ posture corrector fits more like a vest than anything else. Like the Evoke A300, it is lightweight and discreet enough to wear under your shirt while at work, home or out and about. Because it reaches from your clavicle down to the bottom of your spine, it offers full back support, which the designer says is more effective in achieving full posture correction. During use, the vest provides gentle back support while pulling the shoulders back, thereby providing correction for the duration of you wearing it. This design also has 3.5 stars and costs about $20 at Amazon.

3. Upright GO Posture Trainer and Corrector

Wouldn’t it be nice to constantly have someone remind you to sit up straight? Okay, probably not, but if that “someone” was a “something” — like, a tiny device attached to your back, the reminder may come off as less intrusive and more sincere. The Upright GO Posture Trainer, which now comes in a second version, is an electronic device that gives you a small little reminder to sit up straight when you slouch. Though the reminder is just a small vibration, it’s enough to train the mind and body to work together to correct your posture throughout the day. You can also track your progress through an app, which helps you gain awareness of what you’re doing wrong as well as what you need to do to correct it.

The device is slightly pricier than the first two, at $80. However, it has earned a solid four stars from its users.

4. FlexGuard Support Back Brace Posture Corrector

If you already experience back pain as a result of your poor posture, try this back support/posture corrector combination. Though it is more noticeable than the other options, it prevents slumping shoulders and curbs back pain all while training your back to sit straight. Also, because it forces you to let your spine support your body, it relieves the stress that your muscles have taken on as a result of your slumping. You can find this model for just $25 on Amazon, where it boasts four full stars from nearly 12,000 customers.

5. BetterCo BetterBack

A Shark Tank innovation, the BetterBack from BetterCo has thousands of five stars reviews from very satisfied customers. Lightweight and portable, this particular posture corrector was designed to correct poor posture that stems from the lower back. It also eases the lower back pain that occurs as a result of your slouching. Users claim that by wearing it for just 15 minutes a day goes a long way toward correcting their posture for good. You can get it at GetBetterBack.com for just $49.99, plus free shipping. If you’re not convinced after 60 days that it’s the right device for you, you can return it hassle-free.

An investment in your posture is an investment in your whole body health and future. Spend a little today for the right device and save on more costly back treatments in the years to come.

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The Benefits Of Pilates For Seniors

I feel like I maintain my health pretty well for a gal of my age, but lately, I’ve been discovering that the workouts I used to do are a little too … vigorous for me. All that jumping around I used to do is no longer possible (unless I want to risk breaking a hip or dislocating a knee).

At first, I was a little disappointed that I couldn’t do my favorite high-impact exercise routines anymore. I was under the impression that without jumping around like a maniac, I wouldn’t be able to achieve a high calorie burn. Boy was I ever wrong! I’ve discovered a new workout that gets my sweat dripping without my feet ever leaving the ground at the same time. It’s called Pilates.

I know, I know, Pilates is nothing new. But it’s one of those classic workouts that many of us have abandoned because we somehow thought it was old-fashioned or less effective than doing 50 burpees within a 10-minute time span. Thankfully, I have rediscovered why Pilates is so great and so effective for those of us with “advanced age.” Here are some of the top benefits of Pilates for seniors.

It Increases Flexibility and Strength

Try bending down and touching your toes. If this is hard for you to do, or if you only get as far as your knees, you could benefit from Pilates. With an emphasis on controlled movements and small ranges of motion, Pilates is very effective at increasing flexibility while also boosting your strength.

It Improves Mobility

Mobility is a little bit different from flexibility. Mobility primarily involves the major joints you use to get around and perform everyday actions. If you’re anything like me, you probably feel a little stiff in the hips, back, and knees.

Unfortunately, when you’re struggling with mobility, the tendency is to want to restrict your movements as much as possible because it hurts to move. But being sedentary will only make mobility issues worse. Pilates, on the other hand, gently guides your body through a variety of movements that can help improve mobility and get blood flow to key joints that might otherwise remain stiff.

