
Gut Check, Mija: 5 Signs You Should Be Testing Your đ©
Letâs get gross for a secâŠ
If you're super bloated after every meal, running al baño more than you'd like to admit, or wondering why your skin looks like itâs going through puberty again, your gut is screaming for help, amiga.
And guess what? Itâs not being dramatic.
Most people ignore the signs bu what if the answers were literally in your poop? (SĂ, we're going there today.)
Letâs talk about the five major signs itâs time for a stool testâand why itâs not weird, itâs wise.
1. Your digestion is on a freaking rollercoaster, like ya, wey...
If you're bouncing between constipation, bloating, and those âoh sh*t I need a bathroom NOWâ momentsâyouâre not just âsensitive.â Your gut might be dealing with:
Imbalanced bacteria (aka dysbiosis)
Sneaky parasites (yup, it's a thing)
Digestive enzyme issues
Or low-key inflammation that's messing with everything
Functional stool testing doesnât just say whatâs wrongâit tells you why. No more guessing games, no more elimination diets that donât work.
Spicy Truth: If your gut is acting like a novela âdramatic, unpredictable, and slightly unhingedâitâs time to investigate.
2. Pooping pain, blood, or urgency? Girl, don't play, thatâs a red flag đ©
If youâre seeing blood in your stool or having to plan your life around your digestion (i.e., scoping out every bathroom like itâs your job), thatâs a sign of inflammationânot just a âsensitive stomach.â
Tests like fecal calprotectin help figure out if youâre dealing with IBS or something more serious like Crohnâs or ulcerative colitis.
Donât self-diagnose via TikTok. Real data = real clarity.
3. Skin, mood, metabolism all acting up? Blame the gut.
Your gut is like that one chismosa, always up in everybodyâs business. If itâs unhappy, it shows up everywhere:
Acne or eczema that wonât quit? Gut.
Brain fog and random mood swings? Gut.
Canât lose weight no matter what? Yep, look at you smarty pants, you guessed it, the gut.
Functional stool tests can reveal what traditional labs miss: microbiome chaos, yeast overgrowth, leaky gut, low good bugs, and more.
4. Youâve taken antibiotics (or youâre living in full stress mode)
Been on multiple rounds of antibiotics? Living that go-go-go life, fueled by cafecito and cortisol?
That gut of yours might be a hot mess.
Stress, meds, poor sleep, and processed foods are como el toxico for your microbiome. If you're doing âeverything rightâ and still feel like caquita (pun intended đ), stool testing gives you receipts. Literal receipts from your gut.
5. You're curious (or tired of throwing spaghetti at the wall)
Even if you're not super symptomatic, testing gives you power:
â Are you absorbing nutrients?
â Do you have hidden infections or inflammation?
â Is your immune system lowkey fighting something?
â Are your gut bugs balanced or partying out of control?
Knowing = confidence. Confidence = action. And action = results.
Ok, So What Kind of Poop Tests Are There?
Comprehensive Functional Stool Analysis
This is the VIP all-access pass to your gutâs secret life. Weâre talking digestion, inflammation, immune activity, gut bugs (both good and bad), yeast, parasites, and more. It checks for markers like calprotectin, enzyme levels, malabsorptionâand yes, even those sneaky little critters that donât show up in regular labs. If you want a full picture, this test has got it.
Fecal Calprotectin
Not sexy, but super important. This marker tells us if thereâs inflammation happening in your gut lining. It helps differentiate between IBS (annoying, but not dangerous) and conditions like Crohnâs or ulcerative colitis that need a different game plan.
Fecal pH Test
Your poopâs pH can spill the tea on how well youâre digesting carbs and fats. Too acidic or too alkaline? That could mean your digestion needs support, or that your gut bugs are out of whack. Basically, itâs a vibe check for your insides.
Fecal Occult Blood / FIT Test
This test checks for hidden blood in your stoolâbecause sometimes things are going down (like ulcers or early signs of colon issues) that you canât see. FIT is the newer, better versionâmore accurate, less drama.
At-Home Microbiome Kits
Cute idea, but donât let the branding fool you. These tests can give you a peek at your gutâs bacterial landscape, but they often lack clinical depth. Fun for curiosity, not great for actual healing decisionsâunless youâve got a practitioner guiding you.
Want Better Gut Health? Start Here:
Eat fiber-rich whole foods: Think frijoles, avena (organic only), plĂĄtanos, verduras
Move your body: Even dancing in your kitchen counts.
Sleep like itâs your job: Your gut resets while you rest.
Manage your stress: Meditate, breathe, journalâor scream into a pillow, if needed.
Ditch the irritants: Byeeeee processed junk, too much booze, and chronic ibuprofen.
Hydrate like a desert flower: Water is not optional.
Listen, Your Gut Isnât Just Being Sensitive
Itâs communicating. And ignoring it is not it.
If you're ready to take the guesswork out, and finally feel like you againâa stool test might be exactly what you need.
You donât need to âtough it out.â You donât need to figure it out alone.
You need clarity. You need guidance. You need a plan that actually works.
Letâs get you feeling light, clear, and connected to your body again.
đđœ Book your gut check consult now: https://soulbodyholisticx.com/book-now
Because your poop might just be the best teacher youâve ever had.
Best,
Dr. Alma
References:
Damhorst, G. L., et al. (2020). Current capabilities of gut microbiomeâbased diagnostics and potential for translation. Diagnostics, 10(4), 269.
Kasırga, E. (2019). The importance of stool tests in diagnosis and followâup. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 8(2), 334â337.
SimrĂ©n, M., et al. (2013). Intestinal microbiota in functional bowel disorders. Gut, 62(1), 159â176.
Vandeputte, D., et al. (2016). Stool consistency is strongly associated with gut microbiota richness and composition. Gut, 65(1), 57â62.
Cheng, X., et al. (2024). Gut microbiota and irritable bowel syndrome: status and future perspectives. Frontiers in Medicine, 11, 1429133.
Williams, G. M., et al. (2019). Evaluation of the optimal method to collect stool samples from infants for gut microbiome analysis. PLOS ONE, 14(6), e0216557.
Gorzelak, M. A., et al. (2015). Methods for improving human gut microbiome data by reducing variability through sample processing and storage of stool. PLOS ONE, 10(8), e0134802.
