This may sound funny, but did you know that there is such a thing as the best way to poop? Yup. There is. Really. But before I get into this Squatty Potty review I need you to know that this is the best move you’ll ever make with this ultimate toilet stool. Hey! Look at the cute unicorn. Now back to the business of real poop talk…
Ever been in a conversation when someone brings up the topic of going number two? Of course you have, so you know how just that one word, the P word can silence a whole room.
If you tend to shy away from the subject, I encourage you to read on as we stretch our comfort zone and talk about some poops.
I have been wanting to write this post for some time because
- Far too many people think it’s totally normal to poop once a week
- Americans need to get over their phobia of poops
- Plus, I’ve been waiting for a reason to talk a lot of sh!t…not really, but it just seemed natural
Why is it that we all know elimination is a necessary physiological act, yet some of us act like we’re exempt – you know who I’m talking about…‘who me?’ Right! I mean we all know that everyone has to poop yet we are still embarrassed about it.
I mean I get it: it’s obviously not the most attractive thing in the world, and the smelly aftermath can be a little, er…off putting at times (Pootanical, pretty please ; ). About that aftermath – seriously, c’mon guys and gals, let’s face it – it’s just the way it is, a perfectly normal, natural, and healthy fact of life…we all gotta poop.
And seriously, not pooping, or not pooping the easy way, puts you in a world of hurt and sadly many people know the feeling all too well. So if you don’t want to be part of that club, read on to find out about a much easier movement.
What’s Really Going on Behind Closed Doors?
Did you know that between 60 to 70 million Americans are affected by digestive diseases with health care costs reaching over a staggering $142 billion? Chronic constipation alone affects more than 60 million people. There are a whole slew of digestive diseases included in these stats and the following is just a snapshot of a few.
Chronic Constipation is the culprit behind things like having fewer than three bowel movements a week, going longer than three days before eliminating, straining more than 25% of the time, passing hard, small, dry stools, and incomplete evacuation more than 25% of the time (meaning you had a bowel movement and still feel the urge to go but are unable). Experiencing two or more of these for more than 3 months is considered chronic constipation.
Hemorrhoids…I know, I know, this one particularly makes people squeamish. But here we go…sitting on the toilet for long periods of time straining to defecate will cause pressure to build up on this tissue resulting in swelling and stretching which can result in hemorrhoids. This can cause itching, rectal pain, and bleeding during bowel movements. Other causes of hemorrhoids include pregnancy/labor, and being overweight.
IBS or Inflammatory Bowel Disease symptoms can range from mild to severe and thus are often overlooked. Common symptoms include bloating, gas, abdominal pain/cramping, diarrhea, and constipation. Sadly this is one of the most common disorders people visit their doctor for at 2.4 to 3.5 million annual visits per year. This condition affects almost twice as many women as it does men. Listen up ladies.
Diverticulitis happens when pouches form in the wall of the colon, feces get trapped in the pouches which allows bacteria to grow which can lead to inflammation or infection. Symptoms include belly pain that is sometimes worse when you move and is usually on the lower left side, bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, fever, chills, nausea, sometimes vomiting, and lack of appetite. This can be extremely painful.
What Can Be Done About it?
Our efforts to prevent, manage, and hopefully reverse digestive disorders lies in our ability to have healthy consistent bowel movements on a regular basis. It is detrimental to our health to learn how we can make the most out of poops and stop being ashamed to talk about it.
There are some important things to do if you want to be on the road to prevention:
- Drink plenty of water
- Eat a whole foods high in plant fiber from whole grains, vegetables, and fruits
- Exercise regularly
- Reduce stress
- Utilize proper toilet posture
The best way to prevent digestive disorders is to keep things simple. Hydrating your body hydrates your bowels and prevents stools from becoming hard, dry, and compact. Feeding your body whole unprocessed foods high in fiber adds bulk which is necessary to move waste through the colon. Exercise, especially yoga, gets things moving and aids elimination. Stress reduction allows you to release tension everywhere in the body, including your digestive system.
But not a lot of people realize the importance of natural pooping posture.
Squatty Potty to The Rescue!
Hate to break it to you but you’ve been pooping wrong all along. Don’t feel bad, I was too, back in my pre-Squatty Potty days. So…to sit or to squat? In primal times we squatted to poop. We do it when we’re in the woods camping. Other civilized cultures do it. Tribal cultures never stopped doing it. So why did we?
Fast forward to the invention of the western toilet. While that shiny bowl appears nice, and we have evolved to love it (I’m not gonna lie there were times when I missed it while squatting all day long over holes in the ground in Southeast Asia) the truth of the matter is that it plays a key role in many of our digestive woes. Sitting on the western toilet forces us to miss the boat on proper toilet posture. We have invented something that regresses us to a state that never should have existed, and is totally ineffective.
Like all organs and systems our colon is designed to function a specific way. When sitting on the toilet the natural kink in your colon only partially relaxes keeping the flow of waste blocked. Squatting allows the muscle to fully relax. Which means no more kink. Which allows the colon to empty quickly and completely. In layman’s terms = no more straining. Quick and easy bowel movements. Yes!!!
This quick video illustrates it ever so nicely :)
Ahh…unicorns and rainbows, isn’t it magical…
Squat For Life!
If you’re thinking ‘but, I’m already good in the regularity department’ that’s great, but if you want to go for stellar, then this stool is for you.
I’d always been good in the regularity department so never did it occur to me that I would be a converted squatter. Ah, but yes I am. After experiencing the benefits of this amazing tool I can attest to the fact that everything works just as the video demonstrates – unicorns and rainbow poops…explains everything. So what are you waiting for? Jump on the Squatty Potty train today!
