I would definitely say I've become more adaptable with my positioning on the toilet since having UC and spend more time in an attempt to be as sure as possible that I am "finished" before I leave the bathroom. I've also learned to lightly massage my belly in the direction of GI tract movement to help things along.

hey,

i think that there is definately some substance to having a squatting position. as ive read some papers on the net that it helps cure hemaroids.

Jon

I am willing to try anything! Let us know what the doctor says about this!!! I am very curious. I am like mmccaus....I massage my stomach and it helps.

i dont think ill be talking to my doctor for a while. but people started sufferring from inflammatory bowel disease in the uk at the same time as modern day toilets started being used in the country.

also in japan inflammatory bowel disease was unknown until 30 years ago when western toilets started being used.

so there is a definate corelation between the two. however corelation doesnt mean causation.

ive only been doing this for two days so i cant really say if it works or not yet. but i dont have to put in as mush effort to to release my bowels.

if i put my knees towards my chest and hold them up by going on my toes and then lean forward with my chest towards my raised knees and as i am evacuating lean back and then forth again i can notice the difference in how much effort i have to use to evacuate.

Jon :)

All this sounds interesting, there just might be something to it. I will try anyting to see if it will help. The odd thing for me is the last two flares up I have had, they were both close together,I did not have diarhhea! That odd for me, just infection in my colon that that was hard to treat.

This does sound like something worth trying to help relieve some of the problems we all deal with due to IBD. But I have to say I don't think the way we use the bathroom caused us to develop IBD. If IBD were something that only adults were diagnosed with I might be inclined to consider the theory a bit more. But, as we know very young children suffer with this disease. For example, the CCFA rising star award was given to a very sweet 5 yo girl who has UC. Still, thanks for the idea. As much bathroom time as we have to endure some helpful hints are nice.

here is some info

A Clinical Study of Sitting versus Squatting
In April, 2002, an Iranian radiologist, Dr. Saeed Rad, published a study which compared the effectiveness of sitting versus squatting for evacuation.24 One of his conclusions relates to the cause of a type of hernia known as "rectocele," which is a bulge of the front wall of the rectum into the vagina.

Thirty subjects participated in the study 21 male, 9 female ranging in age from 11 to 75 years. Each patient received a barium enema so the internal mechanics of evacuation could be recorded on an X-Ray image. Each patient was studied in both the squatting and the sitting positions.

Using these images, Dr. Rad measured the angle where the end of the rectum joins the anal canal. At this junction point, the puborectalis muscle creates a kink to prevent incontinence. Dr. Rad found that when the subjects used sitting toilets the average angle of this bend was 92 degrees, forcing the subjects to strain. When they used squat toilets, the angle opened to an average of 132 degrees. At times it reached 180 degrees, making the pathway perfectly straight.

Colon hygiene depends on the effectiveness of daily elimination. Human beings were designed to perform their bodily functions in the squatting position. In order to be squeezed empty, the colon needs to be compressed by the thighs. Furthermore, the puborectalis muscle needs to be relaxed and the ileocecal valve from the small intestine needs to be closed. By ignoring these requirements, the sitting toilet makes it impossible to empty the colon completely.

Incomplete evacuation causes wastes to stagnate in the lower regions of the colon. In these areas, virulent bacteria can establish colonies, inflaming the surrounding tissues. Depending on where in the colon it occurs, and which strain of bacteria is involved, this inflammation is called by different names. Appendicitis, diverticulitis, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn's Disease can all be considered as various forms of inflammatory bowel disease. (Ileitis will be discussed below.)

