Who knew my 4 & 5 year old would lead the way on this major health hack in our family? Like little birds, perching on the porcelain throne, they never let their sweet little cheeks touch the toilet seat. No, my intuitive health nuggets would in fact, place their feet on the toilet seat, assume a squatting position & take care of business. I know this not only because they routinely leave the door open, but because their older brother ridiculed them daily. One day it dawned on me, they know exactly what they are doing. They don’t stink at pooping – we do.
I’m not sure how I let this escape me for all these years. As a women’s health physical therapist, I know the value of a relaxed pelvic floor in the bathroom, and that is just what squatting does. There is something called the pubo-rectal angle, and the pubo-rectalis muscle. When we squat, the angle improves, the muscle relaxes and the poop just basically falls out. Why is that good? Heard of hemroids? constipation? or diverticulitis? These are all conditions caused by straining on the toilet. As a physical therapist I’ve had the opportunity to discuss the long sorted history of these issues and long-term they can be prevented. Most of them are a by-product of modern toilets and up until the last 200 years or so did not impact humanity. Primarily because everyone had to squat to poop.
So what’s a modern girl to do? Get a squatty potty. Yep, you heard me a squatty potty. I personally gave one to each of my family members, who I thought were full of it (JK) for Christmas. Squatty Potties are cute little stools that let you enjoy the comforts of a modern toilet, and put you in the squatting position. This relaxes your muscles and takes care of your colon. This is worth the 35.00 investment, I promise. Here is the link to the site: https://www.squattypotty.com/. They have one of the greatest commercials I’ve ever seen.
It’s physical therapist recommended. If that’s not enough check out the Huffington Post, Doctor Oz or Howard Stern. Happy pooping and a healthy colon to you!
Yours in Health and Bliss,
