Does the Squatty Potty Really work?

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If you’ve never heard of a Squatty Potty, then you are definitely not up-to-date with the latest trend in bathroom accessories (and yes, there are bathroom trends!). This simple yet practical toilet stool has taken the digestively-challenged world by storm, literally! Times have certainly changed since I started working in the field of detox nearly 20 years ago. Back then, I couldn’t talk about poo without everyone running as fast and as far away as they could. Now, I can write and share a full article about something that is helping people have better bowel movements! In this blog post, I’m going to share my results in using the Squatty Potty at home. Does it really work, or it is just hype?

Disclaimer: I was provided with a free product in return for my honest review and experience with the product.
All thoughts and opinion expressed herein are my own and not influenced by the developing company and/or its affiliates, in any way.

The Squatty Potty 2.0 model fully extended to the 9 inch position

Why I wanted to try the Squatty Potty

Admittedly, my husband wasn’t so thrilled to be part of this experiment, but in reality he was the one who needed help in the a-hem..toilet department. Having suffered with constipation his entire life, he understands more than anyone how frustrating it is when you don’t “go” every day. When I first met him, he was literally amazed that I could be in and out of the bathroom in less than 3 minutes, for a Number 2! Often, he would sit on that porcelain throne for 30 minutes or more, praying to the heavens above for any miracle cure. Many times, we would have to wait all morning before going out because he still “had to go.” In some cases, he wouldn’t have any bowel movement for 3 or 4 days at a time. I was in shock! When he first told me this, I immediately scheduled a colonic for him. And can you believe – he actually went through with it? His first colonic ever (but not his last!) Now… that’s true love!

Fast forward several years and many detoxes later, and things has vastly improved for my husband’s gut health. If he eats well with green smoothies, fresh fruit, a daily probiotic and plenty of water throughout the day, he generally does exceptionally well and is actually quite regular these days. But, if any of that gets off track, his colon will be the first to let him know. It’s awful to see someone you care about not be able to go to the toilet and really feel miserable as a result. Naturally, I kept thinking – what else can I do to help him improve this situation? Having heard of Squatty Potty and having used many squat toilets myself over the years while living in SE Asia, I thought that using a stool and changing the position of his sitting could help. The only way to know for sure was to give it a try!

We received our new Squatty Potties by mail in an unmarked box with no exterior labels, which was reassuring since I can imagine that some people would prefer complete privacy with this type of purchase. My first impression was that the company has done really well to put a fun and cute spin on a topic that was formerly more on the taboo side and for many still is not so easy to discuss. Even I was accused of giving #TMI when I texted a good friend to tell her we just received our Squatty Potty! Anyway, the packaging and branding of Squatty Potty is great. The stools were wrapped in turquoise blue tissue paper, with a paper unicorn crown (for the new King of Poop) and a button that proudly states “I Pooped Today.” Classic! All of this made me even more excited to give the Squatty Potty a try.

Squatty Potty: What is it and who needs one?

A Squatty Potty is a modern-day version of the squat toilet, brought to you with all the comfort of your Western-style porcelain throne.  The Squatty Potty is a step stool designed to fit easily around the base of your toilet seat. It works like this: Sit on your toilet as you normally would, gently lift your legs, rest your feet on the stool and let the bowel movement begin. By lifting your legs slightly, the transverse colon gently rises thus preventing any “kinks” in the colon and allowing the pipes to flow, so to speak.

All information in this article is for educational purposes only. 
It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition. 

Squatty Potty Slim Driftwood Teak Model in 7 inch height

If you have a history of constipation, inflammation in the colon, or a feeling of not fully evacuating then the Squatty Potty is worth a try. In terms of how many people could actually benefit from something like this, just look at the statistics. Approximately 70 MILLION Americans have digestive disorders, prompting in nearly 60 MILLION visits to doctors’ offices and hospitals each year.

Clearly, what goes in doesn’t always come out.

Low stomach enzymes, an unhealthy “microbiome” or bacterial balance in the gut, an over acid environment, toxicity, and/or inflammation are warning signs that the body is not eliminating well. (Remember, any bowel disease ending with the word “itis” is a disease on inflammation, like ulcerative colitis, gastritis and diverticulitis.) What’s worse is that more health problems can arise from all this internal stress. As Hippocrates said, “All disease begins in the gut.” I agree!

