Do you know how to poop?

This may sound like a joke, but I’ve found that most people don’t know much about doing the doo. They don’t know what a good one looks like, let alone how to have one.

Has your doctor ever asked you about your poop?

Did your mom teach you how to poop? Did anyone?

I bet the answer is NO! But Mama Natural is going there 🙂

In this video, I’ll give you the scoop… on how to have a great poop

Here are 5 tips on how to poop and make it great.

1. Eat a Good Diet

This goes without saying, but you want to be eating a healthy, real food diet with lots of plant consumption because this contains helpful fiber.

Shoot for up to 9 servings a day of:

  • Leafy greens
  • Root and cruciferous vegetables
  • Fresh fruit

Throw in some grains properly prepared through soaking or sprouting.

Nuts and seeds are also wonderful additions, but can be difficult for some to digest, especially for folks who are prone to diarrhea. So be sure you soak, sprout or use nut/seed butters.

You’ll also want to be sure you’re consuming enough good fats from things like:

  • Avocados
  • Olives
  • Raw butter
  • Coconut oil
  • And so forth

Ample protein keeps your bowel muscles strong, so be sure to get enough from sources like:

  • Pastured and organic meats
  • Eggs
  • Raw or Organic dairy
  • As well as wild fish and seafood

2. Position

Position? For pooping? Don’t you just sit on the toilet?

Well, no. Not ideally.

Toilets are relatively new inventions in the history of humankind. Sitting on the pot is actually not the best position for pooping.

When a person sits on a toilet to eliminate, the rectum is forced into a kinked position. This can cause us to strain in order to eliminate. This straining exerts pressure on the anal and rectal veins, which can contribute to hemorrhoids, bowel herniation and other illnesses associated with the lower digestive tract.

Anorectal Angle, sitting versus squatting – how to poop series by Mama Natural

Anatomically, humans are intended to squat when eliminating, and have done so since the dawn of time. In fact, more than half the world’s population still squats today.

BUT. We’ve all got “western” or sitting toilets in our homes, right? Are we supposed to get rid of them?

Well, no. But you can improve your form when you’re on them. The key is to elevate your feet to get up into that squatting position. You can put your feet on a little waste basket. Or better yet, a stool.

For the longest time we used our toddler’s little step stool. Now we use a handy stool from Step and Go that tucks under the potty when you’re not using it. Ours is a handsome bamboo version, and they also make a white one.

3. Timing

This might sound silly, but make time to poop every day.

In our busy world, we often race around first thing in the morning and don’t stop to allow our body to do what it needs to do.

Create a morning ritual that includes sitting on the pot 15 minutes. For many of us, it will take much less than that, but this is a good practice for those with constipation.

Use your potty stool, perhaps a little Peppermint essential oil, and relax on the toilet. Try to let go of your stress, which can make us hold in our bowels. Maybe read a good magazine.

By doing this daily, you can help train your body to eliminate each day.

4. Exercise!

Leading a sedentary lifestyle is can be hazardous for our health… and also for our poops.

If you wanna GET things moving, you gotta GET moving.

Exercise helps relieve constipation because it stimulates the nervous system and helps the muscles and nerves in the gut to work better. The bowels respond even more when you’re in a consistent exercise routine and exercising at the same time each day, according to the University of Michigan Health System.

It can be as simple as walking. Various yoga poses and abdominal massage are excellent to stimulate the bowel as well.

5. Drink Plenty of Fluids

Hydration is also very important. Water helps move things along in our systems. In fact, studies find that people who got plenty of fluids were the least likely to suffer constipation. And the large intestine needs fluid to form stool. In fact, our stools are made up of 75% water!?! So be sure to get that H2O.

So what’s next?

Check out my companion post and video: What Your Poop Says About You.

Plus, green poop! Here’s the answer to the age-old question of “why is my poop green?”

How about you?

Did your doctor, mom, or anyone else tell you how to poop? Share with us (if you dare) in the comments below.

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