Optimal Bowel Movements: Frequency & Best Positions for Healthy Elimination
Let’s be real, your gut is screaming for help, but you’ve been ignoring it. You think it’s normal to feel bloated, sluggish, and backed up for days. You convince yourself that straining on the toilet is just part of life. But guess what? It’s NOT. Your body is begging for a reset, and you keep ignoring the warning signs.
The Dirty Truth About Your Bowel Movements
If you’re only having a bowel movement every couple of days (or worse, once a week), you’ve got a serious problem. No one talks about it, but let’s call it what it is: you’re storing rotting waste inside your body. It’s fermenting. It’s poisoning you. And yet, society has normalized constipation like it’s just some “quirky” digestion issue instead of a massive red flag that your gut health is failing.
And here’s the kicker—most of what you’ve been told about pooping is wrong. The position you sit in, what you eat, how often you go—it all matters. But the Western world is so disconnected from nature that we’ve literally designed our bathrooms to work against our bodies.
So let’s break the cycle!
How Many Bowel Movements Should You Have Per Day?
A healthy gut moves at least once a day. Ideally, two to three times, after each meal. Yes, that’s right—if you’re not pooping daily, your body is not functioning optimally.
Most people suffer from constipation, bloating, or incomplete elimination because their gut is inflamed, their fiber intake is trash, and their toilet habits are unnatural. Instead of your colon smoothly emptying itself, it’s sluggish, struggling, and leaving toxic waste behind.
Why You Might Be Struggling:
You’re Eating the Wrong Foods – Processed junk, animal products, and low-fiber diets clog up your gut like a backed-up sewer. A whole-food, plant-based diet rich in fiber (fruits, veggies, legumes) keeps things moving.
You’re Chronically Dehydrated – If you’re not drinking enough water, your stool turns into compacted concrete, making every trip to the toilet a battle.
Your Bathroom Posture Is Sabotaging You – Sitting on a modern toilet puts your rectum at an unnatural angle, making elimination incomplete and forcing you to strain. Straining leads to hemorrhoids, fissures, and years of digestive misery.
You Ignore the Urge to Go – Holding it in trains your body to retain waste longer than it should, leading to constipation and discomfort.
Sit, Lean, or Squat: The Best Position for Bowel Movements
Modern toilets are the worst thing to happen to human digestion. Ever notice how kids instinctively squat when they need to go? That’s because squatting is the natural way to eliminate.
When you sit on a toilet at a 90-degree angle, your puborectalis muscle (which wraps around your rectum) stays tight, partially blocking the exit. This is why you strain, why you feel like you’re never “fully empty,” and why constipation plagues so many people.
The Best Way to Poop:
Squatting is King – The squatting position straightens the colon, allowing effortless elimination. Use a squatty potty or stack some books under your feet to elevate your knees above your hips.
Leaning Forward Helps – If you can’t squat, at least lean forward slightly with your feet on a stool. This helps reduce strain and allows for better emptying.
Sitting is the Worst Option – If you’re sitting at a 90-degree angle with your feet flat on the floor, you’re forcing your body to work against itself.
How to Reset Your Gut for Effortless Bowel Movements
If you’re sick of feeling bloated, backed up, and constantly uncomfortable, here’s what you need to do starting today:
Ditch the Crap, Eat Real Food – Go plant-based. Increase fiber intake. Load up on greens, berries, flaxseeds, and fermented foods to support gut health.
Hydrate Like Your Life Depends on It – Because it does. Aim for half your body weight (in ounces) of pure water daily.
Fix Your Bathroom Posture – Get a squatty potty or improvise with a footstool. Stop forcing your body into an unnatural position.
Move Your Body – Sitting all day slows digestion. Walking, yoga, and deep squats stimulate your gut to keep things moving.
Listen to Your Gut – When you feel the urge, GO. Don’t delay, don’t hold it in. Respect your body’s natural rhythms.
Are You Ready to Take Back Control?
Stop pretending that constipation and sluggish digestion are normal. They’re not. Your body is designed to eliminate effortlessly—if you stop sabotaging it.
At Canaan Vibes, we believe in getting back to nature, listening to our bodies, and embracing holistic wellness. If you’re ready to detox, reset, and finally experience the kind of gut health that makes you feel light, energized, and unstoppable, check out our programs designed to help you reclaim your health from the inside out.
Join the movement today. Your gut will thank you. (Please Link to 12 Weeks Detox)
Final Thought: You were never meant to struggle on the toilet. It’s time to take your health seriously. The question is are you ready to do what it takes?
References
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- Bharucha, A. E., Dorn, S. D., Lembo, A., & Pressman, A. (2013). American Gastroenterological Association medical position statement on constipation. Gastroenterology, 144(1), 211-217. https://doi.org/10.1053/j.gastro.2012.10.029
- Dinning, P. G., Carrington, E. V., & Scott, S. M. (2018). The use of high-resolution anorectal manometry and its impact in clinical practice. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 15(5), 308-320. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrgastro.2018.23
- Sakakibara, R., Odaka, T., & Uchiyama, T. (2010). Mechanisms of bladder and bowel dysfunction in Parkinson’s disease. Neurogastroenterology & Motility, 22(7), 710-715. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2982.2010.01498.x
- Sikirov, D. (2003). Comparison of straining during defecation in three positions: Results and implications for human health. Digestive Diseases and Sciences, 48(7), 1201-1205. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024180319005