Therefore, what protects the developing world is not "squalid conditions" but just the opposite: the natural cleanliness that comes from evacuating as nature intended. The relevance of toilet posture is also confirmed by the historical evidence. Inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome emerged in the West toward the end of the 19th century, as the use of sitting toilets became more and more common.22,28

This explanation is supported by a recent article in HealthScout News entitled "E. Coli Linked to Inflammatory Bowel Disease" (February 5, 2002):

An intestinal infection caused by strains of a common bacterium may be linked to the development of inflammatory bowel disease, a new study says. French researchers report that a heightened immune interaction between Escherichia coli and the cells lining the intestine may result in the symptoms experienced by people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). They suggest their work indicates antibiotics might be a useful tool when treating IBD.
Another form of Crohn's Disease is "ileitis" or inflammation of the small intestine. It results from fecal matter being forced backwards into the small intestine during evacuation. The ileocecal (IC) valve is designed to prevent this toxic "backflow" but only in the squatting position. The IC valve needs to be supported by the right thigh in order to withstand the pressure built up during elimination. A more detailed explanation of this process can be found in two other sections: Contamination of the Small Intestine and Appendicitis.

The anatomy and demographics of inflammatory bowel disease imply that squatting would be useful for prevention. Anecdotal evidence suggests its potential for use in treatment as well. Mr. Wallace Bowles, an Australian researcher, has extensively reviewed the medical literature and has surveyed converts to the natural squatting position:

I have received reports regarding several people, aged between 5 and 45 years, diagnosed with Crohns Disease. Inflammatory bowel conditions are shown to react most positively when the cumulative injury of seated elimination is relieved by squatting. People with IBD who have changed to the squat posture for bowel movements report significant improvement within a few weeks and, in time, have lost all symptoms of this horrendous condition.
[from personal communication with Mr. Bowles]



from: http://www.naturesplatform.com/health_benefits.html

Makes sense with the current medical theories about IBD - that there has been some agent (bacterial or viral) that our bodies' immune systems start attacking thus inflaming in order to rid the body of the infection, causing little problem for most people, but the genetic predisposition of some of us keeps our immune response from shutting down.

Hey Jon, thanks for the additional information. There could be something to this in regard to whatever bacteria plays a role in the development of IBD even at a very young age. Very interesting - thanks for such a thought provoking topic!

hey guys,

im glad to help. i have just dropped out of college due to my uc. i was in my final year so it was very stressful and have decided to take the year out to relax. i was only diagnosed 2 months ago so i think i need a bit of time to adjust to having the illness.

i intend to do a lot of research into the illness, while on my year out.

if any of you would like to help me do some research on the squatting please feel free!!

one thing i am kind of stuck at is about the puborectalis muscle. the article says that if it is at a 180 degree angle evacuation is best. if come one could find a diagram of it in respect to the rest of the body so as to show how to get a 180 degree angle i would appreciate it.

Jon :)

I read something about this about 6 months ago. I started using a step stool (no pun intended) that I put in front of the toilet so when I sit, my feet are on the stool and my knees are then much higher then my hips. It makes going a lot less stressful for sure but I have not noticed any changes in symptoms. but I do rccomend it.
My husband was in China for 2 weeks last year and he ate their traditional diet of veggie based meals, very little meats, squatted over a hole in the ground to poo and said that he had never felt so regular and cleaned out in all his life! He does not have CD or UC.

Jon,

http://www.fascrs.org/physicians/education/core_subjects/2003/anatomy_colon_rectum_anus/

Here are the pictures..

http://naturesplatform.com/health_benefits.html#rb

(I'm sure you saw that site already)

Wow, great websites, Longie, thanks!
Fraz

hey akie,

are you sure that you were making enough of an angle. in the article from the site i mentioned in my past post the doctor who wrote it said that the puborectalis muscle should be at an 180 degree angle in order to get the most effective evacuation.

were your knees and chest touching?

also i dont think that doing this alne will cure the illness i think that as well as this we need to cleanse the colon with what we are eating, and only eat blended food or juices for a while so as to give it a rest. and then slowly start introoducing small parts of your old diet again to see if it agrees with you. for eg half a breast of chicken etc.

Jon

hey longie,

thanks for the info i appreciate it.

are you trying this method for yourself?

Jon