Have you been pooping wrong your whole life?

[samhexum]

Short answer... yes, I have! (but I already knew that)

https://nypost.com/2023/06/27/have-you-been-pooping-wrong-your-whole-life-doctor-reveals-hack/

[liubit]

4 hours ago, The_Impeccable_George said:

Since we are on this subject, my gastroenterologist's advice is no toilet paper, no soap...

May I ask, how then do you keep yourself impeccable down there, @The_Impeccable_George? 

[pubic_assistance]

51 minutes ago, liubit said:

May I ask, how then do you keep yourself impeccable down there, @The_Impeccable_George? 

We have one of those Japanese toilets that washes and dries your ass.

I don't feel clean using toilet paper since we started using ours.

We are planning to swap out all our toilets now.

[+ nycman]

6 hours ago, The_Impeccable_George said:

Since we are on this subject, my gastroenterologist's advice is no toilet paper, no soap...

Well, now we all know who the “dirty bottom" is…..grin.

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

I also own a Toto Washlet, but the real key to digestive health is positioning while on the pot.

The Squatty Potty is the real deal.  

It also doesn't help that people usually take their phone onto the toilet, hunching over while trying to get things accomplished.  No bueno.

[Vulgarii]

On 6/28/2023 at 3:10 AM, liubit said:

May I ask, how then do you keep yourself impeccable down there, @The_Impeccable_George? 

A fountain bidet. I never want to live without it. I haven't used toilet paper in years! Using it is so barbaric.

[+ nycman]

On 6/28/2023 at 6:10 AM, liubit said:

May I ask, how then do you keep yourself impeccable down there, @The_Impeccable_George? 

 

3 hours ago, Vulgarii said:

A fountain bidet. I never want to live without it. I haven't used toilet paper in years! Using it is so barbaric.

Nothing like an accidental reveal of an alter ego. 

Edited July 26, 2023 by nycman

[Lookin41]

On 6/28/2023 at 10:28 AM, samhexum said:

Short answer... yes, I have! (but I already knew that)

https://nypost.com/2023/06/27/have-you-been-pooping-wrong-your-whole-life-doctor-reveals-hack/

Yup. That doc is right IMO. Was a bit bunged up and straining, put the grandkids step under my feet, leaned forward a bit and glory be. It worked.

[+ sync]

This may well be one of the downsides of overthinking.

[Rod Hagen]

I've talked about it here before, the squatty potty is a morning game changer.  It's that good.  I'm sad that it will be in the landfill long after I'm dead, but I'm grateful for it now.

[CuriousByNature]

On 7/26/2023 at 4:09 AM, Lookin41 said:

Yup. That doc is right IMO. Was a bit bunged up and straining, put the grandkids step under my feet, leaned forward a bit and glory be. It worked.

At first I read that you put your grandkids under your feet, and thought, "TMI, but some families are obviously closer than others"

[Simon Suraci]

On 7/26/2023 at 2:54 AM, Vulgarii said:

A fountain bidet. I never want to live without it. I haven't used toilet paper in years! Using it is so barbaric.

Agree! I have a separate bidet fixture next to the toilet, both in my primary bath, and guest bath. Those are amazing! It requires a transfer, but the dedicated bidets are WAAAY better than the ad-hoc solutions you install on a regular toilet. Temperature and pressure controls are better, better angle, more flow, and very comfortable. Plus you’re not having to flush or deal with anything still in the toilet since the bidet is constantly drained. No need for toilet paper and it feels so much more clean and fresh that way. 

Toilet paper still works in a pinch, since I can’t always go at home. Pinch was perhaps a poor word choice…just sounds gross in this context, I digress…

[Vulgarii]

On 7/26/2023 at 3:56 AM, nycman said:

 

Nothing like an accidental reveal of an alter ego. 

What the hell does that mean?

