Back when you were an infant you knew instinctively how to answer the call of nature. While still in diapers, you used the squatting position, the method human beings have always used -- and still do in most parts of the world. (1)
Then one day Mommy or Daddy taught you the "proper, civilized" way to perform your bodily functions. It seemed strange and inefficient at first, but eventually you got used to it.
Or did you? Western societies have quite a poor record when it comes to intestinal health, and in all probability you will eventually be counted in one of the following statistics (from authoritative medical websites.):
- Appendicitis: Occurs in 7% of the US population.
- Hemorrhoids: Affects half the population over 50 years of age.
- Irritable bowel syndrome: Affects 10-20% of the population.
- Diverticulosis: Affects half of all Americans age 60 to 80, and almost everyone over age 80.
- Colorectal Cancer: 148,300 new cases and 56,600 deaths are expected in 2002 in the U.S.
- Bladder Incontinence: 50% or more of elderly persons are incontinent. $16.4 billion is spent every year on incontinence-related care.
- Prostate Cancer: 190,000 new cases and 30,200 deaths each year in the U.S.
The cause of these mysterious epidemics has baffled modern medicine for decades. It may sound unbelievable, but a major contributing factor in all of them could well be the humble "porcelain throne." Here is a brief summary of the evidence, based on published research:
How does the commode contribute to prostate and bladder disorders?
The perineum contains nerves that control the bladder, prostate and other organs. Bearing down to evacuate while sitting causes the perineum to bulge out. Over time, this stretches and damages the pelvic nerves, resulting in loss of bladder control and loss of communication between the prostate and the brain. The phenomenon is called "pelvic floor nerve stretch injury" and is well-known to modern medicine (2), although the connection to seated evacuation has only recently been discovered, by an Australian researcher named Wallace Bowles.
Mr. Bowles tested his theory in "an ongoing informal study," converting over 3000 Australians to the squatting position for elimination. Squatting protects the pelvic nerves by keeping the perineum rigid. Surveys of the participants produced a large body of anecdotal evidence showing reversal of bladder incontinence (including children's bedwetting.) In addition, men with prostate disorders "consistently reported" shrinkage of enlarged prostates and reduction of high PSA levels. (3)
How does the commode contribute to hemorrhoids?
The rectum has a built-in "kink" designed to maintain continence. It only straightens out when squatting. (7) Sitting on the toilet, one has to strain against the kink, which damages the delicate tissues and causes the veins to become distended. Clinical research published in the Israel Journal of Medical Science in 1987 showed a 90% cure rate achieved by switching to the squatting position. (4)
How does the commode contribute to colon cancer?
80% of colon cancers develop in the cecum and the sigmoid, the lower sections of the colon. In the sitting position, it is physically impossible to squeeze these regions empty. The residue accumulates and hardens, constricting the colon and exposing it to toxic carcinogens. An article in the journal Epidemiology reported that fecal stagnation is a major risk factor for colon cancer. (5)
How does the commode increase the risk of appendicitis?
When fecal matter is trapped in the cecum, it can block the opening to the appendix, which then becomes inflamed. Emergency surgery is required to prevent a fatality. Appendicitis was unknown before sitting toilets were introduced 150 years ago, but became the most commonly diagnosed complaint in western society by 1900. (6) Cultures that use squat toilets do not fall prey to this disease, since the cecum is completely evacuated in the natural squatting position. (8)
Considering this evidence, perhaps the time has come to reacquaint Western Man with his natural habits. Our children can lead the way.
Squatty-training a baby is child’s play. You just need two footpads and a receptacle. Your baby will love it! And be out of diapers in no time. The footpads can be wood or bricks or Sociology textbooks – anything to keep baby’s bottom clear of the receptacle. When children get a little older they can squat on the toilet seat. Put a chair or a walker in front of the toilet for them to hold onto until they get the hang of it.
And try squatting yourself! It’s never too late to adopt a healthy lifestyle (and avoid becoming an unhappy statistic.)
REFERENCES
- Kira A. The Bathroom. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1976, revised edition, pp.115,116.
- Henry, Dr. M.M. and Swash, Dr.M., Coloproctology and the Pelvic Floor, Butterworths London, 1985, p. 145,147,301.
- Tobin, Andrew. Prostate Disorder - Causes and Cure, National Direct Publishing, Bowden, Australia, 1996, p.123-148.)
- Sikirov BA. Management of Hemorrhoids: A New Approach, Israel Journal of Medical Sciences, 1987: 23, 284-286.
- Jacobs E J, White E., Constipation, laxative use, and colon cancer among middle-aged adults. Epidemiology, 1998 Jul, 9 (4): 385-91.
- Bowles, Wallace, Improving on the World's Greatest Invention, Macksville, Australia, Dale Print, 1999, p.5.
- Tagart REB. The Anal Canal and Rectum: Their Varying Relationship and Its Effect on Anal Continence, Diseases of the Colon and Rectum 1966: 9, 449-452.
- www.webhealthcentre.com
