How often is is considered normal to move your bowels?

Question

I do it every other day or so maybe 2-3 days between. It depends. How often is normal and what is considered unnormal?

Also I remember reading in my bio book that what you eat doesn't come out til a week later since our intestines are huge. Is this true?

If you don't know what it means to move your bowels, it means to take a poop.

Answer 1

Everyone is different. Some people move their bowels several times a day while others, as you do, move their bowels every 2-3 days. Normal bowel movements range from 3 times a day to 3 times a week. The pattern of movement can be considered normal if it does not represent a change in the individual's normal pattern. If you have always moved your bowels every 2-3 days, that is normal for you. On the flip side, if the frequency or consistency of the bowel movement changes, this may indicate an abnormal condition.

As for the length of time it takes for food to pass through the intestine, that again, depends on the individual. On average, the typical meal will take 24-72 hours in healthy individuals to pass from mouth to rectum.

I've included my sources for your reference:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/digestive-system/AN00896
http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/aha/umconstipation.htm

Answer 2

hehehe..as long as it is regular to an individual's *routine*, then it is considered normal I think.