Our results: Using a Squatty Potty

In theory, I knew that the Squatty Potty should work. But still, I wondered – could a toilet stool really mimic the true Asian squat and offer improved evacuation? The answer is: YES! I am actually impressed at how well it works!

On the day the Squatty Potty arrived, my husband tried the 2.0 model set at the standard 7″ height. Within 10 minutes, he was out of the bathroom (that alone is amazing!). Without getting too graphic, he said, “More just kept coming out! Every time I thought I was done, there was more!” Well, that never happens. Usually it’s the opposite and more in lines of, “I kept pushing and nothing came out” OR “I pushed and pushed and only got a rabbit turd.” If you’ve been in that situation, I am sure you can relate.

I can only guess that my husband has some prolapse of the colon, which can definitely keep the large intestine in a more kinked position. Changing the position of the colon created an immediate positive effect. Every time he uses the Squatty Potty, he has a release and it’s always more than he thought he was going to have. That’s simply amazing!

For me, the results were also good. In my case, I am very regular and have a large bowel movement every morning. Could the Squatty Potty help someone like me, who doesn’t have any digestive problems and goes to the loo every day? Yes! When I’ve used the Squatty Potty, I have my normal release, and then I have another almost full poo immediately after. Almost like two poo’s at once. Definitely I feel improved evacuation and I feel flatter in my stomach after. I can only surmise that more is getting through even my clean and healthy pipes, just from the change in position of the colon.

Asian Squat Toilet vs. Western Sit Toilet – What’s the poop?

An Asian squat toilet is a simple style of toilet design that consists of a hole in the floor and 2 porcelain treads for your feet on either side. You stand in position, squat and then go. This design is used in many parts of the world but is mostly found in Asia, hence the name “Asian-style” toilet.

Who would want to squat like a dog to go to the toilet?! Well, imagine the days before real toilets existed. What would have been the easiest and most natural position to a-hem..fertilize a tree? There’s no way you would stand and bend at the knees (muscles shaking) as if sitting on the loo. Naturally, you would squat in a low position, close to the ground. Squatting is easier on the joints and less tiring on the muscles, but more importantly it puts the transverse colon in the correct position and lifts any prolapse in the colon. Kinks in the colon are lifted naturally, especially where the ascending and descending colon turn. All of this allows you to “go” quickly and easily, standing up after to check for any predators and be on your way.

The first man-made toilets copied the style of squatting and in many parts of the world, squat toilets were the norm. This made perfect sense until more modern day folks decided that sitting was the preferred position of defecating.  That’s when the Western toilet arrived, and along with the Western diet (refined sugar, wheat and dairy), came many new digestive ailments.

I used many squat toilets over the course of several years while living in SE Asia. In my experience, public squat toilets are way cleaner than public Western toilets. It’s a relief to not have to sit on a dirty seat splashed with who-knows-what. Using a squat toilet also helps strengthen your leg muscles and gives the body a good stretch. It just feels more natural. I also think that I had more volume evacuated whenever using a squat toilet.

Is it better to squat on the toilet? That’s kind-of a trick question because believe it or not, a lot of Asians who have never used a Western toilet will actually stand on the seat of a Western toilet and squat!

Is a squat toilet better? In my opinion, yes. I wish we had the option to build an Asian style toilet in our home here in the United States – I would definitely do that!

What Squatty Potty model is best?

I had a hard time deciding which Squatty Potty model to try. I didn’t really like the medical look of the traditional Squatty potty. I just recently painted one of our bathrooms and I wanted to maintain a sleek, modern style there.

Also, my husband is 6’8″ tall and weighs 220 pounds. I was worried that the slim teak style might actually break from his weight.  At the same time, I didn’t know which height would work best for him. I read a few reviews from tall people who said that the 9″ was too high for them, and their knees were in their face. I was leaning towards the new 2.0 model which allows for 2 positions and adjusts between 7″ and 9″ heights.  But, I didn’t like the medical-looking style. So, what to do?!