[ashaddams]

squatty potty PLUS a Toto brand bibet toilet seat!  EPIC

[+ Tygerscent]

On 7/29/2023 at 4:58 PM, Simon Suraci said:

Agree! I have a separate bidet fixture next to the toilet, both in my primary bath, and guest bath. Those are amazing! It requires a transfer, but the dedicated bidets are WAAAY better than the ad-hoc solutions you install on a regular toilet. Temperature and pressure controls are better, better angle, more flow, and very comfortable. Plus you’re not having to flush or deal with anything still in the toilet since the bidet is constantly drained. No need for toilet paper and it feels so much more clean and fresh that way. 

Toilet paper still works in a pinch, since I can’t always go at home. Pinch was perhaps a poor word choice…just sounds gross in this context, I digress…

I opted out of TP in 2014 and never looked back… (literally and figuratively)~
 I have douching spray nozzles on flex tubes connected to all my home toilets~  They work great~ The novels have adjustable pressure and are hand held so can accommodate any angle~ After the big job I do an external rinse and also a shallow internal rinse~ Super fresh butthole every time~ I travel with a douching hose that attaches to the shower.   
 The only time I’m jonesing for a clean butt is when I’m in the states at a restaurant or public restroom~ if I have to use a restroom like that, and there is no way for me to wash my ass, it is not beneath me to lock the door if I can make a little birdbath out of the sink. That may sound disgusting, but, walking around with a dirty ass just doesn’t work on my end… (pun intended).  
 and worst case scenario is, I’ll go rough and tough with some paper towels that I dampen in the sink, and then head to a stall to do a quick butt bath~   
 Even when I’m camping, I’m situated around water in the hygiene issue is pretty easy to sort out. 
 If I’m traveling for an extended period of time with the clients, I usually have my hose hooked up somewhere and I do a quick shower after each poo. It really reduces the likelihood of my butt hole getting chafed or yeasty from residence evil Poo.  
  It also makes it easier for impromptu butt-lite play~ It’s amazing how many Clients will hollow suit when the options are available~   
 My Client are predominantly bottom bunk and the convenient butt removes a lot of unnecessary butt anxiety~   
 A hotel I stayed at in Vietnam, had the most impressive, toilet provision I have ever experienced: hemispheric Soundsystem, with all kinds of music choices, temperature control in the seat with numerous massage and vibrating options in the bun cushions, the rents was almost like a miniature, more compassionate version of the prancing fountains at the Bellagio in Las Vegas… The water literally dances around on your butt and in your butt hole. after we checked in, I spent a good half an hour, just sitting on the toilet and enjoying all the various features. My Client and I took turns~ there were also flatscreen TVs strategically located around the bathroom, so you could see whatever programming you fancied from the viewpoints of the toilet, or the tub and shower~ The toilet space had colored ambient lighting~ It had hole drying settings~    
 It didn’t give me a blow job or kiss my pink star but, was happy ending-like regardless and sent me to the moon~ Just wonderful~ 

Edited August 4, 2023 by Tygerscent

[samhexum]

• Get 31% off TUSHY's bidet attachment during Amazon's October Prime Day Sale

[samhexum]

Let’s be honest — people have a habit of bringing their phones to the bathroom. I’ve been guilty of it myself, and chances are that someone is on the toilet reading this article right now. A three-minute trip to the loo can easily turn into 15 minutes of reading, scrolling and posting.

It might seem a harmless way to pass the time when you’re going number two. However, experts warn that what they call prolonged sitting on the toilet can harm your health. It’s even been connected to an increased risk of hemorrhoids and weakened pelvic muscles, said Dr. Lai Xue, a colorectal surgeon at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

“When patients present to me with complaints, one of the main areas we have to delve deeply into is spending a lot of time on the toilet,” Xue said.

Here’s what is going on when you overstay your toilet time.

Potty problems from sitting too long

People should spend an average of five to 10 minutes on the john, according to Dr. Farah Monzur, an assistant professor of medicine and director of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center at Stony Brook Medicine on Long Island, New York.

