Friday, May 18th, 2012
Mark Hodge explains how one of his favourite past-times may actually be good for him.
FROM THE moment I graduated from the potty to the big boy seat - I had a poop book thrust into my hand.
And, it seems I’m not alone – reading an ode while dumping a load has been popular past time for many great figures over the years. What do you think Elvis was doing in his last moments?
A little less constipation, a little more reading …
Hence the reason why Dr Ron Shaoul, who is a paediatric gastroenterology specialist, decided to put his valuable time into researching the phenomenon. Aside from being fascinating, the good doctor also wanted to see if the practice’s detractors are correct in their assertion that it is unhygienic.
However, there was another reason for this historic and emotive research – to see if reading and defecating at the same time could actually be good for you?
How could something that feels so right – be wrong?
Dr Shaoul questioned nearly 500 men and women from all different backgrounds and ages. Unsurprisingly, 64% of the males and 41% of females questioned admitted to being regulars.
Anyway, here is the news that you’ve been waiting for. You may even be reading this right now on the crapper, thinking: “Am I doing the right thing?”
Can you feel the tension?
The analysis has been done. The stools are out and inspected on an unprecedented scale. And, the answer is “yes”. “Taking a shit while studying some lit” really can relax and de-stress you – while admittedly making you a little more prone to hemorrhoids.
Thank heavens. However, there is a warning to those who enjoy using their phone on the throne. Always wash your hands. As 1 in 6 mobiles are contaminated as a result of people forgetting to do so. It’s for you.
Mark Hodge is a wowdewow editor who is as well-read as he is well-fed.
What was the last poop book you read? Or maybe you find the whole thing a little disgusting? Have your say in Readers Comments.
“Mum, have you got ‘Portnoy’s Complaint’?”
“No, you’ve got it…”
wowdewow is always looking for new bloggers. If you want to blog on the above or anything else, please feel free to write to the editor, nathan@wowdewow.com, and he’ll be only too pleased to send you blogging guidelines.
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Tags: de-stress, dr shaoul, poop book, reading on the toilet
That’s all very well, but I start to lose feeling in my legs after twenty minutes. Perhaps there should be a drive to making toilet seats more comfortable. I believe in the victorian era comodes were in the shape of armchairs. I could buy into that.
Yes but does it make the reading material unhygienic? If a colleague takes the office’s copy of the Daily Mail into the toilet should the rest of us refuse to touch it afterwards? Or should we avoid the Daily Mail anyway?