Sounds like things are going pretty well in the poop department! Brown sausage-like poops that are easy to pass, don’t hurt, and don’t come along with mucus or blood are healthy poops. While some people poop daily, it’s also normal to go three or so times a week.

However, it’s still important to know about the poop signs that can mean something might be off. It might feel weird, but make it a habit to check your poop. Make sure it looks typical for you, and note if there’s any undigested food, mucus, or blood. Also pay attention to how the process feels—are you having discomfort or pain? Straining? Feeling like you’re not done? Those are all things to pay attention to!

This quiz is not meant to be a diagnostic tool or replace the support of a credentialed health professional, such as your primary care provider.

Your poop might be trying to give you some hints that something’s off. While it can be normal to notice undigested food in your stool sometimes (oh, hello, corn!), if it happens often, it can be a sign that stool is moving through your GI tract too fast and you may not be absorbing all the nutrients you need. Similarly, floating poop may be indicative of a dietary issue, like gas or problems absorbing fat.

Super smelly poop that’s not the usual brown color, more of a yellow/orange hue, can also be a sign that your GI tract is not functioning optimally. It’s not just your gut, though; problems with your gallbladder and pancreas can also affect your poop.

Having the occasional bout of constipation can be normal, too, especially if you’ve changed your diet or run into some stress. A new medication can also be the culprit. But if it becomes a pattern, chronic constipation is definitely something to bring up to your provider.

You should also keep an eye out for red flags like blood in your stool. That’s always a reason to get in touch with your provider, even if you’re not having other symptoms.

This quiz is not meant to be a diagnostic tool or replace the support of a credentialed health professional, such as your primary care provider.

As the color suggests, bloody poop can be a “red flag” that you definitely want to talk to your provider about. Painful pooping, going a lot more or less than usual, and struggling to have pain-free bowel movements are also things to bring up with your provider. Issues like constipation can often be fixed with lifestyle changes and medications.

But changes in bowel habits can also be signs that something else is going on in your body that needs the attention of a healthcare professional. For example, discolored or sticky poop can sometimes point to problems with absorbing nutrients or issues with organs like your gallbladder and pancreas.

This quiz is not meant to be a diagnostic tool or replace the support of a credentialed health professional, such as your primary care provider.