I remember my very first colonic with Gil Jacobs in NYC back in maybe 2007 is when I first learned that elevating your knees when using the bathroom is of utmost importance. We are mammals designed to pop a squat in the woods, but because we think we are way too civilized for that, we invented the toilet, which does not open the rectum completely. Sitting on a toilet does not release the puborectalis muscle that hugs your rectum, so a simple trick is to just elevate your feet onto a stool (either your kid’s potty training stool or purchase a Squatty Potty). Why do you think these plastic Squatty Potty stools are a multi-million dollar business? Because they help you shit and alleviate pressure so you don’t get hemorrhoids or enlarge the one you already have.

Squatting is also good for your digestion and your hips. I had a client once tell me they spent at least a month at an Ayurvedic health center in India, where they encouraged patients to simply sit in the squat position whenever they felt any digestive upset. I also had a yoga teacher once say that there are far fewer hip issues in the Eastern world because they squat much more often to wait for the bus, to use the bathroom, etc etc. I never fact checked that because it made perfect sense to me. And yesterday I had a client add one more tip to my toilet toolkit.

I always tell women to pee in the squat position because again, we are designed to pop a squat in the woods and it is the optimal position for complete elimination. Any deviation from squatting affects bladder and urinary tract health due to bacteria buildup. So make sure you cover, never hover. Hovering over the toilet does not allow the pelvic muscles to relax, which ironically leads to pelvic weakness and potentially incontinence issues. And when possible, elevate your feet on either a stool or garbage can so that you can relax and release. If for some reason, you cannot seem to release even with your feet elevated, yesterday’s client gave me a tip from her gyno, which I also find helpful when you have gas: stand up and then sit down on the toilet and try again. I find this always helps move a fart out and if you’re having peeing issues, I hope you find this tip useful! xoxo jen