Today's #pelvicmafia top tip comes from health writer Ellie Scott. Ellie specialises in writing about the newest and most innovative health products on the market, and brings her knowledge of the latest clinical findings to Kegel8 for today's tip.

Want to know the best-kept pelvic secret?

Ellie Scott brings us today's #PelvicMafia tip - Squat For Pelvic Health!

"Most people only think of bladder problems when they hear pelvic floor weakness, but it is so important to make women and men aware that bowel function relies on a healthy pelvic floor too! The pelvic floor surrounds muscles which control the rectum, so when it’s weak you lose control over faecal continence. The severity of this lack of control depends on how weak your pelvic floor muscles are, so you may only have difficulty holding in wind or find skidmarks on your underwear even after you’ve wiped properly, or, in the worst case, you may not make it to the bathroom in time when you need to pass stools.

So, why do these muscles get weakened in the first place? It’s often down to the way we strain when going to the loo. When sitting on the toilet the muscles surrounding the rectum remain taught and we have to strain to force stools out. Over a number of years this puts pressure on the muscles and weakens them until we begin to lose control over them.

It’s so important to ensure your pelvic floor is supported rather than strained each time you use the loo. The best way to do this? Squat! It may sound crazy but by putting your body in the natural squatting position you will release all the muscles that control continence and be able to vacate your bowels quickly and completely without having to strain and put pressure on your pelvic floor muscles. Our bodies were designed to squat to poop, and the prevalence of the sit down toilet is putting undue pressure on the pelvic floor.

I’m championing the Squatty Potty as the best method for a good healthy poo. It raises your legs to the optimum angle to open up your bowels and let you let it all go. It can be used with any normal toilet, and it’s such an easy, simple solution that will completely take the pressure of your pelvic floor and help you avoid faecal incontinence, wind incontinence and the dreaded skid-marks. It will also help you to avoid constipation and bloating, so what’s not to love?!"

Ellie Scott Biography

Ellie Scott is a health writer and brand manager for leading UK health and wellbeing website StressNoMore.

Ellie's expertise lies in researching and writing about health problems and the latest health treatments and sourcing the most revolutionary health products to make our lives easier and healthier.

The Squatty Potty is available from www.stressnomore.co.uk, priced from £27.00.