Do You Know Why You Urinate and Have Bowel Movements?

Health Tip - Urination and Bowel Movements

Why is Daily Body Waste (urine and fecal matter) Release Important?

What is Urination? 

The process of releasing Urine from the body.

What is Urine?
Urine is a typical sterile liquid by-product of the body secreted by the kidneys through a process called urination and excreted through the urethra.

Most people don't realize that Urine is valuable and we could not survive if we did not produce it and eliminate it daily.

                   Male        

                                    Female

Urine is primarily water and it contains an assortment of inorganic salts and organic compounds, including proteins, hormones, and a wide range of metabolites, varying by what is introduced into the body.

Normal/healthy Urine color can range from colorless to amber but usually a pale yellow.

The average amount of urine excreted in a 24 hour period is between 5 to 8 cups or 40-60 ounces.

Urine is composed of water, certain electrolytes and various waste products that are filtered out of the blood system.

               

Urine color is important and can be a sign of something serious going on in your body:

• Colorless urine indicates over-hydration;
• Dark yellow urine is often indicative of dehydration;
• Yellowing/light orange urine may be caused by removal of excess B vitamins from the blood stream;
• Orange urine may be caused by certain medications (rifampin or phenazopyridine);
• Dark orange to brown can be a symptom of jaundice, rhabdomyolysis or Gilberts syndrome (liver disease);
• Black or dark-colored urine is referred to as melanuria and maybe caused by a melanoma;
• Pinkest urine can result from the consumption of beets;
• Greenish urine can result from the consumption of asparagus;
• Reddish or brown urine may be caused by porphyria (a nervous system disorder).

Urine odor can reflect what has been consumed.

                                                      

 What is Fecal Matter (feces)?

Fecal Matter or Feces (fe sez) is the matter discharged from the bowel during defecation, consisting of the undigested residue of food, epithelium, intestinal mucas, bacteria, and waste material.

The Bowel Movement Process

 It takes about 12-24 hours for consumption of food to pass through the digestive system.

This means you should be having 1-2 bowel movements per day.

                       

Bowel movements (feces)

Everyone need to evacuate/release at least once a day

What color should it be?

Light or dark brown is normal

Red is not normal an indication that blood may be present

Black or light pale indicates a serious condition

What shape or size should it be?

Soft and flexible, good texture, volume and weight and can passed easily. The size of a quarter or silver dollar 

What length should be?

 4-7  (8-12 ) inches 

A healthy person should have between 1-3 Bowel movements everyday.

If you average less over 24 hours between bowl movements, then toxic residues from undigested foods can start to build up in your colon and cause serious problems.  



A Bowel movement once every other day, once a week or straining is not healthy and a sign of clinical constipation.

For more information see our Health tip on "Constipation Solutions" June, 12, 2012. 

    

You can fix the problem by eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fiber rich foods, increase water, an exercises (movement). 

Remember!
Your health can be maintain by the daily release of waste (urine and feces) if not there is an increased risk for the development of chronic disease.

Information is Power!
Assess your body today

For more information go to www.WebMd.com, www.ask.com, www.nsbri.org, www , www.livestrong.com, or www.ndhealthfacts.org


 Live well

Doc V