Jen Thomas
When was the last time you checked the colour of your poo?
Sorry if you’re eating, but being aware of this could save your life.
Keeping a close eye on your bowel movements, and especially their colour, is vitally important for your health in general.
It can give you key information about your health, and one doctor says there’s a particular colour you should keep an eye out for.
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As well as change to the consistency, like having a regular upset tummy, you need to be looking out for a tar-like hue.
When you hear about checking for blood, you might think you need to be looking for bright red streaks, but that isn't the case, according to experts.
Cancer Research UK says if you see blood in your stool and it looks like tar, it’s urgent that you see a doctor.
They advise: "Blood from higher up in the bowel doesn't look bright red. It goes dark red or black and can make your poo look like tar. This type of bleeding can be a sign of cancer higher up the bowel. Or it could be from a bleeding stomach ulcer for example."
Elsewhere, a doctor has given further guidance of what to be looking for.
Dr Porter said in The Times: "Common red flags include bleeding from your bottom (often not cancer but never normal) and/or an unexplained and prolonged change in bowel habit (more than a few weeks), typically to becoming looser rather than constipated."
The doctor added: "Call or email your practice, outlining your symptoms (and any relevant family history of bowel cancer), stating that you are concerned. What happens next will depend on practice policy but will often start with a stool test that you can do at home to look for, or confirm, bleeding, as well as some blood tests, all followed by an appointment with the GP to run through your symptoms and results. And this will typically include a physical examination and a finger up your backside."
As well as the colour change, the NHS says to keep an eye for diarrhoea or constipation, pain in the stomach, bloating or fatigue.
It also says that losing weight without trying is another warning sign.
Another expert Dr Michael Cecchini, a medical oncologist at Yale Cancer Center, says that the shape of your poop matters too.
Long, thin, or stringy stool can be a warning sign: "This tends to occur if tumours are present near the end of the colon or if they line the entire inside of the colon, which narrows whatever stool passes through. When it exists, it is highly concerning."
Keep and eye and remember to speak to your GP if worried.