In the end, I chose the Squatty Potty 2.0 for one bathroom and the slim teak model for the other one. We’ve been very happy with both. Initially, my husband was happy using the 2.0 at the 7″ height. After 2 weeks, he decided that he wanted to adjust it up to 9 inches. Starting at 9″ probably would have been too uncomfortable for him, and may have discouraged him from trying. Definitely, having the flexibility to change the height is really nice. The driftwood teak slim design in the other bathroom satisfies my desire to have a nicer look. I tend to use that bathroom more than my husband, and the 7″ height of that stool feels more comfortable for me. The slim stool is sturdy in design, even with the weight of a 220-pound man.

I also LOVE the idea of the Porta-Squatty, which folds up easily for travel. Since traveling is always more challenging for my hubby in terms of staying regular, I could see where this could really come in handy.

In the case of optimizing one’s poo, position does matter!

How to Improve Gut Health

In addition to getting the squat position right, there are other natural remedies that also help to keep things “moving”.

To improve gut health, you can:

  1. Increase fiber. Add 2 Tbsp. ground flaxseed to a green smoothie daily
  2. Take a daily probiotic, one at night before bed.
  3. Don’t overeat. Set regular mealtimes.
  4. Add fermented foods to your diet.
  5. Detox and/or colon cleanse once a year (at a minimum).

Finally…don’t forget to Listen to your Gut! Your body is giving you signals when things aren’t right. Stay in tune with how you feel. Heartburn, acid reflux, indigestion, gas, pain, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and/or abdominal pain are all signs of imbalance. Pay attention when things aren’t working. The faster you make changes, the sooner you can feel better.

Read more on natural health and healing here:

What your Poop and Pee can tell you about Your Health

How to Do a Castor Oil Pack for Liver Cleansing

How to Do Onion Socks for Healing


For more on how to do a detox at home or how to navigate through your detox symptoms and start feeling great, book a personalized health consult with me via Skype.

How to Book Your Health & Nutritional Consultation:

1. Take photos of your eyes with a smart phone or digital camera.
2. Email the photos to me for approval.
3. We schedule a time to meet via phone or Skype!

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Feng Shui Your Home for Better Sleep and Good Relationships

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The concept of clearing clutter, minimization or tidying up for success is nothing new. Feng Shui is an ancient practice of keeping order in one’s life and enjoying good energy flow as a result. Find out how you can adopt a few Feng Shui techniques, practice minimalism and see how your life can actually improve as a result. It’s pretty amazing stuff, especially because it works!

Feng Shui Your Bedroom for Better Sleep

The importance of Feng Shui in the bedroom is second to none in terms of getting a restful sleep.

To start, correct placement of mirrors is essential. Don’t place any mirrors behind, next to or even above the bed. This will drain your energy all night long, and leave you feeling depleted with lack of focus in the morning. Do place mirrors behind a door or in the closet/dressing area for good Feng Shui.

Next, check your sheets, pillows, blankets and comforters. For the best Feng Shui in the bedroom, all linens should be either white or skin tone in color; that is, any shade of tan or brown. Choose plain fabrics with minimalistic designs and avoid loud patterns. You don’t want bright colors or mismatching patterns, all of which create energetic “noise.”  I recommend to use only a high quality (300 count or more) 100% cotton sheets and avoid polyester blends. When you get into bed, it should feel like the most comfortable place on earth.

Take time every morning to make your bed consciously, with attention and intention to take care of your sleeping space. The worse thing you can do is throw pillows haphazardly, unconsciously or while filled with stressful thoughts. You will only keep that energy there waiting for you when you get back at night!

If you suffer from insomnia, turn on an essential oil diffuser with organic lavender oil in the bedroom for about an hour each night. Either use a timer function or turn it off manually before going to bed.

The bedroom decor should be simple and zen-like. Use warm woods and avoid too much metal or sharp-edged furniture. Don’t allow clutter in the bedroom, especially if your mind tends to race and wander before falling asleep. (You may need to detox your bedroom, which is not a bad thing!)

Minimize electronics in the bedroom, especially ones that are right next to the bed. Placing a large amethyst crystal cluster in the bedroom can help to relax the mind and promote a deeper, more restful sleep.

