This Medical Life text with a roll of toilet paper in the background

Faecal Microbiome | All About Poo

Essentially every culture, modern or ancient, understood that health and faeces are inherently linked. The Ancient Chinese practiced ‘copromancy’ which was the assessment of health based upon the shape, size and texture of faeces. Today we have the Bristol Stool Chart that helps us to classify faeces/poo into seven different groups. As disconcerting as it may be, the state of our poo can tell us a lot about our own health and this is only going to increase as our knowledge about our faecal microbiome expands.

The faecal microbiome is the composition of all the microorganisms within our faeces. We are learning that the composition not only affects our health but can also be contributory to diseases we experience. In some circumstances, this has also become a treatment with faecal transplantation to manage treatment resistant clostridium-difficile colitis.

This is the story of the faecal microbiome.

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This Medical Life – Stories of Medicine

Welcome to the This Medical Life podcast. Our mission is to share stories about the triumphs and tragedies of diseases and illnesses from ancient times up until what we know today.

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This Medical Life text with a roll of toilet paper in the background

Faecal Microbiome | All About Poo

Essentially every culture, modern or ancient, understood that health and faeces are inherently linked. The Ancient Chinese practiced ‘copromancy’ which was the assessment of health based upon the shape, size and texture of faeces. Today we have the Bristol Stool

Read More »