By international standards, the “Porcelain Throne” should be considered a serious mistake that should be flushed with the rest of the waste. Western cultures have been hurting themselves by its use, which has been found to cause undue stress and tension on the digestive system.
A recent study out of Israel decided to review Western culture toileting practices in order to promote a healthier way to eliminate waste from our bodies. The results, published in the Digestive Diseases & Sciences journal, found the human body was never designed to defecate in a seated position, as is required through the use of the modern commode.
The study tested people in three different positions: full squatting, sitting on a toilet the height of 12 inches, and sitting on one at 16 inches. The results showed a significant benefit to human health by squatting rather than sitting, regardless of the height of the toilet. When we stand, the colon is pushed against the puborecatlis muscle, which is what keeps the waste inside until you find a bathroom. Sitting down only partially relaxes that muscle, whereas squatting fully relaxes it. This also suggests that squatting may promote easier elimination of the entire colon contents rather than partial elimination.
According to the article, digestive illnesses such as colitis, constipation and hemorrhoids all stem from the sitting and straining you may end up doing while in the traditional seated position on the pot. Furthermore, it is suggested that the more time you spend in the bathroom – even if you are simply reading on the toilet – the more likely you are to develop swollen blood vessels, i.e., hemorrhoids.
Replacing the ubiquitous throne with a squatting toilet would be the optimal for digestive health, according to the study’s results. Westerners often consider these toilets (generally a hole in the ground over which one squats) antiquated and only found in undeveloped nations; however, these so-called undeveloped countries may have it right. Interestingly enough, such “holes in the ground” are currently operating across Asia and Africa, and are commonplace in the developed nations of Russia, Japan and France.
Does that mean we should flush all bathroom plans in favor of remodeling? Not really. There are plenty of counter-studies that suggest reasons why squatting may not be in our best interests. A Japanese study found that squatting contributes to osteoarthritis problems in the knees. While this research focused on prolonged squatting, as is common in Japanese culture in the workplace and at home, it does suggest that the use of the facilities in such a position adds unnecessary strain on the knee joints.
Another piece of research performed out of Scandinavia found that squatting for defecation actually promotes stroke, particularly in the morning hours. Apparently, squatting raises blood pressure, which triggers a greater risk for stroke in older people. They found that squatting for younger generations seems to be a healthy habit; however, as we age, the position causes more harm than good.
Basically, how you poop is a personal choice. For me, I think I’m sticking with my traditional white porcelain seat. After all, it matches the rest of the bathroom fixtures!
References:
Sikirov, D. (2003). Comparison of straining during defecation in three positions. Results and implications for human health. Digestive Diseases & Sciences, 48(7), 1201-1205.
Zhang, Y., Hunter, D. J., Nevitt, M. C., Xu, L., Niu, J., Lui, L-Y., Yu, W., Aliabadi, P., & Felson, D. T. (2004). Association of squatting with increased prevalence of radiographic tibiofemoral knee osteoarthritis: The Beijing Osteoarthritis Study. Arthristis & Rheumatism, 50(4), 1187-1192. Doi: 10.1002/art.20127
Dalessio, J. (2012). Are you pooping wrong? By worldwide standards, Americans are in the toilet on elimination practices. Retrieved from http://www.everydayhealth.com/digestive-health/are-you-pooping-wrong.aspx?xid=nl_EverydayHealthHealthyLiving_20121002.
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