All of Us Sitting On The Toilet Incorrect - Here Is The Ideal Position
One epidemic that affects the millennial generation is the problem of digestion and constipation. Studies reveal that the number of people suffering from chronic constipation is sharply rising, along with cases of emergencies, hospitalizations, fevers, and other health problems due to constipation. While diet plays a major role in our bowel movements, there's one thing that many of us are doing wrong, especially in urban areas, and that is using an English toilet.
With globalization came toilets that required people to sit comfortably rather than squat. The comfort of a western toilet influenced the choice in its favor among Indians. However, for many years, experts have been pointing out the harms of the western toilet position on our digestive system. In fact, there have been numerous studies on the subject that have highlighted how western toilets can cause constipation, hemorrhoids, Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), appendicitis, and even heart attacks.
The standard sitting position
It is similar to sitting on a chair, with your hips bent at a 90-degree angle in relation to your upper body. This position is extremely harmful as it disrupts the passage of your intestines and effectively seals it off. It puts extra pressure on your bowels, which goes against the basic laws of physics.
Another common sitting position is bending the upper body forward while sitting, with the belief that it helps exert more pressure on the bowels for better excretion. However, bending forward actually obstructs the passage of the intestines further.
The ideal position
The ideal position for smooth stool passage without constriction is the 35-degree squat position, which is the traditional sitting position on Indian toilets.
“Sitting on your toilet may be comfortable, but having your knees and upper legs at a 90-degree angle to your abdomen actually narrows your anal canal and makes having a bowel movement more difficult. On the other hand, when you squat, your knees are brought closer to your abdomen, which changes the relationship of your rectum and sphincter, positioning your organs and muscles in a way that relaxes your rectum. This maximizes the efficiency of your evacuation," says Dr. Mercola in a blog post
If all your toilets have been designed in the western style, it may not be possible for you to reconstruct them all. An alternative solution might be to place a squat stool in front of your toilet seat. This will help you achieve the 35-degree hip angle and relieve any discomfort and disorders associated with the western toilet.