Prior to the invention of the Western toilet in the 16th century, man would take care of “business” by squatting—this motion was the most effective way to eliminate waste.

Which is why back in 2001, the Yale dropout designed Nature's Platform, a table elevated at a five-degree angle that allows the user to squat two inches above the toilet seat.

More than two generations after adopting the Western-style toilet, Indians with aching knees are finding out the advantages of the Indian latrine. In the olden days - especially in "Oriental" cultures ...

They're the lucky ones. At the most basic level, this would mean they have either a squat toilet or commode with a flush. I live in an apartment building, built in 1980, that represents the next step.

Sitting in the toilet increases your chances to get disorders like bloating, hemorrhoids and constipation. It is also because when you sit rather than squat, you often strain to fix the restricted ...

Squatting while on the toilet is better for your health, but Western nations insist on sitting. Now a new toilet design reduces the risk of colon diseases, and could even tell you if you're pregnant.