It Is Gentle and Easy to Modify

Unlike high-impact workouts or HIIT routines, Pilates is gentle on the body and won’t tax your joints. It’s also easy to modify Pilates movements to fit your unique fitness and flexibility levels. One of the things I love most about Pilates is that it has virtually no impact. It’s also appropriate for individuals with high blood pressure, diabetes, osteoporosis and other conditions commonly experienced by seniors.

It Helps Prevents Falls

If you’re prone to falling, don’t underestimate the importance of a good Pilates routine. Pilates improves core strength, posture, and balance so you’re less likely to fall. It can also strengthen the core and legs so you’re steadier on your feet and have the muscular strength to hold yourself upright.

It Makes You Feel Good!

One of my favorite Pilates benefits is the way I feel after a workout. Once I learned that exercise doesn’t have to be painful, it became much easier for me to stay active and maintain my physical health into my senior years. Exercising releases feel-good hormones, including endorphins that give us energy and help us avoid depression and mood swings.

If you aren’t yet convinced that Pilates is right for you, give it a try! You have nothing to lose and a new favorite workout to gain. Try finding a Pilates class at a gym near you or simply turn on your TV and find a Pilates class on YouTube that you can complete in the comfort of your own home. Your body will thank you!

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Understanding Moxa, Moxibustion, And Acupuncture, And The Potential Combination For Greater Relief

Moxibustion and acupuncture are two traditional Chinese methods for the treatment of pain and other symptoms. Deciding on the potential benefits of either treatment relies on your understanding of each.

What Is Moxa?

Moxa is made from ground mugwort leaves — a common weed or perennial plant native to Europe, Asia, and Africa; However, it can be found growing naturally in other parts of the world. The ground leaves are then pressed, shaped, and solidified into a cone or stick shape for burning or moxibustion.

According to Daoist traditions and practitioners of Chinese medicine, moxibustion — the burning of moxa near the body’s qi and meridians — can help with chronic pain relief and even digestive issues. The idea is based on the same qi circulation methods as acupuncture, but moxibustion can be used alone or as an aid to the practice.

Moxibustion in Practice

There are two primary methods for using moxa: direct and indirect contact. Direct contact involves placing the moxa directly on a treatment point and lighting the cone, allowing it to burn slowly towards your skin. The practitioner will remove the moxa before it burns your flesh.

Additionally, in combination with acupuncture, a practitioner can place the moxa directly over the acupuncture needle. Performing moxibustion in this way supposedly improves the effectiveness of the acupuncture by permitting the heat to transfer through the needle and closer to the body’s energy meridians.

Indirect moxibustion is arguably safer because your skin never comes into direct contact with the moxa. Instead, the practitioner holds the moxa about an inch from the skin, removing it when the flesh turns warm and red. A practitioner might also place the moxa on a treatment point, but they will use a salt or garlic barrier layer to protect the skin.

Understanding Acupuncture

Like moxibustion, acupuncture focuses on the alignment and unification of qi and energy meridians within the body, but it does not rely on heat. Acupuncture uses the specific placement of thin needles into the body. It is also traditional Chinese medicine, and it is primarily used for pain and stress management.

The acupuncturist will insert between five and 20 needles in a single session. These needles are placed at different depths. You may feel minor discomfort, but most patients do not feel anything when the needles are inserted.

Once the needles are placed, the acupuncturist might manipulate each to affect the qi better. The needles can be manipulated in several ways, including moxibustion.

Should You Use Moxibustion or Acupuncture or a Combination?

Neither moxibustion nor acupuncture has significant research backing up claims of the treatments. In fact, some studies suggest patients that simulated acupuncture works just as well as the real thing. Other research advises that acupuncture works best for those who believe it will work, suggesting a psychological link to any perceived benefits.

Ultimately, whether to use acupuncture, moxibustion, or some combination of the two is a personal choice. If you believe the therapy has practical benefits, schedule an appointment with an experienced acupuncturist. If you are skeptical, it might be best to seek treatment elsewhere. In either case, you should discuss any pain or potential treatment options with your doctor before committing to an appointment.

What are your thoughts and feelings on moxa and acupuncture? Do you believe it is a fair treatment for chronic pain conditions?

