floating feces???

Hello everyone~ I am looking for a research article, or excerpt from one, that discusses the relationship between a diet high in fiber and the fact that feces float. Anyone know where I can find one???

RN~in~CT · Dec 13, 2003

If I recall, stool that floats is high in fat ~ known as steatorrhea.

LydiaGreen · Dec 13, 2003

Really? One of my classmates is a healthfood and herbal remedy nut and insists that if your stool doesn't float you aren't healthy and that if your stool sinks you are very unhealthy!

Gigglesforall, BSN, RN · Dec 13, 2003

I know with steatorrhea the stool may float, but the main characteristics are bulkiness and foul smelling. I ran across research that stated you know you have enough fiber in your diet if it floats, but I am just unable to actually come up with real documentation.

maire, ASN, RN · Dec 13, 2003

Only in a nursing forum...:chuckle

RN~in~CT · Dec 13, 2003

"A floating stool and easy passage indicates that your diet has enough fiber"

interesting....got the above from the following article:

http://www.hughston.com/hha/a_15_2_5.htm

NurseDixie · Dec 13, 2003

That's right, if your stool floats, you are eating a sufficient amount of fiber in your diet.

Steatorrhea means that there is a lot of fat, sometimes you can see the oil floating on the surface of the water in the toilet and it stinks really bad.:imbar

road runner2003 · Dec 13, 2003

I never would have guessed it - a floating stool indicated healthiness or enough fibre consumed in ones diet. Actually the only thing I knew about floating stools and recall reading some time ago - there is a connection between floating stools and CF. I know there is more to it.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Dec 13, 2003

My boyfriend got a laughing charge out of this thread "I can honestly say this is not a subject that anyone in my career has discussed".

(He's a engineer for a medical wiring manufacturer)

But i would assume that if feces are floating, maybe gas is trapped inside?

BunnyBunnyBSNRN, ASN, BSN · Dec 13, 2003

Originally posted by maire
Only in a nursing forum...:chuckle

Amen to that!!

:roll :roll :chuckle :roll :roll

Gigglesforall, BSN, RN · Dec 14, 2003

Hey thanks for the comments everyone. That article was just what I needed. Sorry for the unpolitically correct topic!! Hope your feces are floating!!! :roll

mother/babyRN, RN · Dec 14, 2003

Generally someone who is very healthy with a high fiber diet and less the preservatives does have floating stool and not so smelly stuff sans flatus....Health stores have books on it and many high fiber related books give you bibliographies on where they compiled their material (no pun intended)....

live4today, RN · Dec 15, 2003

Originally posted by RN~in~CT
"A floating stool and easy passage indicates that your diet has enough fiber"

interesting....got the above from the following article:

http://www.hughston.com/hha/a_15_2_5.htm

Hmmm....just read that article, and I must not be eating enough fiber because my stool plunks to the bottom of the commode every time. :chair: Shhhhhh...keep that tidbit to yourself. :rotfl:

Guess I better pay a visit to the grocery store tomorrow and stock up on more fiber. I've been on a high protein low fat diet, and have avoided a lot of fiber with the exception of fruit...guess not enough though.

I'm glad this thread was posted. Good article above, too. I saved it in my favorites. :)

Gigglesforall, BSN, RN · Dec 15, 2003

Thought I would do a little experiment...just ate some pasta with 9 grams of fiber!!! Guess I'll just wait and see!!! Ha ha

SmilingBluEyes · Dec 15, 2003

i have never paid attention.

not about to start now.

ick is all i can say....rofl.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Dec 15, 2003

Methinks i'll keep my fiber consumption to myself (so to speak).

*canoehead, BSN, RN* · Dec 15, 2003

HOLY FLOATING FECES BATMAN! :roll :eek:

mitchsmom · Dec 15, 2003

to continue this lovely thread... have any of you noticed that little kids stuff often floats? Well they do! And my household reasearch indicates a lack of correlation because we're all eatin' the same diet. I wonder if kids' bodies are doing something different. Or is it just because of the Little Debbies I've been sneaking? Any thoughts on this fascinating subject?

floating feces???

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