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28 April, 2016

We Been Pooping All Wrong

Not that we've been using the wrong orifice or anything like that, it's our position on the throne that's the problem. We tend to sit like we're at the dining room table. Not our natural position to expel poop.

Many years ago, our ancestors (and a lot of folks still do) used a squat position to accomplish the act. It's a simple act that relaxes or tightens a muscle (puborectalis muscle) in your lower intestinal area. This muscle forms a sort of sling round the intestine, that in a sitting position, tends to restrict the body's ability to send poop on its way. When you stand or squat, that sling is relaxed and helps provide a direct path for poop to make its way out.

If you're like me, for years, when the urge hit me, I'd sit on the throne, do my business, and get up, flush, and go on about my other business - except, that often, it felt like I should sit right back down and continue where I left off.

That feeling is caused by the puborectalis preventing a smooth flow out of the system, because of the way you were sitting on the throne. When you stood up, the puborectalis relaxed and that's why you felt the urge to continue.

I either didn't have that problem as a kid, or it developed slowly as an adult. Either way it became a fact of life for most of my visits to the throne room for the past many years. That is until I saw an advert on TV for a contraption called the Squatty Potty (http://www.squattypotty.com/). At first, I thought it was a typical 'as seen on TV' kind of thing. But, the more I thought about it (and after a few more visits to the throne room, no doubt), I began to think that there might be something to it.

So, being somewhat inquisitive, I looked the 'Squatty Potty' up on the intertubes, I read all the stuff they had on their site, and before I knew it, I was completing the order form and hitting the 'send' button.

A few weeks later, Easy Shipping to Belize showed up at our door with our usual selection of stuff that we just couldn't resist ordering over the past month or so. Included in the shipment was a box containing our brand new 'Squatty Potty.'
Our Very Own Squatty Potty
You might say it could be my imagination, but I say, it works. Sure, maybe not a hundred percent of the time, but certainly enough that I'm a convert and a believer. I can't say is was akin to a religious experience, but it was certainly a satisfying one. The first time I used our new Squatty Potty, things passed through with a satisfying completeness that I haven't felt in years.

I probably cheat a little on the proper stance when using the Squatty Potty. My bod just isn't as flexible as it once was, so, when I hoist my feet up on the Potty, I don't try and sit upright as the cute young model on their website does. I just relax and lean back against the throne cover, and enjoy the go (oh, wait. That's for another, related product, isn't it?).

Like I said, it's not one hundred percent effective, but even if it hits sixty-five to seventy-five percent of the time, hey, it's a worthwhile purchase in my book.

If you frequently have that lingering feeling that something didn't quite continue to completion the next time you pay a visit to your throne room, might I suggest you look up the Squatty Potty. Ordering it is really a breeze. Using it is even easier, and, oh, so satisfying.

I just checked their website. They now offer a few more options than when we bought ours a few months ago, including an inflatable travel potty. There are also multiple purchase discounts. Such a deal.

2 comments:

bidetsprayerman said...

Ergonomically it is better for you but people are not going to go back to squat toilets, obviously. Even in Asian Countries when they build a new house they almost always go with western style toilets. The one thing they still get is the Hand Bidet Sprayer. Even though these were originally used because they could not flush toilet paper down the squat toilets they still prefer them with the western style toilets because cleaning with water provides superior hygiene. See bathroomsprayers.com.

Corozal Dave said...

Been using my Squatty Potty for about a year now. I love it, I heard about it on the Howard Stern show, he convinced me to try it and I love it as does the rest of the family. Sure make sense and works!