No one likes to think about what goes down the toilet bowl, but you should steal a glance whenever you can stomach it!
At least one in five of us get a tummy bug each year, and most cases settle down quickly without ill effects. If, however you are 'regular as clockwork' and notice that you are going more or less frequently than normal for more than a few days then your family doctor will want to know about it.
For anyone aged over 60, current medical guidance states that any 'change' in bowel habit warrants testing. In the past 40 years deaths from bowel cancer have dropped by 40% - thanks in part to both the public and doctors taking greater heed of toilet routines.
If your stool is very dark or even black, or contains blood, then it is even more important to get an appointment with your doctor as soon as you can.
Source: Benenden Be Healthy
