Do you know how to poop?
Pooping. Are you doing it wrong? This may sound like a joke, but I’ve found that most people don’t know much about doing the doo. They don’t know what a good one looks like, let alone how to have one.
So in this video, I’ll give you the scoop… on how to have a great poop.
Has your doctor ever asked you about your poop? Did your mom talk to you about your poop?
NO! That’s why I’m making this video.
Here are 5 tips on how to have a great poop.
1. EAT A GOOD DIET
This goes without saying, but you want to be eating a healthy, real food diet with lots of plant consumption because this contains helpful fiber.
Shoot for up to 9 servings a day of leafy greens, root and cruciferous vegetables and fresh fruit a day. Throw in some grains properly prepared through soaking or sprouting.
Nuts and seeds are also wonderful additions, but can be difficult for some to digest, esp for folks who are prone to diarrhea. So be sure you soak, sprout or use nut/seed butters.
You’ll also want to be sure you’re consuming enough good fats from things like:
Avocados
Olives
Raw butter
Coconut oil
And so forthAmple protein keeps your bowel muscles strong, so be sure to get enough from sources like:
Pastured and organic meats
Eggs
Raw or Organic dairy
As well as wild fish and seafood2. POSITION
Position? For pooping? What am I talking about? Don’t you just sit on the toilet?
Well, no. Not ideally.
Toilets are relatively new inventions in the history of humankind. Sitting on the pot is actually not the best position for pooping.
When a person sits on a toilet to eliminate, the rectum is forced into a kinked position. This can cause us to strain in order to eliminate. This straining exerts pressure on the anal and rectal veins, which can contribute to hemorrhoids, bowel herniation and other illnesses associated with the lower digestive tract.
Anatomically, humans are intended to squat when eliminating, and have done so since the dawn of time. In fact, more than half the world’s population still squats today.
BUT. We’ve all got “western” or sitting toilets in our homes, right? Are we supposed to get rid of them?
Well, no. But you can improve your form when you’re on them. The key is to elevate your feet to get up into that squatting position. You can put your feet on a little waste basket. Or better yet, a stool.
For the longest time we used our toddler’s little step stool.
We use this stool from Step and Go that tucks under the potty when you’re not using it. They also make a white version. I’ll have a link to Step and Go in the video description below.
3. TIMING
This might sound silly, but make time to poop every day.
In our busy world, we often race around first thing in the morning and don’t stop to allow our body to do what it needs to do.
Create a morning ritual that includes sitting on the pot 15 minutes. For many of us, it will take much less than that, but this is a good practice for those with constipation.
Use your potty stool, perhaps a little Peppermint essential oil, and relax on the toilet. Try to let go of your stress, which we can hold in our bowels. Maybe read a good magazine.
By doing this daily, you can help train your body to eliminate each day.
4. EXERCISE!
Leading a sedentary lifestyle is can be hazardous for our health… and also for our poops.
If you wanna GET things moving, you gotta GET moving.
Exercise helps relieve constipation because it stimulates the nervous system and helps the muscles and nerves in the gut to work better. The bowels respond even more when you’re in a consistent exercise routine and exercising at the same time each day, according to the University of Michigan Health System.
It can be as simple as walking. Various yoga poses and abdominal massage are excellent to stimulate the bowel as well.
5. DRINK FLUIDS
Hydration is also very important. Water helps move things along in our systems. In fact, studies find that people who got plenty of fluids were the least likely to suffer constipation. And the large intestine needs fluid to form stool. In fact, our stools are made up of 75% water!?! So be sure to get that H2O.