?6 Signs You Should See A Poop Doctor ASAP

It’s a simple fact of life: Everybody poops. And, while it’s unlikely that you discuss your BMs on the regular with your bestie, you probably give your poop a pretty decent once-over every time you go.

There’s no shame in that game. Your poop can give you clues on your overall health, and will let you know when something is off. “Our bowel movements are the result of so many processes in the body,” says Ashkan Farhadi, M.D., a gastroenterologist at Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center and director of MemorialCare Medical Group’s Digestive Disease Project in Fountain Valley, California. Basically, if something is out of whack in your body, there’s a decent chance your poop is going to tell you about it.

(Learn how bone broth can help you lose weight with Women’s Health’s Bone Broth Diet.)

Of course, it’s normal to venture away from your usual poos here and there due to something you ate or being sick, but it’s time to call your doctor if you spot the following signs.