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Hot take: Sitting on a toilet is unnatural and unhealthy
Hot question: How often did early humans sit on a cylinder to go to the bathroom?
The most optimal way to defecate is a standing or slight squatting posture with support, like leaning on a stable surface, as it aligns the rectum, minimizes anal pressure, and mimics the natural, variable positions used by early humans.
Balancing with hand or foot support reduces strain on the pelvic floor and prevents muscle overuse, offering a healthier alternative to the high-pressure seated posture of modern toilets.
Humans have evolved to defecate in a semi-standing, semi-squatting or squatting posture, as evidenced by anthropological studies of early hominins and indigenous populations.
This position, often supported by leaning on natural structures like trees or rocks, aligns the rectum with the anal canal, reducing intra-abdominal pressure and facilitating easier bowel movements.
Modern seated toilets, introduced widely in the 19th century, place the body in an unnatural 90-degree angle, increasing pressure on the anal canal’s hemorrhoidal cushions—vascular structures critical for continence.
Research, including studies from the Journal of Colorectal Disease (2010), indicates that sitting increases anorectal pressure by up to 80% compared to squatting, contributing to hemorrhoid development, prolapse, and straining-related complications.
While squatting, as seen in squat toilet designs, reduces this strain, a slight squat or standing posture with support (e.g., leaning on a surface or using handrails) is more ergonomic, as it mimics the flexible, natural positions of early humans, minimizes muscle overuse, and promotes pelvic floor relaxation.
Adopting such postures, or using aids like footstools or hand supports, can mitigate risks of hemorrhoidal disease, improve overall health, defecatory function, addressing a design flaw in modern sanitation that overlooks evolutionary anatomy.
Ditch the throne, embrace the squat—your body will thank you.
