Proper pooping posture eases effort


Q. We provide a small step stool for our great-granddaughter to use to reach the sink to wash her hands. Because I am “designated” the same bathroom, I recently began using the same stool to raise my legs while I am sitting on the toilet.

I have to admit that things seem to work better when the step stool is used. I guess I could say the stool helps with the stool. (I couldn’t help myself; I had to say it.)

A. Proper pooping posture does seem to make a difference when it comes to bathroom function. A study comparing squatting to sitting revealed that squatting required less time and effort for a satisfactory result (Digestive Diseases and Sciences, July 2003).

Gastroenterologist Stephen Sontag believes that sitting in the bathroom restricts the angle and contributes to hiatal hernias and gastroesophageal reflux disease (Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine, March-June 1999).

Most Americans would prefer not to squat, since it requires an uncomfortable use of leg muscles and balance. But using your great-granddaughter’s step stool to support your feet might be a reasonable compromise.

Q. My husband and I have been using cinnamon capsules to lower blood sugar. His most recent yearly exam and bloodwork showed some slight liver-enzyme elevation.

I had previously purchased a cinnamon supplement with water-extracted standardized cinnamon. I found it pricey and switched to another brand with cassia cinnamon.

It does, indeed, prevent blood-sugar spikes after eating. But we are concerned about the liver enzymes. Do you have other recommendations?

A. We agree that a liver-enzyme elevation is disconcerting. Ordinary cassia cinnamon can prevent blood sugar from rising quickly after meals, but it also may contain coumarin, which can be dangerous for the liver. This compound occurs naturally in cinnamon bark, but it is not water-soluble. That’s why sticking with a water extract or making your own water extract of cinnamon is safest.

Many people find that adding half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon to coffee grounds when making a cup is an easy and tasty way to get water-extracted cinnamon in your diet. Use a paper filter, though, because ground cinnamon can make a gummy mess in a reusable filter.

Q. I recently had a bad burn on my finger due to grease popping. I doused it with soy sauce, and it felt better immediately.

I only kept the soy sauce on it for about a minute, and I still had some irritation the next day. I was impressed with the immediate relief, but I wish I had left the soy sauce on longer.

A. We have heard from numerous readers that soy sauce can ease the pain and even the redness of a kitchen burn. We have used this remedy ourselves and find it helpful, but it does work better if you leave the soy sauce on for longer than a minute.

So far as we can tell, this home remedy has not been studied. Scientists are considering soy protein as a source for making burn dressings, however (Acta Biomaterialia, January 2012).

2015 King Features Syndicate Inc.

By using this site, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of use.

» Accept
» Learn More