From: sbharris@ix.netcom.com(Steven B. Harris)
Subject: Re: Bowel Movements:
Date: 17 May 1997
Newsgroups: sci.med.nutrition

In <337DC3CD.5E92@vitanet.net> "DM http://www.vitanet.net/"
<DM@vitanet.net> writes:
>
>GHines22 wrote:
>
>> I'm looking for a medical amswer to this question. When you have a
>> bowel movement, is it healthier for the movement to sink or to float?
>> We have been having this discussion about which is healthier, and we
>> have heard that both are good. Anyone know the truth??
>
>If your bowel Movement don't float, you do not have enough fiber in your
>diet. Eat more high fiber foods.


   Floating BMs are entirely due to small gas inclusions, a fact proven
long ago by intrepid researchers who centrifuged various samples to get
true solid densities.  While gas is increased by fiber, unfortunately
it's also caused by lots of other things.  For example, a fair fraction
of people make a lot of gut methane, and this tendency seems to be
inherited as an autosomal dominant.  Their stools float no matter what
they eat, virtuously vegetarian or not.

                                     Steve Harris, M.D.

(Yes, there's more to know about shit than the fact that it runs
downhill...)