Most people poo on average anywhere between three times a day to three times a week. It is a necessary bodily function to help expel any undigested food and other waste products.
While it is a regular occurrence, not every poo will be the same. It can appear different in colour and consistency for a range of reasons.
For this reason, experts advise it is worth checking your excrement before flushing, with some changes potentially signalling something dangerous.
However, there is one type of poo that could indicate you are extremely healthy.
Speaking on TikTok, naturopathic doctor Dr Janine Bowring explained more about a phenomenon known as “ghost poops”.
“If you have this type of poop, you may just be the healthiest person on the planet and it is the ghost poop,” she told her more than 900,000 followers.
“The poop that you look in the toilet and you’re like, ‘I’m sure I pooped’ but it’s gone.”
As the name suggests a ghost poop is one that disappears down the toilet, and when you use toilet paper it comes back clean immediately.
One commenter asked Dr Borwing to clarify and she replied, “It takes itself down the pipe”.
According to Dr Bowring this has a lot to do with diet.
Foods that will cause this include plenty of fibre and fatty acids, like omega-3s.
She continued: “Because you probably have enough fibre. You even wipe and you’re like, ‘I thought I pooped, I don’t see anything’.
“It’s because you’ve got that fibre. You’ve got enough of those essential fatty acids.”
She added: “Your circadian rhythms are in tune with nature, with a light and dark cycle of the day.”
Overall, the consistency and colour of your poo can vary depending on diet, hydration, and health status.
If it is unusually hard or runny this could mean you need to make changes to what you eat, or that there is an underlying issue.
Poo should be medium to dark brown in colour. If you notice your poo is red or black this could mean you have blood in your- stools, which should prompt a visit to your doctor.