Back in the old days when humans are not so advanced and toilet bowls are not invented for comfort, the only natural defecation posture for a human being is squatting. So, does sitting on toilet bowl actually affect our bowel movements?
The advantages of squatting:
In the squatting position, gravity does most of the work. The weight of the torso presses against the thighs and naturally compresses the colon. Gentle pressure from the diaphragm supplements the force of gravity.
Squatting relaxes the puborectalis muscle, allowing the anorectal angle to straighten and the bowel to empty completely.
Squatting lifts the sigmoid colon to unlock the “kink” at the entrance to the rectum. This kink also helps prevent incontinence, by taking some of the pressure off the puborectalis muscle.
The colon is equipped with an inlet valve (the ileocecal valve) and an outlet valve (the puborectalis muscle). Squatting simultaneously closes the inlet valve, to keep the small intestine clean, and opens the outlet valve, to allow wastes to pass freely. The sitting position defeats the purpose of both valves, making elimination difficult and incomplete, and soiling the small intestine.
What are the common illnesses one will have if we do not have a good bowel health?
Constipation: The National Institutes of Health (NIH) defines constipation as having fewer than three bowel movements per seven days. According to the NIH about 4 million Americans suffer from constipation. One of the biggest obstacles to your success may be not realizing you’re constipated in the first place. The bowel is the body’s main elimination organ, yet among many Americans today, this central elimination system is compromised, as evidenced by high rates of constipation. The National Institutes of Health estimates that 4-10 million Americans have chronic constipation (defined as having a bowel movement less than three times per week), and as many as 63 million people are suffering at any time from occasional constipation.
Colon Disease: Eliminating completely and often helps maintain good colon health. Many studies point to fecal buildup in the colon as a cause of diseases including colon cancer. And when there is buildup in the colon, our bodies can’t absorb all the nutrients from the food we eat, leaving us without the energy we could enjoy if our colons were healthy.
Urinary Difficulty / Infections: Urinary flow is usually stronger and easier when women squat to urinate. The bladder is emptied more completely when squatting rather than sitting or “hovering”. Squatting can help reduce episodes of urinary tract infections in both frequency and intensity.
Pelvic Floor Issues: A 2008 study by Kaiser Permanente published in Obstetrics & Gynecology found that one-third of women suffer from one or more pelvic floor disorders. In addition, aging, obesity, and childbirth increase the likelihood of experiencing these issues. Although pelvic floor disorders are more common in women, men also suffer from similar symptoms; the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey reports that nearly one in every five men ages 60 and older experience incontinence.
A network of ligaments, muscles and connective tissues, the pelvic floor acts as a “hammock” to support the pelvic organs, including the bladder and rectum – and in women, the uterus and vagina. Pelvic floor disorders, also called pelvic floor dysfunction, occur in both men and women when muscles and nerves in this area become damaged or weakened, causing the pelvic organs to prolapse (drop), which can lead to symptoms such as constipation and fecal and urinary incontinence.
“Most pelvic floor disorders are tied to the de-evolution of our normal evolutionary biology,” said Dr. Jack Kruse, optimal health coach and Nashville, Tenn.-based neurosurgeon specializing in treating chronic pain, neck pain and back pain. “By correcting our bathroom posture and squatting can be a huge help to people suffering from these health problems.
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