It’s A Stool to Help You Move Your Stool!
I’m not sure if you’ve seen the advertisement floating around the internet that shows a unicorn pooping rainbows, but once you see it, you’ll never forget it.
So, here it is:
I was initially fascinated by the idea of what essentially amounts to using a cheap plastic stool to get your body into a more natural position for bowel movements. However, being the miser/thrifty dad that I am, I just ended up using the small stool that my son uses to be able to reach the sink which really didn’t make a difference.
Contents
Squat Toilets?
You may be wondering, what does it matter if you get into a “more natural position” for bowel movements? I was initially made aware of the concept when I first got into fitness and weight lifting. There was all of this talk about how members of the Western world sit often as part of our culture, and that we are at a disadvantage when it comes to our squat form. The term “3rd world squat” is thrown around as something to aspire toward. Questionable name aside, the idea is that outside of western culture, when people need to rest from walking or standing, they simply sit into a squat position that’s natural, and comfortable. No chair or bench required. How does this relate to the bathroom? Well, there is such a thing as a squat toilet. Instead of being a raised bowl, the toilet bowl is actually IN the floor, and you don’t sit on it. You just squat down into that “3rd world squat” and do your thing. They are found in various countries including Japan, China, India, and all over the middle east. Our sitting toilets are called “western style toilets.”
Why does this matter? Well squat-style toilets are considered to be more hygienic compared to sitting toilets due to there being no skin contact, which is a good thing in public places I guess. If you ever travel to those aforementioned areas, then be aware that you might need to be able to use this type of toilet, or you might be going on a detour to find a western style toilet.
Anyways, Squatty Potty, the company with the ad showing unicorns pooping rainbows, is making the case that this squatting position is a more healthy and natural way to go #2. They have a bunch of case studies on their site, blah blah blah. http://www.squattypotty.com/medical-case-studies/
The only reason that the Squatty Potty showed up on my radar again was due to the fact that there was a huge sale through Amazon. Since I’m a sucker for a good bargain, I figured I’d give it a shot.
So for $20, I got a giant, plastic stool thing that fits around my toilet. I figured, I’m tall, I have a higher height toilet to begin with so I’ll get the taller squatty potty (9” version).
My first impression was that I should have gotten the smaller one (7” version). It also made me realize, wow, my squat form must be horrible, and my ankle flexibility is atrocious. However, after 2 weeks of use, those things are improving as a result of the Squatty Potty. That’s ONE way to improve your flexibility and make sure that you do if often!
On to the “bulk” of my review. (I’m not going to apologize for shitty puns, ever).
The “Bulk” Of the Review
Aside from squat form and ankle flexibility improvements, when actually using the Squatty Potty for it’s intended purpose, BM’s are now much faster, “cleaner” (less TP used), and–sorry if this is too graphic– feel like I am completely evacuating my bowels.
So was it worth the $20? Yes, I definitely think so. The stool itself is a huge monstrosity that I would probably want to hide if I were having company, and despite the design that allows it to sit tight against the toilet, it still feels kind of in the way when not taking a BM. However, it was such an improvement for me personally, that I decided to purchase a travel version ($10) that’s essentially an air mattress that goes around your toilet. I will definitely be taking that with me whenever I’m away from home! I just hope that I don’t ever have to explain it to TSA, although I’m sure they’ve seen much weirder things.
No bite-sized tips here, except that I think it’s worth a shot. Maybe start with the 7” version. If you are concerned with how it looks, try the cheap plastic one first and if it makes a difference for you, they have more aesthetic/sleek versions such as a thin bamboo one!
If you’ve tried one of these before, let me know if it helped you!
Here’s their site if you want to know more: http://www.squattypotty.com/
DISCLAIMER
Squatty Potty DOES have an affiliate program, but I AM NOT AN AFFILIATE nor am I associated with them in any way. I paid for this thing with my own money, and I am writing this solely to provide some info that may help you. Any links are simply links to additional info or where you can buy one.