3 Tips To Poop Better
Do you ever sit down on the toilet and things just aren’t moving like they should be? Or maybe you get off the toilet and it doesn’t feel “complete”?
If that’s been your experience, know that you’re not alone and there are actually simple ways you can start having better poops starting today. Before we get into those tips, let’s do a quick anatomy lesson.
What is the digestion system?
The digestive system is a group of organs that break down nutrients for absorption, as well as remove waste from the body. The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is part of this system. The GI tract is a series of hollow organs that are all connected to take food and drink through the body, then out of the body. This tract includes the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and anus.
Don’t fall asleep on me yet, because this is where it gets really interesting!
We break food down in the mouth and stomach, absorb most of our nutrients in the small intestine, absorb water and ferment (thanks to gut bacteria) fibers in the large intestine, then pack all waste together at the base of the large intestine, an area called the rectum, so that it can eventually empty through the anus (the opening).
There’s a muscle called the puborectalis that wraps around the rectum like a sling to help keep all stool inside until you’re ready to eliminate it. In simple terms, this helps you not poop yourself (known as fecal incontinence) all day. When you’re ready to “go,” the puborectalis muscle is meant to relax and lengthen, so that the rectum can fully empty all stool through the anus.
In order to relax and lengthen the puborectalis muscle, our bodies are designed to squat. As our world has developed, the toilet was introduced and squatting was no longer the norm. Instead, we started sitting. The problem is that sitting doesn’t allow the puborectalis muscle to relax fully, which creates a restriction for stool to pass through, leading to straining and incomplete emptying.
Don’t worry, you don’t have to go throw out your toilet. There are 3 ways to improve your bowel movements as you sit on your porcelain throne.
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Adjust your posture
Squatting on your toilet may not be easy and safe to do, but you can mimic the squat by adjusting your posture on the toilet. By lifting your knees above your hips and leaning forward slighting, you can create the right angle for the puborectalis muscle to lengthen, relax, and let your stool pass through more easily.
To do this, you can grab a box or flip your trashcan over, or you can get a more aesthetically-pleasing option: the Squatty Potty Stool.
What I love is that it’s easy to move around and it compliments most decor, so there’s no need to hide it when guests come over. To use, place your Stoolie close to the base of your toilet, put your feet along the curved top tucked behind your knees, then lean slightly forward. Easy as that!
Relax your belly and breathe
Now that your posture is fixed, relax your belly and take a few deep breaths. When you hold your stomach in, the muscles of the pelvic floor, which are also needed to release stool, can become tight and contracted. This can lead to more restriction and less relaxation. As you let your stomach relax and take deep breaths, filling the stomach completely and releasing through your hips, you will support your pelvic floor and allow the stool to move through more comfortably.
If you do need a little more force to help “push” stool out, keep the stomach relaxed and think more about “bearing down” through your hips. You can wrap your hands around your waist and guide your hips down as you “push” or you can blow your nose to connect to the right muscles!
Create a routine and be patient
Our bodies love routines, especially when it comes to pooping. When you create a routine of sitting on the toilet (with the right posture, of course!) and being patient for a few minutes, you can train your body to relax and be ready for a release during that time of day. Note that you should only wait a few minutes. If you have to wait 10-30 minutes without anything moving, that may be your body’s signal that it’s not time yet.
Another important thing to note here is that you also want to respond when your body gives you the signal that it’s ready to go. If you consistently ignore the urge to go, your body will stop sending those signals, which can leave you backed up.
What happens when this doesn’t work?
If you have done the tips above and you’re still struggling on the toilet, with either constipation or diarrhea, there are a few things that could be going on. First off, if you’ve been struggling for a while, it’s best to talk to your doctor to start looking at what could be causing this. Keeping a journal with your symptoms can be helpful to provide some data to share.
After you’ve started the conversation with your doctor, here are a few things that could come up:
Problems with the pelvic floor muscles. These muscles can become too tight, too loose, or disconnected from the brain’s signals. A pelvic floor physical therapist is the best professional to help you work through this.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). This is a functional gut-brain disorder that can lead to chronic constipation and/or diarrhea, plus other symptoms like pain, bloating, and gas. The best option for this is to find a multidisciplinary team, including a gastroenterologist, IBS-specialist dietitian (like myself!), and therapist or psychologist.
Functional constipation or diarrhea. These conditions are similar to IBS, but may not include pain as a common symptom. For these, finding a team like you would for IBS can be helpful.
Diet and lifestyle behaviors. Eating too little fiber or a poorly balanced diet, as well as being sedentary and/or overly stressed can all lead to poor bowel movements. It can be helpful to work with a registered dietitian to evaluate where you’re at and what simple changes you may be able to make.
Now, go get your Squatty Potty and apply these 3 tips to start having better bowel movements! If this was helpful for you, share it with a friend because friends don’t let friends have bad poops.
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