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Indicators of health
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Bristol Stool Chart
Shapes of stool
¨The consistency of our poo depends on how long it has spent in the colon. The
longer it spends 'in transit', the more liquid is absorbed by the colon. This chart
is a general guide.
Types 1 and 2 indicate constipation.
Types 3 and 4 are the easiest to pass.
Types 5 and 6 on the edge of diarrhea.
Type 7 diarrhea, may be a sign of illness, for example food poisoning
Colour of stool
Brown, everything is healthy and happy
Black- there could be some internal bleed in the upper part of the digestive
tract
Red- Bleeding in the lower part of the digestive tract or worse could be a sign of
cancer
Green- the food is moving to quick through the tract or you could be having lots
of leafy greens
White- If this is not a normal occurrence for someone it could be an indicator
for bile duct obstructions
Yellow and smelly- this can be caused by excess fats not being absor. Also an
indicator for celiac disease
Why look at Stool?
Stool samples can be examine to look at other problems:
● to see if there are parasite, bacteria or virus within the digestive tract
● low pH levels of the stool could indicate poor absorption of carbohydrates
or fats in the digestive tract
● blood in stool can mean that there could be bleeding within the digestive
tract
Urinalysis
●
Array of tests performed on urine, and one of the most common methods of medical diagnosis.
●
The kidneys take out waste material, minerals, fluids, and other substances from the blood to be
passed in the urine. Urine has hundreds of different body wastes. What you eat, drink, how much
you exercise, and how well your kidneys work can affect what is in your urine.
●
More than 100 different tests can be done on urine. A regular urinalysis often includes the
following tests.
•Clarity.
–Urine is normally clear. Bacteria, blood, sperm, crystals, or mucus can make urine
look cloudy.
•Odor.
–Urine does not smell very strong, but has a slightly "nutty" odor. Some diseases
cause a change in the odor of urine. For example, an infection with E. coli bacteria can
cause a bad odor, while diabetes or starvation can cause a sweet, fruity odor
pH.
–a measure of how acidic or alkaline (basic) the urine is. A urine pH of 4 is strongly acidic, 7 is neutral (neither acidic
nor alkaline), and 9 is strongly alkaline. Sometimes the pH of urine is affected by certain treatments. For example,
your doctor may instruct you how to keep your urine either acidic or alkaline to prevent some types of kidney stones
from forming.
•Protein.
Protein is normally not found in the urine. Fever, hard exercise, pregnancy, and some diseases, especially kidney
disease, may cause protein to be in the urine
•Glucose.
–Glucose is the type of sugar found in blood. Normally there is very little or no glucose in urine. When the
blood sugar level is very high, as in uncontrolled diabetes, the sugar spills over into the urine. Glucose can
also be found in urine when the kidneys are damaged or diseased.
•Nitrites.
–Bacteria that cause a urinary tract infection (UTI) make an enzyme that changes urinary nitrates to nitrites.
Nitrites in urine show a UTI is present.
Blood Test
● Blood can be analysed to see many different issues in
the body.
● Blood test can seen as more invasive than stool or urine
analyst.
● depending on the type of test that is going to be
performed a person may be asked to fast and/or not
drink anything for a certain amount of time before the
test.
Common Blood test are
Glucose test: The test measures the amount of glucose in the blood. This test can be
performed as a screen for diabetes. symptoms that can call for this test are symptoms of
hyperglycaemia (high blood sugar) include increased need to urinate, unquenchable
thirst, blurred vision and urinary tract infections (UTIs)
Iron Test: Measure the iron levels in the blood. Iron is important in the transportation of
oxygen in the blood. Low iron can mean that the patient could have anaemia. Symptoms
of anaemia are lethargy, tiredness, weakness and pale skin.
Many different test can be done with a blood sample in order to test for a persons risk for
heart disease. Triglycerides test, LDL Cholesterol and Lipoproteins are all test done to a
blood sample to assess a person's risk of heart disease