Squatty Potty Stools
Type: Original
Height: 7″ OR 9″
Type: Bamboo Flip
Height: Flip to 7″ OR 9″
Type: Slim Teak
Height: 7″
Find the Squatty Potty that’s right for you HERE.
With Squatty Potty I’m proud to say I now squat for life (on the toilet)!
In fact, can’t think of a single person that wouldn’t benefit from a Squatty Potty, so join the movement to change the way you poop, and I promise from now on you will have every reason to skip to the loo my darlin.
Have you experienced the glorious benefits of squatting? If not, get ready to have the absolute best poop of your life!
Laugh all you want, this is a good article! Great information on a topic that some might not want to get ‘into’.
Thanks!
My pleasure Thomas. It was a fun post to write!
Wow – I love the entertaining way you write!
It is soooooo…. important to eliminate daily (poop – there, I said it!), and I agree 300% about squatting – it makes a huge difference!
Excellent article – and extremely IMPORTANT!
Thank you so much – am bookmarking your site!
Thanks for the nice comment Joanne! From the sound of it, seems we may have another squatter here? Thank you for being a part of the revolution :)
Really funny and informative at the same time haha ! I read about the squat position to poop, seems like it’s a good idea after all !
Thanks Maxime! Glad I could inform you and make you laugh at the same time:)
I laughed a lot when I read the title of your post… But it talks about serious sh!t* :) In other words, very useful information!! And I really liked the way you have written the post. Thank you!
My pleasure Michelle! Thank you so much for your comment. Since it’s such an uncomfortable topic I’m glad I could lighten it up a bit :)
This is a sensitive subject to talk about and I am glad you did! More awareness needs to be brought to this topic because if you don’t try to prevent “backups” you could end up with serious health problems. Thanks for sharing ways to prevent! Looking forward to your next post!
Thank you! I appreciate your comment Camille. “Backups” hahaha…well said! I really am on a mission to get more people to join the Squatty Potty revolution :)
OMG, your post had me laughing! A very “crappy” subject to talk about but someones got to do it! You really have some great information and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it! Awesome “job”! :)
Why thanks Jean! “Crappy” subject hahaha is right, but like you said someone has to do it. And I really enjoyed it…is that weird?! Oh well, I guess I am a bit weird :) I love my Squatty Potty that much.
Wow!
I bet the proper posture while toileting does make a considerable difference. Wow!
I liked the roll of toilet tissue on the tree. Really, it had a beauty about it :)!
Best of luck in the ececution of your site
Rozz
Rozz, it really does make a huge difference! You should give it a go, oh boy suddenly everything sounds like a pun. I appreciate the shout out for the toilet paper in the tree…makes me want to go camping. Thank you for the encouraging words as well :)
Hehehe, pooping. I remember when I was at the airport in Singapore (I think) a while ago and getting off the plane I really needed to go. Planes toilets aren’t great to use…
Then I saw the toilet in the ground and thought “huh? How am I supposed to do this?” I don’t remember the details but it was probably fine. Then some years later I learnt that it was a much better way of relieving yourself.
I don’t have a stool (hehe, immature) or anything to prop my feet up on, but now I will go on my tip toes and bend forward to make a better angle. A little bit better than sitting upright, though I’ve never liked the thought of sitting back and relaxed on a toilet seat anyway
Vince this takes me back to the first time I was introduced to toilets in the ground while traveling in Thailand. I can relate to your response…think I had the same type of reaction, haha. Most of the holes in the ground there don’t flush either, so at first I wasn’t sure what to do until I spotted the trough (so to speak) filled with water and attached to the wall. Then I saw the bowl and realized that I had to scoop water with the bowl and manually flush it down the toilet! My perspective of the toilet changed forever and after a month of this I realized:
1. I am a fan of the squat but I appreciate the assistance of my squatty potty buddy.
2. I’ll take the handle flush and modern plumbing of a western toilet, appreciate it, and keep it :)
I find that I function best when I eat my fiber cereals regularly and drink water. If not, I feel bloated. I had heard of the squatty potty and it can make a difference to a lot a people I guess.
Yes Ana, it really does make a big difference!I absolutely love my squatty potty :)
Wow Jess,
I didn’t realize how much of a difference posture makes while you are taking a poop! Very very interesting…
And all the facts about how many people suffer from digestive problems that prevent them from going….whew…thanks for working hard to share the scoop about poop!
Hey Bryan! I know…pretty crazy thing to contemplate but so true. Love it -“share the scoop about poop”- I shall continue to go forth on my mission of getting more to benefit from the Squatty Potty revolution te hee :)
Hi Jess, Stumbled upon your site and just had to read this post. Glad I did cause not only was it entertaining but extremely informative! It is so true that most people have such a wrong idea of what “healthy” bowel movements are. I had to laughed because reading your post was just like listening to my wife, she is always saying a lot of these things to everyone, for sure I am going to get her to read this.
this site is definitely bookmark worthy :)
Thanks Jesse! Glad you enjoyed the post and I hope your wife does as well. Tell her to keep up the good work! Now that you’ve bookmarked I hope you will visit the site often as I add new content frequently. Thank you for reading :)
Hey Jess…great article. When my oldest girl was just learning to read her favorite book was “Everybody Poops.” Have you seen it? There is a You Tube video on it.
Keep up the good work.
Jeff
That’s great! I had no idea, gonna have to check that out. Thanks :)