He may be starting a movement.
A UK surgeon and author is revealing what to do when you’re having trouble going No. 2.
Dr. Karan Rangarajan, also known as Dr. Karan Raj, is promoting a toilet yoga pose that he says can improve your pit stops.
“If you want to poop faster, you might want to try this,” he declared in a Tuesday TikTok showing viral footage of a Singaporean kidney specialist sitting on a toilet with one leg crossed over the other.
“This position changes the angle of the rectum by relaxing the puborectalis muscle. This is the muscle which normally creates a kink in the rectum to maintain countenance, i.e., stops your poop leaking out,” Rangarajan continued to his 5.3 million TikTok followers. “When the kink is lessened, it allows for more direct passage of stool and optimized poop physics.”
Rangarajan uses a memorable visual to explain that this pose “also increases the intra-abdominal pressure, allowing you to squeeze out stool like you’re a frozen yogurt dispenser.”
His advice to squat it out to get it out echoes that of excremental experts who suggest the position is optimal for proper expulsion.
“Physiologically, it’s better to poop at that angle,” gastroenterologist Gina Sam told The Post in 2016.
Squatting is also known to reduce health risks associated with strain.
Some “1.2 billion people around the world who squat have almost no incidence of diverticulosis and fewer problems with [hemorrhoids],” microbiologist Giulia Enders told the Guardian in 2015.
“We in the West, on the other hand, squeeze our gut tissue until it comes out of our bottoms,” she cheekily added.
Diverticulosis is when small, bulging pouches form in the wall of the large intestine.
Rangarajan cautioned that the yoga technique isn’t a cure-all but more of a fix when you’re in a pinch to pinch.
“This isn’t going to solve chronic constipation issues or replace a fiber-rich diet, but if you’re experiencing sudden internal plumbing issues, this could be your get-out-of-poop-jail-free card,” he said.
Essentially, the poop-positive pose squares to a slightly more relaxed pelvic floor and less strain.
“If you’re someone that strains a lot on a regular basis, that can lead to something known as dyssynergic defecation,” Rangarajan noted. “Basically, your body forgets how to poop properly, and your pelvic floor contracts when it should be relaxing.”
If you don’t want to suffer the strain but aren’t keen on can yoga, Rangarajan suggested investing in a poop stool or Squatty Potty to achieve the same effect.
No. 2 should be top of mind — how often you poop can seriously influence your current and future health.
Experts want you to reach the bowel movement “Goldilocks” zone. You’re doing it just right by going to the loo once or twice a day.
Researchers say a fiber-rich diet, adequate hydration and regular exercise are key to hitting that scatological sweet spot.
