The Squatty Potty might appear unusual, but there’s some interesting science behind this seemingly simple design.
No one likes to discuss their bathroom habits, but you shouldn’t wait until your constipation or irregularity becomes so problematic that you seek medication to ease the pain.
When we aren’t eliminating as we should be, we can feel bloated, gassy, cramped, and generally unwell. The modern toilet wasn’t designed with efficient pooping in mind, and while it’s great for many things, it can be very problematic for your intestines. Enter the Squatty Potty.
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The 4 Biggest Problems With the Modern Toilet
Constipation is responsible for more than two and a half million doctor visits each year. (1) While you can analyze what’s going on with DIY gut tests when you’re pooping regularly – it can be hard to figure out what’s going on when you’re stopped up.
There are a number of health problems related to constipation, so if it’s a serious problem, you need to see your doctor. But, if you’ve already run the gamut of assessments and you know you just have a regularity issue, then the modern toilet might be the culprit. Here are the four biggest issues when it comes to the modern toilet.
1. Poor Elimination
Before the convenience of modern plumbing, people squatted down and did their business in holes in the ground. This squatting was necessary to completely eliminate everything in the colon on a regular basis.
The design of the modern toilet puts the body in a sitting up position, which forces the intestines and colon into an angle that makes the intestinal muscles work harder to force out fecal matter.
The angle of squatting versus sitting is important. When the colon can’t regularly eliminate the toxic waste that sits there, you can be at risk for intestinal disease, colon cancer, or gut problems. (2)
2. Bladder Problems
The intestines aren’t the only body part affected by using the modern toilet. Kidney and urinary problems can result from an inability to fully empty the bladder, and the angle of the modern toilet isn’t great for that either. Many doctors even tell their patients to lean forward to emulate a squatting position while urinating. This helps ensure that the bladder fully empties, which is especially important for people who have urinary tract or kidney infections.
3. Pelvic Floor Straining
When the pelvic floor isn’t strong, it can lead to urinary incontinence or sexual problems. These issues are most commonly experienced by women who’ve carried a baby to term (usually six to nine pounds) and puts weight and strain on the pelvic floor.
How does the pelvic floor interact with the modern toilet? Straining – for any reason – on a toilet can further weaken these delicate muscles. While Kegel exercises are therapeutic and necessary to help restore pelvic floor strength, the unrhythmic straining on a toilet can wreak havoc on an already-weak pelvic floor. Squatting, which provides a better angle for elimination of all kinds, can relieve pressure from both the bowels and the bladder, and prevent straining.
4. Hemorrhoids
Chances are if you’re familiar with straining and elimination, you may have had a round or two with hemorrhoids. If you’ve had hemorrhoids, then you likely dread having to go to the bathroom, and it’s worse when your stools are hard and difficult to pass.
How the Squatty Potty Works and 2 Reasons to Try It
These issues with the modern toilet lead to the design of a stool to position the body into a squatting position, preventing strain by correcting the angles of both the intestines and the bladder.
The Squatty Potty looks like a basic footstool and is modified to sit easily around the base of the toilet. It is designed to elevate the feet and knees into a 35-degree angle, which is close to how you’d be positioned if you really were squatting.
Even if you don’t struggle with constipation, here are the two biggest reasons to get a Squatty Potty into your bathroom.
1. Helps Your Body Eliminate Fully
Your ability to eliminate waste can be improved simply by getting into a position that is closer to squatting since this is how the intestines and bladder were designed to work. Research proves that the more squatted you are, the better the ability to rid the body of waste. (3)
Could you achieve this without using a Squatty Potty? For some, if your toilet sits low enough, and you lean far enough forward, you may be able to achieve a similar result without a stool. But, for those who have toilets that sit higher or are shorter, this combination won’t be enough to provide an optimal result.
2. Eases Straining
If you need to avoid straining for reasons like hemorrhoids and pelvic floor problems, you can correct some aspects of constipation by using a Squatty Potty. While it might not fix all causes of straining, it will help to alleviate pressure on this sensitive part of your body, and might even be able to prevent a recurrence or development of hemorrhoids. (4)
Bottom Line
The Squatty Potty can have dramatic benefits in improving elimination and reducing pain and strain. While it doesn’t come with guaranteed results, you have nothing to lose in trying it… except, perhaps, the actual stuff you’re trying to get rid of. Experience the benefits of healthy toilet posture and get a Squatty Potty today!
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