Does your ... float or sink?

L

lachicajen

Active Member
I'm taking a chance with this. And yes I have nothing better to do this morning unless I want to look outside and look at all the snow we got today after a few warm and sunny days that promise that spring was almost here. Here it goes.
I heard long time ago in a tv program that if you are eating too much fat your poop will float and that if you don't eat too much fat it will sink. Well I have to be honest, I noticed that since I heard this (like years ago) I have been checking my poop (not for the size, LOL) but to check if it sinks or not. Glad to say it sinks (not stink!...that will be in another thread). But let me share with you that when I have a milkshake from McDonald's or Dairy Queen is floating alright.Wouldn't it be nice if we can just determine our fat intake just by looking at the toilet bowl. Would love to hear your stories about your poop (not the size or smell) only if it floats or sinks. Now let's not all run to the bathroom all at once to check okay :7

Jenny
 
OK....this is a really weird question. Why do you even care about whether or not someone ELSE'S poo floats or sinks???
 
If it was too weird they would not have discussed it in a tv program. I'm not asking for a sample x( This is about your fat intake and how it shows in your poop.

Jenny
 
Oh my gosh Jen! That is too funny. I have never heard that and I am not sure if I should share this or not, but mine sinks! Woo-Hooo! How in the world did they do testing to prove that??? Not sure I want to know. Tee-Hee!
Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH (AKA "Den Mother Debbie")http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/wavey.gif[/img] If You Get The Choice To Sit It Out Or Dance...I Hope You DANCE!!!
 
Okay, Jen, in the interest of good health and science I won't leave you alone on this one;-).

I have read actually, that it is better that it floats...can't exactly remember why right now. Yes, diet does have an affect on this...uh..floating vs. sinking.

I'm just tickled pink if I can get things moving before I take a long run....:7 if you know what I mean. deb
 
I heard that this is actually a measure of how much fiber is in your diet. Floaters = more fiber; sinkers = not enough fiber. However, I've noticed that even when I eat a lot of fiber, I still get some stinker sinkers. (I couldn't resist on that one - sorry) :eek:
 
OK first I was sad, now I'm happy! Strange how one innocent little thread can incur two different reactions in the same day!

Trish
 
:) :) LOL!! Catwoman that was hilarious. Do you think the subject should of being..."Does your...is a stinker floater or a stinker sinker"? Hehehe hahaha LOL }(

I knew we would all learn something when I posted this. I guess I'm not eating enough fiber :-( . In that show they said that the fat made it float. I guess I will have to check when I eat something fatty and when I eat something with fiber. I will let you know how it goes. :D

Jenny
 
If you eat too much fiber and don't increase the water intake as well you will get constipated, no sinkee-no floatee.
Dave
 
Dave, that's funny.:7

I do notice that when I eat a lot of oatmeal (2-3 servings in one day), it floats. I also think the water part is true... you have drink a lot of water when you eat a lot of fiber. Makes me bloated though. But it passes more easily in the morning. Otherwise, I'm constipated and grumpy.

Shutting up now.:)

Pinky
 
This is a gross subject, but what the heck? Mine has always sunk. I'd be interested to see what the level of fat would be for "too much fat", because I've definitely had days where I've had a lot of fat, but I've never had that kind of problem with the floating. Actually, if I've had a meal with a lot of fat - the problem is more with solidity.

And yes...I take a fiber supplement, and if I'm not drinking the obligatory 8 glasses of water a day, I still get constipated.
 
Weird. I did a search and some experts say it should float and other it should sink and they mentioned reasons that make sense. Now I don't know which one is best or if it really matters. For all the grossed out people I have to add that colon health (although unfortunately still considered a taboo topic) is very important. I don't know if it's better to have your poop float or sink but I do know for sure that having blood in your stools is bad. So even though some people get grossed out we have to check our stools sometimes. Regardless of whether yours floats or sinks it is very important to drink lots of water and eat tons of fiber.
 
hi Jenny,

Well that is sort of true, but also to be a really healty person you should be going 3 times a day and it should float each time. As fruit and veggies the by-products should be light and not heavy. And protein will make it sink as well. Remember this is the by-products of the body, and stuff it's already used up to where there is no use. Or stuff it just tossed out. So to actually be able to measure fat content, won't really work.

Also milkshakes help you go, and are actually a good stool softener. So you really have a lot of pieces to a puzzle and they are all going different directions. As at the hosptial I do research at, even orders there constipated paticents milkshakes to help get the system moveing.

But yes the more protein you eat and either use to toss out the heavier your waste will be. The less protein the lighter, it will be in general. So if it's really sinking, you may actually be eating too much protein. And not enough fruit and veggies.

I remember back in college we actually had to document our poop for 2 weeks along with everything we ate, so we could determine how our bodies processed food, and what our poop looked like when we ate healthy and we we didn't and when we ate too much of this or that. It was a gross but interesting project.

And one thing I have learned if you go with natural healing, the first thing the make sure is you are going for every 2 meals you eat, and it floats as if it doesn't they consider you are spending too much energy breaking stuff down and need to fix that so your have more energy during the day. I study natural healing, and I did find that when you do go 3 times a day and it floats, I had a heck of a lot more energy. I just have a hard time being that *healthy*. I just don't have the time. You may want to talk to a natual pathologist about this, you'll find a lot of what I outline but in more deeper detail and they can tell you everything you really didn't know and probably didn't want to know on the subject. But they can tell you what foods do what and why this is good or that is good and how it gives you more energy, as your body isn't working so hard to break everything down, it's in a more simple form so there is less waste in general and the waste that is there is much lighter, and so on.

I believe that you brought up a question that can go a deep as you want to go, as there many ways to look and find out info about this. As well as different beliefs.

Kit
 
OMG! this is halarious! and also very educational! i can't believe there are studies on this! i'll have to apy more attention before i can comment on my sinkage v. floatage:)


jes
 
Kit,
I disagree. A healthy person doesn't go 3x a day. It depends on your body. You could be an extremely healthy person and go only once a day. It doesn't mean you're not healthy. Also, sometimes genetics are involved on how much you poop.

From what I've heard, floaties are better than sinkers. I don't know why. Whenever I eat A LOT of fiber, mine floats. If you have a pencil thin poop and have had that for more than 2 weeks, it's usually a sign of colon cancer or polyps.

This subject is really cracking me up. I don't even know why it's a taboo to talk about colon health and I don't know why people say it's not ladylike to fart either! That's why I'm friends with quite a few people in the medical field...Makes it easier to talk about bodies.

Lisa
 
I have no idea although I cn tell you about my son since he has flusing issues. As for delicate sensibilities, my mother is 82 and BM's in general are often a topic of conversation. I'll have to get back to you though. He he! I agree with Lisa and there's a name for it. Transit time varies. Some people do not have daily movements and are quite healthy. Caffeine and even a meal can trigger the colon. I remember when my kids were suckling babes and how delighted we were that it was coming and going at the same time. Awww! :D As with anything, normal varies.
 
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