If going to the toilet isn’t the easiest or most satisfactory experience, according to this doctor it’s probably because you’re not adhering to three key rules.
Dr Karan Raj, TikTok’s fave doctor (no seriously, he has a monumental 5.1 million followers on the app) has shared the ways to achieve ‘a god tier dump’ and it turns out we’ve been mistaking some serious mistakes.
“These three things are totally non-negotiable,” the doctor explained on his latest video.
“Number one: positioning. Decrease the angle between your torso and thighs - you can do this by leaning forward or using a stool under your feet to get you into hip flexion.”
According to the doc, this relaxes your puborectalis muscle and straightens the rectum – meaning less straining and much better pooing dynamics.
Next up, the amount of fibre you consume. Dr Raj says that we need to be eating at least 30g of the stuff a day in order to make pooing easier.
“This needs to be a mix of soluble fibre, which helps to bulk and soften the stool, and insoluble fibre, which acts like a rake to sweep your intestines,” he shares.
Third and finally, if you want to achieve a pleasing poo, you need to activate the gastrocolic reflex.
OK, we didn’t know want it meant either – but Dr Raj breaks it down for us:
“If you eat something in the morning, the food with stretch the stomach, which triggers the release of various hormones that stimulate gut peristalsis (AKA intestinal contractions) and give you the urge to empty your bowels within 20 and 30 minutes of eating.”
Ever had a quick bite to eat for breakfast before running for the tube and then needing to stop off on the way to work? This is why – so if you want to avoid needing the loo on your commute, it pays to wait until you get to the office to scoff your breakfast.
Now that you’re fully in the know, you’ll have happier bowels in no time.