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The Possible Causes of Premature Graying

Many men and women stress finding gray hairs; they assume it is a sign of poor health or aging. When the gray starts to appear earlier than expected, it can throw people into an absolute panic but is that the appropriate response. 

There are many reasons your hair might turn gray “prematurely,” but more often than not, it is a natural progression, with several professionals suggesting that by the time you turn 50, half your hair is gray. Obviously, those opinions are not all-inclusive, but they point to an interesting factor: going gray is normal, even predictable, so why do people fear it instead of embracing it. Whether out of existential dread or concerns about public perception, going gray prematurely is likely the result of one or a combination of factors.

1. Genetics

Genetics plays a significant role in when and how your hair will turn gray. Look into your family history; when did your mother’s or father’s hair turn gray? What about siblings, cousins, aunts, or uncles? If most people in your family have turned gray early, the odds are that your hair will follow suit. However, there is a chance that your risk of inheriting premature gray hair is unlikely, in which case, there might be another culprit.

2. Lifestyle

What is your lifestyle like? Are you sedentary or active? Do you have a fulfilling personal life? Your lifestyle can affect your hair, but to what extent is still unknown. While people have speculated for years that stress plays a significant role in premature graying, there is little to no evidence corroborating the assumption.

3. Diet

Diet can be a crucial player in when your hair turns gray and even how healthy it is. Your hair depends on several cellular and biological processes that, in turn, depend on several vital nutrients. If you are not getting enough nutritional value from your food, you may see adverse effects on your hair. For instance, vitamins B-12, A, C, D, and E are essential to hair health. If you are deficient in any of these nutrients, you can experience hair loss or other signs of premature aging, like graying hair.

4. Smoking

One of the worst things you can do for hair health is smoke. Unlike stress, smoking has been proven to have a connection to graying hair, especially among those 30 and younger. If you are concerned with premature graying, avoid smoking cigarettes and avoid secondhand smoke inhalation.

5. Medical Condition

While not the most likely cause of early graying, certain medical conditions can lead to the development of gray hair. Pituitary and thyroid gland problems are two conditions that might be connected to graying hair, but it should be noted that such results are incredibly rare. 

Premature graying is most often a result of genetics, but depending on your lifestyle, diet, and habits, the aging or transformation of your hair might be reversible. However, if genetic or permanent, do not assume you need to cover it up. Gray hair is a natural part of aging and is nothing to be ashamed of or embarrassed about. 

Do you fear gray hair, or do you embrace the change?

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6 Amazing Places On Your Body That Can Relieve Stress

According to traditional Chinese medicine, certain pressure points help restore balance to the body's natural energy flow. In the West, health professionals think that these points may alleviate muscle tension and tell your brain to release endorphins, natural feel-good hormones that help with pain and stress. Here's how to find them.

1. Your Temples (Taiyang)

Many people automatically massage their temples when their head throbs. This point is also used in alternative medicine for helping with anxiety and relieving tension headaches.

Press your index and middle finger gently against one of your temples. Slowly breathe in and out while rubbing this point in a circular direction for 10–15 seconds. At the end, hold your fingers in the center of the temples for a minute and slowly release.

2. The Middle of Your Chest (Shanzhong)

This stress-relieving point is in the middle of your sternum, or breastbone. Both men and women can find it by tracing a line directly from the nipples to the center of the chest.

Use three fingers to press and hold this point. Use firm-but-gentle pressure, taking care not to bruise. Hold this point for three minutes and breathe deeply the whole time.

3. Your Foot Arch (Yong Quan)

In traditional Chinese medicine, this point is called Bubbling Spring. It’s in the middle of the sole of your foot, near the base of your big toe. Put your thumb right where the foot arch begins, about one-third down from the toes and two-thirds of the way up from your heel.

Apply firm pressure and gently move your thumb in a circular motion. This point is believed to provide calming effects and help with blurry vision and dizziness.

4. Between Your Eyebrows (Yintang)

Finding this point is easier if you look in the mirror. It’s located directly between your two eyebrows. Hold this point or massage in a circular motion for 3–5 minutes.

Yintang can calm you down when you’re feeling irritable or worried. It’s also commonly used to help with pain.

