Last year, YouGov.com found that 62% of Americans surveyed have peed in the shower. One in five (about 21% of these people) admitted to doing it every time they bathed. Today, we learned that Gwyneth Paltrow's goop also advocates this practice.
Amid step-by-step exercises and posture ball recommendations in the recent goop post, "The Secrets of the Pelvic Floor," we suddenly go on a little walk through history. Hearkening back to a time when people squatted, rather than sat to relieve themselves, we are reminded that this practice has very real, modern-day benefits: "It’s a basic human movement that we’ve stopped doing regularly. Getting in the habit of deep squatting (envision going to the bathroom in the woods) will actually help create proper alignment in the pelvis, raise pelvic awareness, and help lengthen an 'uptight' pelvic floor."
We've heard plenty about how peeing the shower is good for the environment, but this a whole new angle. And, luckily for goop and the rest of us pelvis-minded folks, it has some merit. For starters, kegels are frequently recommended to people dealing with incontinence and their action is closely linked to the muscles you use to "hold it" when you really have to go. Of course, you really should only do kegels when you definitely, 100% do not need to pee.
So, the association between peeing and a healthy pelvic floor has always been there — but it took goop's know-how and passion for efficient bathing to highlight the benefits of squatting. If using a conventional, Western toilet, you can make do by planting your feet and making sure your knees are higher than your hips — but then you wouldn't be doing much for yourself, or the environment.
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