Don’t take my word for it. Studies confirm that squatting is the new sitting when it comes to our daily toilet time.

Here in Kenya, where I’m currently traveling—and, for that matter, almost everywhere in the world—squat toilets are the norm. Seated toilets? Either luxuries or oddities.

Over in the “West,” we are just a little behind the times. At some point we decided that sitting down was more civilized. According to legend, we can blame the Queen.

But really? Civilized my a** (no pun intended)! Not only is squatting healthier for the colon (it seems our Western toilets may be responsible for the prevalence of medical conditions such as hemorrhoids), when it comes to public washrooms, it’s a whole lot more hygienic, too.

Our bodies are meant to squat, and they don’t appreciate the added challenge of sitting.

Jealous yet? You don’t have to be.

Someone has actually invented a simple way to convert seated toilets to squat toilets. He calls it the “Original Squatty Potty.” Hardly original in name, since just about everyone ever has applied this moniker to squat toilets. I digress.

To be honest, I am solidly in the middle when it comes to the squat-sit debate. I don’t mind squat toilets—I think I probably prefer them—but I don’t mind sitting toilets either, and I think I would feel downright silly climbing up on a stool in the U.S. to reminisce about my travels while I squat.

Nonetheless, I consider it my duty to share the possibilities with you.

Squat toilets are the new black… will you hop on this trend?

Sources:

NPR

Slate

The Original Squatty Potty

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Author: Toby Israel

Editor: Emily Bartran

Photo: Wikimedia Commons