5. Your Forearm (Neiguan)

This is one of the most used pressure points for stress. It’s located on your forearm, on the outside of the wrist. Measure about three finger widths from your wrist, tracing a point down from the largest tendon. Neiguan is between the two large tendons.

Gently breathe and hold this pressure point with your thumb for several minutes. Take 10 deep breaths as you move your thumb in a circular motion. This pressure point is easy for anyone to master (it’s one of my favorites), so don’t be surprised if you use it a lot.

6. Between the Thumb and Index Finger (Hegu)

Another easy pressure point to master, Hegu is one many people have heard of but get wrong. You can find it in the webbing between your thumb and forefinger, but to get relief you need to reach a little further down, to the point right in front of where you feel the bones meet. Hold this point for three minutes.

The best way to find out which pressure points help you personally is to try them! It only takes about 10 minutes and you can keep track of the ones that give you the most stress relief. To boost the effect, give these points a gentle massage while listening to calming music or relaxing with positive scents.

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What Your Poop Is Trying To Tell You

There’s virtually no way to have a conversation about poop that isn’t awkward, embarrassing or downright difficult. We all go, but most people — most adults, that is — don’t like to talk about it. The thing is, your poop can offer a wealth of useful information about your health.

What the Color of Your Poop Means

If your stool is brown, that’s a good thing. If it’s brown with just a hint of green, that’s a sign that all is well, too. If your poop scoots further along the spectrum, though, it may denote trouble.

Green

Green poop isn’t necessarily worrisome, but it does mean that food is zipping through your digestive system too quickly. Green stool may also be the result of eating certain foods, especially dark, leafy greens that are high in chlorophyll, such as spinach and kale.

Yellow

If your stool is yellow, it may mean its fat content is too high. It could also be symptomatic of celiac disease or an inability to absorb nutrients properly.

White

Poop that’s white, pale or resembles clay in color is often the sign of a blocked bile duct.

Black

Things start getting more serious if your stool is black in color. While it could just be the result of iron supplements or eating black licorice, it could also point to a bleed in the upper part of your intestinal tract.

Red

Like black stool, red stool may indicate bleeding, only this time it originates from the lower intestine. It could also mean hemorrhoids or simply that you dined on beets, Gatorade or other red food and drink recently.

What the Shape of Your Poop Means

Your stool’s shape is just as revealing as its color, if not more so. In fact, it’s so informative that there’s a scientific scale for it called the Bristol Stool Scale. It identifies seven stool types:

Type 1: Hard Pellets

Small, hard pellets that are difficult to pass mean you’re probably constipated, but it should pass soon (no pun intended.) If you’re still blocked up after several days, however, it's important that you talk to your doctor.

Type 2: Lumpy Logs

This also means you’re constipated. Once again, your discomfort shouldn’t last long, but you can help speed things up by snacking on fiber-rich foods and drinking plenty of water.

Type 3: Cracked Logs

Despite the unappealing description, this is one of the two types of “perfect” poop you want. It should be soft, easy to pass and roughly 2 inches long.

Type 4: Smooth Logs

Stool that is easy to eliminate and resembles a snake or a hot dog is also normal.

Type 5: Soft Pellets

Small, soft pellets that are quick and painless to pass often suggest you need to add more fiber to your diet.

Type 6: Mushy Blobs

If your stool is super-soft and disjointed with jagged edges, it usually means mild diarrhea. Be sure to hydrate to replace lost fluids.

Type 7: Watery Nightmare

You have the runs, a.k.a. diarrhea. This happens when stool races through your digestive tract so rapidly that it never has the chance to form into a solid.

What It Means If Your Stool Floats

Stool that floats typically means one of two things: First, it may mean that it’s high in gas or water content, making it light enough to bob on the surface. Second, it could suggest that your body’s not absorbing nutrients well. Malabsorption like this is usually accompanied by constipation.

If watching your preschool grandchildren play a 14-hour soccer game sounds preferable to talking to your doctor about your bowel movements, you’re not alone. You also need to steel your nerves and have that talk. Stool that’s suspect is almost always trying to tell you something important about your health, and having a tête-à-tête about poop is just another part of the job for your physician.