Questions & Answers

Do You Recommend An Adjustable Toilet Stool?

It’s the new year. Well, it’s almost the end of January, isn’t it? Before you know it, it will be 2021. Lots of questions to go through. I always get questions from subscribers and non-subscribers of course, but let’s go through a few of these today.

First question is, Eric, do you recommend an adjustable toilet seat? Is it good or bad for the gut? Well, in case you don’t know what an adjustable toilet seat is, we’re probably talking about one of these, what we call squat devices, one of these wooden devices or a device that goes around the lavatory or toilet bowl to allow you to squat effectively over the toilet bowl. And when you think about it, squatting is a normal position and millions of people around the world squat as a part of normal daily emptying the bowel motions. So lots of studies validate that having a straighter recto anal canal will mean that you’re going to spend a lot less time evacuating or emptying the bowels because it’s a more natural position. You’ve got a straighter position because you’re squatting rather than sitting.

Related articles:

So a study conducted, I think it was a Japanese study conducted in 2010, show that people who squat basically can empty their bowels in under 60 seconds compared to those who sit can take up to twice as long. And it definitely has advantages for people with hemorrhoids or people with diverticulitis and people with issues in that regard. So my mother had one of these devices over her toilet for a while. It’s just a little ply box that was put there that enabled her to step up and sit over the bowl, like squat over it, if you know what I mean. And she found that enormously helpful for her diverticulitis. So if you’re an older person particularly, or a younger person, you have issues going to the toilet, passing bowel motions, I think they’re brilliant. And if you don’t mind squatting as opposed to sitting, you’ll certainly notice a big improvement.

It also tones this whole hip area up. It’s actually quite good for you in many other ways. But is it going to help you with the bowel problem or not? That’s only something that you can figure out yourself. You can often pick up these things for probably under $50 really, if that, and they’re simple to make. I’ve even seen instructions on YouTube or on the Internet on how to make these little wooden kind of devices.

But I mean, if you talk to many Asian people, people in India, for example, squatting’s a normal part of the daily routine, but in the Western world we find that quite strange. But from the studies I’ve read and the people I’ve spoken to, it definitely has an advantage for people who have a harder time going to the toilet.

So think about it. You may have seen these devices, but if you’ve got issues with diverticulitis or constipation, it’s definitely worth a shot. I’m all for them. Thanks for the question.