Yes. This is a blog about getting kinky in your bathroom + unicorns that sh*t rainbow soft serve ice cream. Have I got your attention? Great. I promise this is not click bait! Today, I’m going to educate you on your gut.

This is a topic that is most certainly awkward for most people. Trust me - I’m that girl in your friendship circle that talks about this stuff at the dinner table because I think its hilarious. All of my friends can advocate for that (#sorrynotsorry) being a nurse and a health coach, it really isn’t a problem for me to talk about this because GUT HEALTH is so so detrimental to our overall health.

If you've come to me as a client in the past you would know that I always start with the gut - what I like to call the control centre — no matter what your health goal or concern is, I would have asked you about your toilet behaviour patterns within 10 minutes of a health consult...

Weight loss?
Stress?
Skin issues?
Cravings?
Candida over growth?
Hair falling out?
Lethargy?

Whatever is "going on"… I always prioritise starting on the inside to get all clients to radiant health. It's science. And it's also a no-brainer.

So, to the sensitive issue. Have you ever been to an airport where on the back of the toilet door there’s a sign with a person squatting on a toilet seat and then a big red line through it?

Well… there's actually a science behind this behaviour that is evidently proven to work. While you’re sitting there, feet on the ground, laughing at the thought of someone squatting on the toilet - you're actually sitting and doing it all wrong yourself. Did you know while you’re sitting there, you're actually kind of all kinked up inside (here's the kinky part of the blog - sorry - it's totally G rated). Check this infographic out below…then read on.

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If you’ve watched the hilarious and very well thought out youtube video that went viral last year about the little unicorn that poops out rainbow ice cream - then you’ll know what I'm talking about. It's reached over 18 million people & its taught us about how sitting on the toilet is totally doing our insides a disservice. I love this video. Its hilarious & it makes sense. And it made me think about how I sit on the toilet. As grose as that is. It also made me never want to eat soft serve again.

SO, in comes a Proppr. I have one myself and I have to say they're pretty rad!

This newly designed bathroom stool actually works!

So how does it work?

The way our bodies are designed for when we are in a standing AND sitting position, doesn't allow us to open the hatch properly, so to speak. There’s a little muscle that lives down there that acts like a hook pulling our elimination tubes in one direction, causing a kink. Its not a bad thing, in fact its an awesome thing, it works hand in hand with the sphincters to ensure you don’t have any embarrassing accidents in really scary or funny situations :) Think - kinking off the garden hose when you don’t want anymore water to come out - same same.

So when we relax that little muscle, you take out 100% of the trash. When you sit in a ‘normal’ position, its like you've taken out the trash on bin day, but accidentally left the recycling bin behind leaving you with old rubbish sitting in your bin until the next time the bin man comes by. Its not cool & it’s definitely not healthy either. And it's very much so affecting your gut health. Things like haemorrhoids, digestive discomfort and issues, digestive diseases like diverticulitis and even constipation are going to be your main concerns. Snow ball effects? Research has found that straining on the toilet is positively correlated with things like varicose veins, stroke, and even fainting on the toilet. No thanks!

So what's the solution? It’s so simple. Incline your upper body slightly forward and PROP your feet up on a low footrest, and viola – you’re on and doing it PROPerly.

Check out Proppr’s video above. Super educational, funny & interesting! Why not trial it out at home today by using your bathroom rubbish bin, a bucket, a box… whatever you have, I promise it works!

Wishing you health, wellness & happiness.

Chani.