How to tell if your poo is normal and the 5 warning signs you shouldn't ignore | Dr Trisha Pasricha
ZOE Science & Nutrition
Gut signals up to the brain via the vagus
Dr. Pasricha highlights that most vagal signaling travels gut-to-brain and introduces the enteric nervous system.
Most people think you need to poo every day to be healthy. You don’t. In this episode, we explain how to tell if your poo is normal, the warning signs you shouldn’t ignore, and the gut mistake you may be making on the toilet every day.
Dr Trisha Pasricha, a leading Harvard gastroenterologist, a columnist for the Washington Post and author of the book You’ve Been Pooping All Wrong, explains how your poo, gut health, and disease risk are linked, and when you should see a doctor.
Dr Pasricha guides us through why frequency, colour, and consistency all matter, and why there is no single “normal.” You’ll learn how to spot changes that could signal disease, including early warning signs linked to cancer and long-term brain health.
You’ll hear simple advice you can use straight away. This includes how to recognise your normal pattern, what changes to look out for, and how to avoid the common toilet habit that may affect your gut.
Are you looking at your poo every day? And, if not, what might you notice if you did?
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Timecodes
00:00 Intro
03:11 Your phone on the toilet: hidden risk?
07:26 Your colon runs on a clock
10:40 The illness that changed his gut for years
13:05 Why you should look before you flush
15:25 The poo colours you should never ignore
16:25 Why this sign is rising in younger adults
18:15 The stool colour doctors treat as urgent
19:27 What “perfect” poo actually looks like
21:05 What holding it in really does
23:05 The 3 things that control your bowel movements
25:35 Why gut problems are getting worse
26:43 The posture fix most people miss
27:35 The phone habit linked to 46% higher risk
29:47 Why your phone keeps you stuck there
32:35 The hidden gut–brain connection
34:50 What stress really does to your gut
36:50 Your gut may be controlling more than you think
38:50 Is IBS really misunderstood?
41:05 The theory that changes how we see Parkinson’s
44:15 The gut damage linked to future brain disease
47:45 The simple rule for better bowel movements
49:00 The foods that changed gut health in weeks
50:22 The surprising fix for constipation
52:05 The 2 habits most people ignore
54:31 A 60-second trick to calm your gut
55:30 If you change one thing, make it this
56:10 What matters most
📚Books by our ZOE Scientists
Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati
Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector
Good Mood Food (preorder) by Prof. Tim Spector
Free resources from ZOE
Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint
Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks
Mentioned in today's episode
You’ve Been Pooping All Wrong by Dr Trisha Pasricha
Gastrointestinal Symptoms in the United States, The American Journal of Gastroenterology (2018)
Smartphone use on the toilet and the risk of hemorrhoids, PLOS One (2025)
Impacts of Gut Bacteria on Human Health and Diseases, International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2015)
Association between Early Adverse Life Events and Irritable Bowel Syndrome, CGH (2011)
Management of Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Parkinson's Disease: A Comprehensive, National Library of Medicine (2024)
Constipation and risk of dementia in adults, Frontiers (2025)
Gastrointestinal issues and Autism Spectrum Disorder, Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America (2020)
Stanford fermented foods study
Ultra-Processed Food Consumption and Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Nutrients (2025)
Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.
Episode transcripts are available here.
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