Painful Restroom Trips? Try a Squatty Potty!In Jini’s blog post, Natural Rectal Prolapse Treatment, she explains that the western practice of sitting on the toilet prevents the rectum from straightening out and opening – making us much more prone to bowel prolapse, constipation, hemorrhoids, and anal fissures! Squatting on the toilet is best, or using a squatting platform like the Squatty Potty, that fits around your toilet.

In my experience, using a Squatty Potty can literally be a lifesaver – not only for general comfort but also for times I’ve dealt personally with constipation, hemorrhoids, etc. But before I get into why we love us some Squatty Potties, let’s talk a little bit more about why the position you go to the bathroom is so important.

Check out WebMD’s explanation:

“Stool stays in your rectum — a collecting chamber at the end of your large intestine. A U-shaped muscle called the puborectalis wraps around your rectum. This muscle keeps the lower part of your bowel bent to hold the stool inside until you’re ready to go. It works much like a kink in a garden hose that prevents water from getting out. The slight bend in your colon stops you from letting go and having an accident. When it’s time to have a bowel movement, your rectum contracts. The puborectalis muscle relaxes, and you push to release the stool from your body.

The problem with sitting is that it keeps the kink in your lower bowel. That forces you to work harder to push out the poop. Squatting relaxes your puborectalis muscle more and straightens out your colon, giving the poop a straight route out. As a result, you can go more easily with less straining.

X-rays taken during studies show that the rectum does straighten out more when you squat. Pressure in the belly is also lower in this position, which could be a sign you’re not straining as much.

When people use posture-changing devices to squat, studies show, they go more quickly. They also strain less and empty their bowels more completely than when they sit on the toilet. By making it easier to poop, squatting might ease constipation and prevent hemorrhoids, which are often a result of straining.”

So just speaking on a purely physical level, without squatting you may be blocking those muscles! This is what makes this tool just as important (in my opinion) as all of Jini’s other remedies. If you can relax your abdomen, rectum, and body, you are giving yourself the best chance of releasing toxins in a healthy way – which can alleviate pain and help you towards healing.

Because properly detoxing is essential, and one of the biggest ways we do this is by going number two. 😉

squatty pottyJini and her family are fans of the Squatty Potty, too! In one of Jini’s most valuable (and popular) Youtube videos, Constipation Pooping Positions, Jini uses a Squatty Potty to demonstrate the various positions you can use to facilitate a bowel movement.

The Squatty Potty may also help with scars and fissures. I personally had fissures and some rectal scarring, and these are so painful – so having a bit of relief using the Squatty Potty was so needed and appreciated. If you have fissures or scars that have built up and caused strictures or blockages, having the rectum relaxed and in the proper position can absolutely help get things moving more smoothly, and lessen any pain, when you go to the bathroom.

Any of us with IBD usually have some form of fear surrounding the bathroom or trauma from past experiences, such as extreme pain or not getting to the toilet on time. Having something like a Squatty Potty that can relieve some pressure may actually help release some of your trauma, as you are now replacing that experience with a new and hopefully more positive one.

Tapping While in the Restroom

Have you ever just sat on the toilet in agony? You are not alone! I’ve been there countless times, so I want to share with you a technique I started practicing while sitting there which helped relax my mind, body, and muscles – usually resulting in less strain and pain. Jini’s Lazer Tapping is something I personally have benefitted so much from, as this therapy teaches you and allows you to be your own healer!

Lazer Tapping is based on EFT tapping, which I have also practiced for years now. It’s Jini’s own greatly simplified technique, combined with accessing the wisdom of the body itself – the actual consciousness of the cells and tissues of the body – and it is the cornerstone of her healing herself of widespread Crohn’s disease.

Jini describes it like this:

Lazer Tapping, EFT, TFT, and other acupressure tapping methods work by stimulating the acupuncture meridian points on the body. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) believes that energy (chi, ki, prana) flows through the body along energy pathways – similar to how blood flows along arteries.

Now imagine this network of energy pathways is 3D; connecting every organ, bone, cell, tissue, atom, emotion, belief, spirit, and feeling, together into one grid. The meridians are the pathways along this 3D grid or network, and all along the meridians are individual portal points; these are the acupressure tapping points. The acupressure meridians are the connection between the visible and the invisible.

