There are a few bits of information and basic skills necessary before starting this journey. Don’t worry – they aren’t difficult to master. You simply need to adjust your potty paradigm.
Buckle up. Let’s take a look…
Forget about the illusive “magic pill”
There is this myth in the health world that tries to sell you on the idea that there’s one magic bullet to cure your issues. Look around and you’ll notice it everywhere. Many times, they are total garbage. Other times they’re actually decent suggestions, but they often don’t deliver miraculous results. Other than Jesus touching your body, there’s a good chance that you will need to take multiple actions to improve your results.
So why is the silver bullet myth everywhere? — It sells.
We all want a shortcut to losing weight, getting rich, finding love, better health, etc. It’s an obvious sales tactic, but it’s uber effective. Deep down, we know that the “ab zapper” won’t do a damn thing for our six-pack.
But we WANT to believe it.
And because humans are eternally hopeful, we put our faith in ideas. Slogans like “Hope and Change” or “Make America Great Again” – they can mean anything. So we color them with our own bias and swallow it hook/line/sinker.
What’s my point? No magic pill or single action will adequately doo the job (couldn’t help the pun). Achieving the benefits of Potty Perfection requires a combination of new habits – and a little dedication. But the results are soooo worth it my friend.
The good news is most of them aren’t difficult or expensive. And you can ease into it at whatever pace you like.
Take Action!
You must DOO something. But don’t try to do everything at once. Start with one little step. Each one gives you the courage to take another. Before long, you will create synergy of action – as we discussed on a previous page.
Take a look at the following page and choose a good starting point.
Your poo is talking to you. Are you listening?
It’s been said that counterfeit experts don’t spend all their time looking at fake currency. They study the real thing. That way they know a counterfeit when they see it.
The same is true for what comes out of your body.
The other day, I heard Ryan Niddel (one of the top podcasters on iTunes) mention that he examines his own stool. His diet and health are so fine-tuned that it helps him tweak his regimen.
You may not have your diet down to a science, but you can still “listen” to your body. It’s imperative that you make an observation before hitting the flush button. And if necessary, use some sort of stick to get a thorough examination.
Sound gross?
Imagine your car starts spewing blue smoke out the exhaust. Instant red flag right?
Your body is no different. What if you saw blood in your urine? Or green mucus in your snot? Or crusty crud in your eye? These are signals from your body. Your crap can tell you a lot too.
Yes, poop is gross. But that’s not a good reason to avoid gathering vital intel. And c’mon, it’s not like you’re doing a taste test. I’m not even saying you have to enjoy it. You’re just looking at it for a few seconds. It can be done!
And, thankfully, no one has to witness you doing it. So you have no excuse.
Here’s how it’s done
- After wiping your ass, take a quick look at the TP for signs of abnormalities. Then toss the paper between your legs in the front of the toilet. The paper should stick to the front of the bowl rather than floating around and obstructing your view.
- Lift up the seat to allow more light into the bowl.
- Look for obvious signs of healthy poop (see the FECES acronym below). Additionally, you can learn things like whether or not you’re properly chewing your food, bowel transit time (wow – I ate corn 4 days ago – why am I just seeing it now?). Do you have signs of parasites? Do certain foods cause your body to react poorly or well?
- Take a moment to marvel at your body’s ability to process food. It really is amazing. Then offer up a little gratitude for such an incredible biological phenomenon.
- Say adios – flush!
So, what exactly is a proper poo?
There are tons of YouTube videos (this one is pretty good) and health blogs that have covered this. Rather than regurgitate everything from the web, I’ll keep it simple with a little acronym:
F.E.C.E.S — Genius, right?
- F – Frequency: Poop 1-3x day. Preferably in the morning. Bowel transit time (the time between consumption and elimination) should be anywhere from 12-24 hours. If it takes longer than that, you risk toxins being absorbed back into your body. Additionally, poop that hangs out in the colon too long becomes dehydrated, hard, and impacted – meaning difficulty with “passability.” Leading to the next letter…
- E – Easy to pass. No pain no gain doesn’t apply here. You should feel relieved. Like you accomplished something important for the day (because you did), not like you were gang raped in Shawshank.
- C – Color. Brown. Color diversity is great for cultural inclusion…. But it’s okay to discriminate against your poop. You generally want one color: brown. Light brown is ideal. Bloody, black, white-ish (fatty), are all signs of a malfunction.
- E – Edges. The should be smooth and one solid piece. Rock-hard marbles are bad. Chocolate milk is bad.
- S – Smell. Stinky? Yes. — So foul that even the bathroom fan grinds to a halt? No.
The Bristol Stool Chart is a very common reference for this topic.
An additional word about smell
If you’ve ever prided yourself in clearing out an entire room after opening the bathroom door – or peeling the paint with an asphyxiating fart, I’m assuming you’re ready to graduate to the next maturity level. And you’ll be pleased to know that PP can dramatically reduce your chances of dying alone.
And for the smell that remains, there are simple things you can do to minimize it. One product in particular that has become a raving sensation is called Poo-pourri®. Pretty ingenious actually – and their ads are hilarious. 4.5 Stars with over 26,000 reviews. They’re definitely on the right track.
Potty Perfection is worth the Effort
It’s hard to explain, but there’s a mental advantage of knowing that the one system designed to nurture your entire body is functioning properly. Like you’ve tapped into a secret power that few people discover.
Unfortunately, many folks don’t even know what a great crap feels like. Especially after years of abuse from poor dieting. Proper pooping is so much more comfortable – and yes, enjoyable! Don’t be ashamed ladies. It’s an amazing feeling. A clean GI combined with a healthy diet is just a better way to live.
We’ve all seen those dead-beat cars around town. You know, the ones that spew blue smoke and sound horrible – sputtering along in the throes of death and each time it starts is a miracle. That is most peoples’ bodies!
Preventative maintenance can achieve better health and peace of mind.
If you take nothing else from these pages, please remember this:
Your body is the most incredible gift you’ve been given. Its capabilities are a million times more and elegant than an F-35 fighter jet or Apple’s next gadget. It deserves better care than even the most expensive Ferrari.
Take a look at Part II – where we get into the specific action items that will help you on your journey.