Image Source: Simpolo Tiles
The age-old squatting design of Indian toilets is gaining acclaim from holistic health experts as more than just a cultural tradition—it’s being hailed as a powerful, natural health practice that can significantly enhance digestive health, reduce ailments, and promote overall wellbeing. Macrobiotic coach Dr. Shilpa Arora and expert yogis highlight how reverting to traditional Indian-style toilets can offer profound benefits to the body and organs.
Key Highlights: The Health Benefits of Indian Toilets
Unlike Western-style commodes where users sit, Indian toilets encourage squatting—a posture that naturally straightens the rectal canal, enabling easier and more complete bowel movements.
Squatting activates leg and core muscles, providing a mild workout that contributes to lower-body strength and improves flexibility over time.
This posture helps prevent common digestive issues like constipation and piles by reducing strain and improving the efficiency of elimination.
The foot positioning during squatting improves waist-to-hip alignment and may aid women’s reproductive health by regulating menstrual cycles and reducing pelvic organ pressure.
Expert Insights: Holistic View on Body Function
Macrobiotic coach Dr. Arora explains that this traditional practice aligns with natural body mechanics, aiding organ function and healing by promoting exercise, blood flow, and regular digestion.
Yoga and alternative wellness practitioners add that squatting allows the parasympathetic nervous system to activate, fostering relaxation and lowering bodily stress while flushing out toxins effectively.
Ayurvedic and yogic traditions have long endorsed this posture as vital to maintaining gut health, hormonal balance, and overall longevity.
Hygiene and Environmental Advantages
Indian toilets eliminate seat contact, reducing bacterial transmission. Their design eases cleaning with water and avoids lingering residues common on western seats.
The water-based cleansing commonly practiced supports better hygiene than dry wiping and is gentle on sensitive skin.
Indian toilets often use less water per flush, contributing to sustainable bathroom practices and water conservation in environmentally sensitive regions.
Risks of Prolonged Sitting Toilets and Modern Challenges
Surgeons and gastroenterologists caution that prolonged sitting on Western toilets, especially when distracted by phones, can exacerbate venous pressure, increasing the risk of hemorrhoids and digestive discomfort.
Extended time spent in damp restroom environments can also lead to fungal and skin infections due to moisture accumulation.
Traditional squatting reduces time and strain spent in the toilet, promoting a faster, healthier elimination process.
Cultural and Modern-Day Relevance
While urbanization has popularized Western toilet usage for comfort, many experts argue integrating squatting practices even in modern lifestyles can offer substantial health benefits.
Some Indian households retain squat toilets or integrate squatting stools to simulate the posture for health maintenance.
Awareness is rising, and health advocates urge incorporating these practices as a simple, cost-effective hack for better wellness.
Conclusion
Traditional Indian-style toilets represent far more than an ancestral practice—they constitute a natural health regimen that supports digestive efficiency, strengthens muscles, protects organs, and boosts cleansing. Experts like Dr. Shilpa Arora highlight its potential to promote healing, balance, and longevity, countering many modern sedentary and hygienic challenges posed by Western toilet habits. Adapting this method could be a surprising yet impactful step toward improved bodily health for millions.
Sources: Indian Express, Ruhe India, Instagram health experts, IndianExpress
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