How cool is that?!

You can learn more about why Jini loves tapping, and how it was the cornerstone for her healing, here. You can also join her for a FREE session, which I highly recommend! The free session which helped me the most in these situations was called “Release emotions in your gut that are causing physical symptoms.” 

Another technique that has helped me relax in the bathroom is meditation! Jini’s Guided Healing meditation is one of my favorites. In it, she leads you through breathing and visualization techniques to bring you into deep relaxation. Then, once you are deeply relaxed, you can then visualize or imagine whatever needs healing in your body – whether it’s constipation and/or pain relief, increasing circulation, wound healing, etc.

MeditationWhen you are experiencing pain in the restroom why not give these a try? Incorporating one (or all!) could potentially help release some pain and trauma that may be blocking the release of reactions. Also, tapping or meditation doesn’t have to be limited to your time in the restroom. It’s also helpful to tap beforehand – that way you can release the trauma before you enter the restroom.

I would try to practice these relaxation techniques when I didn’t have to run to the restroom. That way, when I did have to go, I was in a more relaxed state – which usually meant less pain. I also would tap through the problems in my head so that I didn’t panic. For example, every time I went to the restroom I saw a toilet full of blood which triggered more panic in me. And panic helps no one!

By tapping before using the restroom, and tapping through these feelings of fear and anxiety, eventually, I was able to see blood and not panic – which also lessened the pain. This was in addition to Jini’s physical protocols, and consulting with my doctor of course!

Whether it’s breathwork, EFT tapping, emotional expression (or whatever your chosen technique is), Jini advises making sure to both explore the consciousness of the trauma/pattern/belief and then actually going into the cells and tissues. So, whatever therapy you’re using, make sure it’s accessing and integrating both of those layers because that’s how you actually release it from the body so it’s not stuck and held there. I go into a bit more detail on that in my blog post, “Unwinding”How To Release Trauma From The Body.

Travel & Stylish Squatty Potties

I have come to love Squatty Potties so much that I actually travel with one if my destination doesn’t offer it. Amazon offers many fold-up Squatty Potties that fit in your luggage, which I’ve found pretty simple to travel with as it’s thin when folded!

I recently did some research on types of Squatty Potties, and there are many out there, but I absolutely fell in love with one called Tushy! You may have heard of Tushy, as they offer installable bidet’s as well (which are also awesome!). Tushy’s ottoman toilet stool ($69) is so stylish I could leave it out and not have to hide it when company came over! 🙂

The only downside is the Tushy does not fold up, so it has to be left stationary – but it’s so cute, I was ok with that! They offer a relaxed version or original for the squat position, which I think is really cool.

Squatty Potty itself also offers some different versions based on style, functionality, etc., and they are a bit cheaper than Tushy:

Squatty Potty Simple Toilet Stool ($16)
Squatty Potty Original ($25)
Squatty Potty Fold N Stow ($25) – compact & foldable! They also offer it in bamboo ($50)
Squatty Potty “Flip” ($30) – alternates between 7″ Stool & 9″ Stool. They also offer it in bamboo ($34)

They even have one with motion activation that lights up, and options for children as well!

Squatty Potty Tips!

#1) In this video, Jini demonstrates her colonic massage on a bed, but it can also be done over the toilet, if necessary! Again, having your knees elevated to relieve pressure while sitting on the toilet, plus tapping, meditating, or massaging, can help bring relief.

#2) Measure your toilet! It’s important to get a Squatty Potty that fits your toilet. When I moved, I measured the new space to make sure I had one with the height I needed. To know which height you need, sit on the toilet and bring your knees up to a squat. Whatever feels comfortable is where you should take a measuring tape and measure up to. Then, try to find a Squatty Potty or Tushy that fits that height.

My Final Point Being…

Once you get one you a Squatty Potty, you’ll find you can’t live without it!! Does anyone here already use a Squatty Potty? Do you love yours as much as I do?? Drop a comment below!

Until next time – happy healing, and remember to always listen to your gut. 🙂