Why is it a problem if you stay longer? First, here’s a short physics lesson. Gravity keeps us grounded on Earth, but that same gravity also forces the body to work harder to pump blood back up to the heart, Xue said.

The open oval-shaped toilet seat compresses the buttocks, keeping the rectum in a lower position than if you were sitting on the couch. With gravity pulling the lower half of the body down, the increased pressure affects your blood circulation.

“It becomes a one-way value where blood enters, but blood really can’t go back,” Xue said.

As a result, the veins and blood vessels surrounding the anus and lower rectum become enlarged and engorged with blood, increasing the risk of hemorrhoids.

Don’t force it either

Forced straining can also increase the pressure to allow hemorrhoids to build. People scrolling on their phones on the toilet tend to lose track of time, Monzur said, sitting and straining their muscles to get a bowel movement out.

And guess what? Your doctors can tell. “Nowadays, we’re seeing an increase in people passing more time on the toilet, and that is very much unhealthy for the anorectal organs and the pelvic floor,” Xue added.

 

In addition to weakened anal muscles and forced straining, Monzur said sitting on the toilet bowl for too long can also increase the risk of rectal prolapse. A rectal prolapse is when the rectum, part of the large intestine, slips down and bulges out of the anus.

The pelvic floor muscles are another type of muscle weakened from prolonged toilet sitting. Xue explained that pelvic floor muscles coordinate a significant amount of bowel movement and work with the rest of the body to ensure stool comes out smoothly. The gravitational pressure on the pelvic floor strains the muscles when constantly sitting for long periods.

Be more mindful of bathroom time

To avoid spending too much time on the porcelain throne, Dr. Lance Uradomo, an interventional gastroenterologist at City of Hope Orange County in Irvine, California, advised keeping phones, magazines and books out of the bathroom.

“You don’t want to go with the mindset that you will be there for a long time. Because then you’ll want to bring something to keep the mind occupied,” Monzur said. “Make sitting on the toilet bowl as uninteresting as possible.”

If you’re having trouble relieving yourself, Xue advised quitting after 10 minutes. Instead, walk around a bit — since the motion can stimulate gut muscles to produce a bowel movement. Xue also recommended getting hydrated and eating high-fiber foods such as oats and beans to produce regular bowel movements and avoid straining.

Need to know how much? The National Academy of Medicine recommends 2.7 to 3.7 liters of water daily. Additionally, the US Department of Agriculture recommends 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories of food. Xue said that fiber and water soften the stool, making it easier to pass.

Long bathroom times and colorectal cancer

There are situations, however, in which people have to spend an unusual amount of time on the toilet. Constant difficulty or discomfort when passing stool can be a symptom of gastrointestinal issues, such as irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn’s disease.

Worsening constipation or a need to sit on the toilet for a long time may also be a sign of cancer. “If a growth inside the colon grows big enough, it can block the flow of your stool, which can cause constipation and bleeding,” Uradomo said.

The American Cancer Society recently reported an increase in colorectal cancer rates among people under age 55 since the mid-1990s, and the nonprofit estimated there would be 106,590 new cases of colon cancer and 46,220 new cases of rectal cancer this year.

In Uradomo’s career, he’s recalled more young people talking to him about hemorrhoids and constipation and later being diagnosed with rectal cancer.

If you’ve had these symptoms of constipation or sitting on the toilet for a long time for more than three weeks, Monzur said it might be time to bring your concerns to your doctor. Depending on the severity of the symptoms, your primary care doctor can refer you to a gastroenterologist or a colorectal surgeon for a closer look.

Jocelyn Solis-Moreira is a New York-based freelance health and science journalist.

Edited November 12, 2024 by samhexum
for shits and giggles

[+ Charlie]

I am going to remove the magazines from the container next to the toilet, and will no longer take the Sunday newspaper with me when I go to the bathroom.