Squat on the toilet

It is a good idea to squat rather than sit on a toilet. When you squat to eliminate, your colon is aligned with your rectum and anus, making elimination easy. Every animal squats, and most people throughout the world squat, especially those in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. It is mainly in the rich industrialised western countries, where the modern sit up toilet is more recently and widely used, that people suffer from toilet strain and all the consequences.

When you sit on a toilet, the lower end of your descending colon is bent. To evacuate your bowels requires a major muscular effort. This straining has several nasty consequences:

• The force can burst the minute blood vessels around the anal sphincter, causing bleeding piles or haemorrhoids.
• The strain can cause varicose veins in the legs.
• Straining and constipation can cause a distended colon.
• It is a lot of wasted and unpleasant effort.

When you squat, your colon is aligned with your rectum and anus, making elimination easy.

How do you squat when every toilet is of the sit up type? One option is to squat on the toilet seat. But be aware that it can be a dangerous practice, as sit-on toilets are not designed to be squatted on, and there have been some nasty accidents when bowls have broken or collapsed. Another option is to buy a Squatter's platform - a strong U shaped unit, the same height as the toilet bowl that fits around the sides and front of your bowl.