Top Feng Shui Tips for Your Bedroom:

  • No mirrors behind, above or on the side of the bed
  • Linens and sheets in white or skin tone colors
  • Simple decor with minimal clutter
  • No electronics next to the bed
  • Amethyst crystal cluster to relax the mind

A simple and clean bedroom has the perfect energy for a good night’s sleep

Feng Shui Your Home for a Good Relationship

Perhaps you never thought about what type of energy you have in your home for harboring good relationships, but in terms of Feng Shui, it’s very important! If you are single, there are things you can do to attract a partner in your life. And if you have a partner and you want to continue in a successful union, there are some Feng Shui decorating points that can actually help keep a loving relationship.

To find a partner, don’t worry about how to meet them. Instead, get your Feng Shui in order…and the universe will bring that person to you! Good Feng Shui for love starts with the images in your home. What you want is art, posters or paintings or 2 animals in nature, such as 2 elephants walking, 2 fish swimming or 2 birds flying. The worst Feng Shui is to have a single woman sitting alone on a beach, or a single animal alone in a painting. If you want to stay single, that’s ok! But otherwise, get rid of it.

To keep a partner, bring in the powerful symbol in Feng Shui for love and marriage, sometimes called the “double happiness” symbol. This is a symbol you can hang in your bedroom, and for the best Feng Shui, you want this symbol in the southwest (SW) corner of the room.

For good relationship Feng Shui, you want to have a bedside table and a lamp on both sides of the bed, with easy access to both sides of the bed. The worst Feng Shui that will keep you in forever singledom is when you have one side of the bed directly against wall with only one side of the bed accessible for entry and exit. The bedroom should be clear of clutter and simple in design to keep drama and discord out of the relationship.

Top Feng Shui Tips for a Good Relationship:

  • Artwork showing animals in pairs
  • Bedside tables on both sides of the bed
  • Double Happiness symbol in the SW corner

Feng Shui Your Office for Creativity & Concentration

The energy in your office should ideally help to strengthen your ability to focus, complete tasks and maximize productivity. In terms of Feng Shui, your office should always be neat and orderly. A chaotic or untidy space leads to monkey mind and scattered thoughts. Keep your desk free of clutter, and only have essential items on display. Simplicity is best.

Add a nice green plant, and keep wood or bamboo elements in your office space for good Feng Shui.

Finally, locate the southeast (SE) area of your office, otherwise known as the Wealth and Money corner. In that area, you can add a gold dragon, a three-legged frog, an image of a bat, a gold elephant, or a turtle, all considered to be powerful Feng Shui elements for abundance and success.

Top Feng Shui Tips for Your Office:

  • Neat and tidy work space, clear of clutter
  • Green plant or bamboo
  • Lucky talismans in the Wealth and Money Corner

Feng Shui Tips to Create a Peaceful Retreat at Home

The energy in your home starts from the moment you walk in the door, and that’s where a lot of important Feng Shui happens.

Don’t put a mirror directly in front of the entrance, and don’t have a bathroom directly in front of the entrance – both of these are definitely bad for Feng Shui. A mirror in front of the door sends all the good energy out of the home. You can have a mirror next to the door or in a hallway, but not facing the entrance door.

Do invite clean energy into your home by placing a clear quartz cluster in the entranceway. A quartz cluster is used to clean an energy space, with all the crystal points sending good energy in all different directions. This helps to leave worries and stress at the door, not allowing it to enter the home.

Do protect yourself and your home from bad energy by hanging or placing talismans in your entryway. A Buddha statue should be facing the door and set on a table against a flat wall. Never place a Buddha statue in a corner and never place a Buddha directly on the floor. For obvious reasons, you don’t want to ever put a Buddha statue in a bathroom either.  Other talismans for good energetic protection include a Hamsa, the blue Evil Eye or a Quan Yin statue.

Top Feng Shui Tips for a Peaceful Home:

  • No mirror facing the entrance door
  • Clear quartz cluster in the entry to invite clean energy
  • Buddha statue or Hamsa for protection

Buddha statues, Himalayan salt lamps, crystals and Quan Yin in the entryway for good Feng Shui

What is Feng Shui

Feng shui is a centuries-old practice that incorporates the arrangement of items around you with energy flow. When you practice the system of Feng Shui, it is believed to bring more “good chi,” including better health, good relationships and success. Feng shui can unlock you from a rut and jump start your motivation again, simply by improving the energy flow around you. It can improve your spiritual health and well-being. What awaits you is a life filled with harmony and comfort—and it’s literally at your doorstep.

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