My first experience with a squat toilet wasn’t exactly positive. I had just landed in Taiwan after a 14-hour flight and all I wanted to do was use the bathroom. However, all I could find was a strange stall with a whole in the ground and two platforms for my feet. It took a little while, but I figured it out.
More: 8 reasons you’re not pooping as regularly as you should
It didn’t take long to master the art of squatting and I turned into a pro by the end of my month-long trip. Everything seemed to flow a little bit better, too.
And it turns out, there’s a really good reason for that.
Doctors and scientists have long argued that modern-day toilets are bad for our bodies. When we sit on the toilet, our bodies are turned into what’s known as the anorectal angle. In this position, our rectums get “kinked,” making it difficult for us to poop. Squatting helps relax the puborectalis muscle and takes out that kink, allowing us to properly eliminate all of our waste without straining. This method also helps us keep hemorrhoids and urinary tract infections from developing because we’re not straining.
More:What your poo says about you
So, does that mean you need to ditch the toilet and install a new system? Nope. You can get the same effect from raising your knees into the proper angle with a small stool system known as the Squatty Potty.
The Squatty Potty comes in a variety of sizes to help everyone in your family get the proper 35-degree angle. Prices range from $25 for the economical version to $70 for a sleek bamboo Potty.
And as for an optimal pooping experience every time you hit the bathroom? Priceless.
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