Hemorrhoid Treatment And The Toilet Connection
Posted by Karen Berk
When treating hemorrhoids, you may have to reconsider how you go to the bathroom.
For one thing, the toilet itself is not ideally designed for the benefit of our bodies. It was originally designed by monarchs who didn’t want to squat like the peasants. It is designed to be comfortable to sit on but the sitting position is actually not the optimum position for elimination.
Our bodies are actually designed in a way that makes squatting the ideal position for elimination. Squatting aligns the rectum and anus, resulting in faster and more complete eliminations. Besides reducing your chances of hemorrhoids, squatting also reduces constipation and the chances of colon and prostate cancer. Unless you are very limber, squatting over your toilet may be virtually impossible even if your toilet is a hole in the floor. One in three adult Americans can’t squat worth squat.
The next best thing is to have a footstool. The higher the stool, the better for your colon. Using a footstool won’t have all the benefits of squatting but it’s moderately better than keeping your feet flat on the floor.
The standard toilet seat is designed to spread your cheeks which creates strain on your sphincter muscles which in turn inhibits elimination. If you are going to sit on the toilet, try to limit your time there. Do your business and get off.
Wiping also can affect your hemorrhoids. In a perfectly healthy bowel movement, there is actually nothing much to wipe. However most people do have to wipe afterwards. Wipe gently. No matter how squeezably soft it is, wiping with toilet paper can irritate your bottom. Use wet paper for gentler wiping. Better still is to use a wet cloth if you are at home. Don’t use soap. It dries out the area too much. Using a bidet would be ideal but I’ve never seen one in the United States.
Good toilet habits are more important than you probably realize in avoiding hemorrhoids.
For one thing, the toilet itself is not ideally designed for the benefit of our bodies. It was originally designed by monarchs who didn’t want to squat like the peasants. It is designed to be comfortable to sit on but the sitting position is actually not the optimum position for elimination.
Our bodies are actually designed in a way that makes squatting the ideal position for elimination. Squatting aligns the rectum and anus, resulting in faster and more complete eliminations. Besides reducing your chances of hemorrhoids, squatting also reduces constipation and the chances of colon and prostate cancer. Unless you are very limber, squatting over your toilet may be virtually impossible even if your toilet is a hole in the floor. One in three adult Americans can’t squat worth squat.
The next best thing is to have a footstool. The higher the stool, the better for your colon. Using a footstool won’t have all the benefits of squatting but it’s moderately better than keeping your feet flat on the floor.
The standard toilet seat is designed to spread your cheeks which creates strain on your sphincter muscles which in turn inhibits elimination. If you are going to sit on the toilet, try to limit your time there. Do your business and get off.
Wiping also can affect your hemorrhoids. In a perfectly healthy bowel movement, there is actually nothing much to wipe. However most people do have to wipe afterwards. Wipe gently. No matter how squeezably soft it is, wiping with toilet paper can irritate your bottom. Use wet paper for gentler wiping. Better still is to use a wet cloth if you are at home. Don’t use soap. It dries out the area too much. Using a bidet would be ideal but I’ve never seen one in the United States.
Good toilet habits are more important than you probably realize in avoiding hemorrhoids.