Special Podcast Episode: The Zen of Taking A Good Poop

In lieu of Ben's recent Thailand Poomergencies, which you'll learn all about in an upcoming post this Friday - and the fact that Ben is currently presenting LIVE at CreativeLIVE (click here to tune in now for free) we bring to you one of our most popular pooping episodes from the podcast archives. Enjoy!

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I have a confession: I poop once per day. One smooth, silky, glorious morning movement, and then I'm done. And I don't really think about number 2 at all until the next day. It's quite convenient, actually - especially compared to my old days of hitting the head a handful of times during the day, occasionally straining, always feeling like I had something "still inside", and having to deal with a bit of bloating to boot. Not anymore, baby.

One key to this pooping revolution is revealed in a popular article I wrote last year called "How I Ate A High Fat Diet, Pooped 8 Pounds, And Then Won A Sprint Triathlon".

In that article, I tell you about the shocking results of my switch to proper pooping mechanics (squatting to poop instead of sitting to poop), using something called a "Squatty Potty". As a matter of fact, one of these Squatty Potty devices now resides in every bathroom in my house - I own a white wooden model, a white plastic model and a quite fashionable bamboo model. The gist of that whole squatting discussion was that your body is meant to be in a squatting position to properly eliminate stuff from your colon, and when you’re sitting (as most Westerners mistakenly do), you put upward pressure on your rectum, creating a "kink" that keeps much of your poop inside (or at least makes you strain a lot harder as you try to push it out).

But when it comes to learning how to poop the right way, there are some tricks that go way above and beyond simply squatting to poop. So today, in my discussion with certified health nut and former male model Troy Casey, you're going to learn exactly what those tricks are, and ensure smooth bowel movements and banished constipation forever (and I have a hilarious video for you at the end of this post)... During my discussion with Troy (pictured right), I ask him:

-What is the best way to take a poop?

-How do minerals and hydration play a role in healthy pooping action?

-What are some ways to get you pooping if you're constipated?

-How do you "clean the poop shoot"?

-Are colonics good?

-How does what you eat affect your poop?

-What does a healthy poop look like?

-How does an impacted colon affect the whole system?

-Why is pooping properly so important for overall performance?

-Why is pooping properly so important for overall health?

It turns out even though we both squat to poop, and we both avoid intestinal irritants like wheat, soy and commercial dairy, it turns out that Troy and I actually have two different approaches when it comes to supplements or herbs for taking a good poop.Here's a synopsis of our two different approaches:

Troy's Better Pooping Regimen

1. Dr. Schultz's Intestinal Formula - Troy refers to this as "drain-o for your digestive tract". It apparently stimulates and strengthens the muscular movement of the colon. The ingredients include aloe, senna and cascara sagrada. I've personally never used it.

2. Clay - yes, literally edible earth. It is supposed to have a detoxifying effect, and is also a rich sources of minerals. And you just eat the stuff. Once again, something I haven't personally used, but Troy swears by it.

3. Fiberzon Herbal Colon Cleansers from the rainforest - OK, this one is a high fiber supplement. I tend to side with Dr. Konstantin Monastyrsky when it comes to high fiber (he wrote this article on BenGreenfieldFitness about why too much fiber is bad), and I feel the long term health effects may outweigh the short term pooping benefits. But Troy mentioned it, so I wanted to give you a link in case you want to try it!

Ben's Better Pooping Regimen

1. Colorectal Recovery Program - In the article I wrote about how to limit the damage from antibiotics, you learn how use of antibiotics can completely nuke the healthy bacterial terroir in your digestive tract. It turns out that in my fight with MRSA last year, during which I was forced into a high antibiotic dosing regimen, I did some pretty good damage to the good bacteria in my colon - to the point where I could barely even fart because there was really no bacteria "down there". I was severely constipated for weeks and I searched desperately for a solution. With just 30 days of this Colorectal Recovery Program (designed by Dr. Konstantin Monastyrsky, who wrote the article about why too much fiber is bad) I was right as rain. I don't use this stuff any more, but successfully "jump-started" my pooping system with a month of it.

2. MagO7 - This is a blend of elemental magnesium from ozonated magnesium oxides, mixed with elemental potassium. Two months ago, my friend Drew Canole told me about it, I ordered some, and it's turned out to be quite successful for my pooping experience. This stuff has a potent stool softening effect, and I've been taking 5 capsules a night with a glass of water. So that I'm no overdoing the magnesium, I have switched my normal nightly dose of Natural Calm magnesium to about half as much, only taken as pre-afternoon nap relaxation dose.

3. CapraCleanse - Even though I'm not a huge fan of the high amounts of fiber in CapraCleanse, and hence do not use it on a daily basis (click here to see why I limit high fiber supplements), this is the one supplement that I've found to make a big difference if I happen to be consuming moderately high amounts of alcohol - which typically happens to me in party situations about once every month or so. I just pop 3-4 before drinking and 3-4 after drinking, and it not only has a good liver cleansing effect, but also eliminates the inevitable constipation that can occur with high alcohol consumption (click here for more of my natural hangover cures).

Summary

Well, there you have it. Those are quite obviously two different approaches to getting stuff moving smoothly - and I'll bet both would work for you (but with all due respect to Troy, I happen to be partial to my own personal pooping approach). Ultimately, nothing beats combining "squatting to poop" with a healthy diet that eliminates common digestive irritants and unhealthy processed foods. But I'm all about better living through science too, and if you struggle with constipation, bloating, or many, many toilet trips, you may want to consider implementing the supplement advice in this article and the practical stuff in the audio too.

Questions, comments or feedback about how to poop the right way? Leave them at BenGreenfielfFitness.com.

Finally, remember to check out AudiblePodcast.com/Ben to get an audiobook of your choice, free, with a 30-day trial. In the spirit of today's topic, I recommend picking up Clean Gut: The Breakthrough Plan for Eliminating the Root Cause of Disease and Revolutionizing Your Health by Alejandro Junger.

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