Squatting Is A More Natural Way To Use The Toilet
Recently I was sent a Lillipad. No, not the ones that go in your pond, though perhaps the inspiration for the name of this apparatus came from the way you see a frog squatting on a lillipad. My Lillipad was made from ecofriendly wood and arrived, flat packed from New Zealand. After reviewing this product for some time, I can state that, squatting is a more natural way to use the toilet and the bonus is it strengthens and tones up your legs beautifully!
Firstly we need to understand that in order to have easier bowel movements in less time, and without as much straining, we need to have our rectums positioned for easy evacuation. To be blunt, the way the Western World sits down at a 9o degree angle on a toilet seat, is not making it easy for our stools to make their exit.
When we sit on a toilet seat we are actually contorting our Puborectilus Muscle, which in turns pulls our rectum and bends it at an angle which is more horizontal than straight down and vertical, (the best way for us to release a bowel motion) and this leads to straining, fecal compaction, incomplete evacuation and constipation. Plus sitting on the toilet straining for way longer than is good for us can often lead to, dreaded hemorrhoids!
I realize that the majority of us have standard sit down toilets in our homes, and I would be confident in saying that I know the majority of you are not going to call a plumber to come pull out your toilet and have a hole in the ground system installed instead. Therefore, the answer is we need to step up and squat at toilet seat height if possible, and the Lillipad offers the most comfortable and ergonomic way to do this.
I must admit some of the curious questions my friends and family, who have recently entered my loo, come out with are quite funny. My Lillipad has become quite the talking point!
It does take some weeks to get used to. The first time I tried it, my ankles and knees where protesting loudly at being in such a foreign position, and my toilet visit squatting on my new Lillipad was uneventful, to say it tactfully. However, as the strength built up in my legs and I no longer needed to hold onto the walls for support, it was a surprisingly comfortable and relaxing, natural position in which to, you know, GO in.
The Lillipad is a stand out from all the other squatting options available, as it is designed to bring you up to toilet rim height, so that you are properly squatting. It also places the heels of your feet at a slightly higher angle than the balls of your feet, which helps to create the perfect squatting position.
The Lillipad is structurally sound and balanced, and comes complete with a step to back up onto the pads. This step is also great for those who have bad knees or ankles and can’t squat, as you can put your feet on it and it raises your knees up above waist level and is the next best thing to a full squat position.
The Lillipad comes flat-packed, looks great ( it is the most pleasing looking squatty potty device on the market), and is very straight-forward to assemble is made from sustainable grown, New Zealand, Radiata Pine . It is finished with Rustins Danish Oil, so is easy to clean and disinfect.
Lillipad NZ stress the importance of measuring the height of your toilet before ordering your Lillipad, as there are different heights and products to suit different toilets.
If you would like to find out more, visit Lillipad
For more information on the benefits of squatting to poop, have a read of this article by the Daily Mail UK