You May Be Going to the Bathroom All Wrong: Should You Squat or Sit?
Many of us choose to squat while using public bathrooms to avoid coming into contact with germs -- or at the very least, to minimize contact -- but are we messing with our bodies when we do it?
According to Dr. Anish Sheth, a gastroenterologist affiliated with University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro, it depends on if you're going number one or number two.
If you're going No. 1, squatting is not the best choice.
"The bladder can't fully empty when you perch," the doctor explains.
(Welp, that's news to us!)
On the other hand, squatting may actually be ideal if you're going No. 2.
"When you have a bowel movement," Dr. Anish says, "squatting can actually be helpful."
"The colon and the intestines are not a straight shot," he goes on. "They're actually twisted and turned. When you squat, you actually open up the canal, so stool can come out quickly."
And while there are products that can help with this positioning (like stools, ironically!), the doctor insists you can get yourself in a "perfect potty position" on your own.
Watch him demonstrate in the video above!
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