Stool or feces is the final waste product produced by the digestive system. Usually stool comes from the rest of digestion from substances that are no longer useful for the body, such as food, bacteria, drinks, and others. 

Some people have different bowel or bowel habits. There are some of them who every day at certain hours "must" defecate. There are also those who do not have a special schedule for defecation. 

Apart from these two types of habits, how should normal bowel movements actually be?

When is the Best Time to Poop? 

Defecation may be one of the routines that everyone needs to do. Because defecation or defecation is a process to remove dirt from our digestive system. Of course it will cause problems if we can't defecate or our defecation cycle doesn't run smoothly. 

There are two types of people who have different bowel habits. There are those who have regular hours for defecation, every day they have to defecate. Conversely, there are also those who do not have a routine schedule for defecation, such as twice a week or something else. 

Actually, when is the best time to poop? 

According to Dr. Kenneth Koch, the best time for us to poop is right after waking up in the morning. During sleep, our small intestine and large intestine are processing the food we consume every day. So, in the morning the leftovers are ready to be thrown away. 

Approximately 30 minutes after waking up, we will usually feel the urge to defecate. You can help push the stool out by stretching or drinking coffee right after you wake up. 

Basically, your bowel movement will be able to run regularly if it remains consistent. Because the intestines will like routine, so we can defecate at the same time every day. 

Normal Pooping Frequency

As we know that defecation is one of the activities to remove substances that are not needed by the body. Normally, each person will pass stool weighing 28 grams per 5 kilograms of body weight. But basically everyone has a different frequency of bowel movements depending on the amount of food consumed and the physical activity you do. 

People who have a habit of eating fibrous foods will have more frequent bowel movements than those who rarely eat these foods. In addition, people who tend to be diligent in exercising will generally have regular bowel movements. That's because, people who are diligent in exercising will trigger the movement of muscles in the intestines which will excrete feces. 

Someone who has a regular bowel movement schedule tends to have a normal form of stool. Then what is the shape and color of normal feces? 

Normal Stool Characteristics 

There are several ways you can see whether a person's body condition is healthy or not, from their physical condition to the texture, color, and smell of feces. 

You can find out whether your body is in good health or not through the following stool characteristics. 

1. Brown in Color 
   One of the characteristics of your healthy body is brownish feces. The brown color comes from a pigment called bilirubin. Bilirubin itself is a normally formed substance that is produced from the process of breaking down red blood cells in the body. 

2. Soft Texture 
   The second feature is its soft texture. Generally, normal stool will be oval in shape like a sausage, because it resembles the shape of the intestine. In addition, feces that have the form of small grains can also indicate a normal body condition. 

3. Normal Smell 
   Feces will certainly give off an unpleasant odor. This odor is usually produced from the formation of gas by bacteria in the intestine. And stool that has a normal odor (not pungent) indicates healthy and normal stool. 

4. No Pain While Pooping
   The hallmark of a healthy bowel movement is not feeling pain during bowel movements. Due to a good digestive system, it will make feces easily excreted. Conversely, if you feel pain during bowel movements, it can be a sign that you have digestive disorders or hemorrhoids. 

Know Your Stool Color 

Apart from the characteristics above, you can also recognize the condition of your stool from the color of the stool it produces. Here are some meanings of stool color that you need to know. 

1. Yellow 
   If the stool you produce is bright yellow, then that indicates too much fat stool. This condition is known as steatorrhea. Usually this condition is caused by impaired absorption of digestive enzyme production. 

2. Orange 
   Generally, orange stool color is caused because you consume foods that contain beta-carotene, such as carrots, oranges, and sweet potatoes.
   
   Not only that, orange stool color can also indicate a problem with the bile duct, consuming antacids that contain aluminum hydroxide. 

3. Black 
   You need to mark black stool, because black stools can indicate bleeding in the upper digestive tract. Where blood will move from the upper digestive tract to the anus and lasts quite a long time. This makes it undergo oxidation first. 

4. Gray 
   If the color of your stool is gray, it indicates you have digestive problems, namely in the liver or bile system. Bile that cannot flow smoothly usually occurs due to a tumor or stone that blocks the bile duct. 

5. Green 
   Green stool color usually indicates a person is consuming large amounts of vegetables. In addition, the color of green stool can also indicate you are experiencing diarrhea. That's because intake is processed by the intestine faster than usual. 

Those are some of the characteristics of normal feces. If you experience problems with your defecation process, you should immediately consult a doctor. Never take

digestive problems lightly. Because basically the digestive system indicates how healthy our body is. 

References: 

https://hellosehat.com/pencernaan/konstipasi/pagi-hari-waktu-buang-air-besar/ https://hellosehat.com/pencernaan/bab-normal/ 

https://nutrivenutrition.com/artikel/ciri-ciri-feses-normal-yang-menandakan-pencerna an-anda-sehat 

https://hellosehat.com/pencernaan/bentuk-dan-warna-feses/