Handbook of Habits

Table of Contents

  1. Preface
  2. Wake up when you wake up
  3. Don't check your phone when you wake up
  4. Make your bed after waking up
  5. Do a proper oral cleansing
  6. When deficating, squat instead of sitting
  7. Post defecation, wash your anal area instead of wiping
  8. Give your body some exercise
  9. Start your day with a bath
  10. Use morning hours for self improvement
  11. Plan your day
  12. What next?

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When deficating, squat instead of sitting

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Squat and defecate because squatting is the most functional position to defecate. When you squat,

  1. Your thighs pressure your abdominals.
  2. This pressure reverberates largely downward because of the large space an unobstructed pathway downward inside your abdominal.
  3. This downward pressure pushes the bowels which are ready to be excreted.
  4. The rectal outlet is straight and open, creating zero continence as opposed to a choked rectum while sitting1.

All these effects of squatting ensures a smoother and faster bowel movement.

Many today opt for a sitting toilet. They are indeed visually aesthetic and physical convenient to use. But a good gut is worth this physical inconvenience and visual displeasure of a squat toilet. Therefore, use a squat toilet. And if your toilet does not allow you to squat and defecate, change it to one that will allow you to.

Many suggest improvising a sitting toilet with posture modification devices that allows you to squat; such as this. But such modifications do not mimic the benefits of squat toilet. For one, you are still resting your weight on your hips rather than your feet because you're still sitting; not really squatting. This is still an unnatural position since it does not hunch you forward by design of the posture, does not create the pressure in the abdominals and can choke your rectal outlet by design of the posture.

That is not to say that posture modification devices are useless. For the elderly to whom squatting is physically daunting or impossible because of their musculoskeletal state and knee injuries, such devices are life saver2.

The bottomline is to squat and defecate if your muscles and knees allow it. Else, buy posture modification devices and use them. If none of these options are available, sit and deficate.

  1. Comparison of Straining During Defecation in Three Positions: Results and Implications for Human Health. Dov Sikirov. View resource. ↩

  2. A review on squat-assist devices to aid elderly with lower limb difficulties in toileting to tackle constipation. R Hari Krishnan. View resource. ↩

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Corrections?

We base our writings on science and reasoning, but we could be victims of cognitive biases whilst doing our research. If there are any inaccuracies in our writings, please do let us know.

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