The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) released an update on April 27, 2026, providing new guidelines for passing stool.
The AGA news release highlighted how a healthier bowel movement can help avoid hemorrhoids, a common condition that causes rectal blood vessels to swell up, causing itching, pain, and bleeding.
Hemorrhoids, or piles, which are caused by overstraining and frequent constipation, among other reasons, affect around 50% of adults by age 50.
Highlights
- An update from the American Gastroenterological Association has identified the two best ways to improve bowel movements.
- These simple fixes, rooted in basic lifestyle changes, can help prevent hemorrhoids, a condition that nearly half of U.S. adults over 50 suffer from.
- Studies claim that 1 in 2 Americans suffer from gastrointestinal issues, but very few get a clinical diagnosis and subsequent treatment due to stigma around pooping.
Despite its prevalence, the gastrointestinal (GI) condition can be prevented or controlled with some basic lifestyle changes, according to experts.
The AGA pointed out two key habits that would help prevent hemorrhoids
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The first suggestion in the AGA update urged people to increase their dietary fiber intake. There are two types — soluble and insoluble — and both are important for good health.
Soluble fiber helps lower cholesterol, regulates blood sugar levels, and reduces the risk of heart disease. It is commonly found in black beans, Brussels sprouts, avocado, broccoli, and sweet potato.
Insoluble fiber passes through the digestive system relatively intact, thus softening stool and adding bulk. Found in whole-grain flour, bran, cauliflower, green beans, and potatoes, this helps prevent constipation and regulate bowel movements, thereby reducing the risk of hemorrhoids.
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According to a 2019 study published in Harvard Health Publishing, most Americans get less than half the recommended amount of daily fiber, which is 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men up to the age of 50. It is largely due to the rise of low-carbohydrate diets such as the ketogenic or Atkins diets, the paper claimed.
The article cited an analysis drawn from a culmination of 250 studies that confirmed that adding more fiber to the diet reduced the risk of colon cancer by 16-24%, as well as cardiac diseases and type 2 diabetes.
The second suggestion in the AGA newsletter was not to spend too long on the toilet, strain to go, or simply scroll on the phone. Doctors have been warning their followers against it for a while.
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“When one’s bottom is in the space of the toilet seat, the blood will pool in the lowest point and cause increased pressure in the blood vessels in the an*s, leading to hemorrhoids,” Dr. David L Schwarzbaum, a gastroenterologist, told HuffPost in 2024.
As for cures or remedies, the AGA news release warned against relying on over-the-counter topical products or internet-recommended sitz baths, as they may only provide temporary relief. The article recommended that anyone suffering from hemorrhoids undergo a physical exam at a doctor’s office before administering any treatment.
35% of Americans prefer to rely on the internet for GI issues rather than see a physician
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A March 2026 survey commissioned by Oshi Health and conducted by The Harris Poll revealed concerning findings: 52% of U.S. adults do not feel comfortable discussing their bowel habits with a healthcare professional, which, in turn, is contributing to the rising number of people experiencing GI issues.
The study found that while 1 in 2 Americans (50%) suffer from GI problems, only 29% have an official diagnosis. 44% of people believe they have a condition but do not have a diagnosis.
Yet 52% believe digestive symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and reflux are just a normal part of life.
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It also revealed that the stigma around discussing bowel movements has pushed people to avoid visiting a doctor and look for other means.
More than 1 in 3 Americans (35%) said they often rely on the internet, social media, or AI to learn how to manage GI symptoms because they’re too embarrassed to talk about poop with a healthcare provider.
“While online information can be helpful, it often lacks context and personalization,” the study said, adding that AI can actually deliver unreliable answers. “Some sources even lack medical oversight.”
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“These findings highlight the harmful consequences of stigma and misinformation surrounding gut health,” said Dr. Sameer Berry, Chief Medical Officer at Oshi Health. “When people normalize disruptive symptoms or avoid conversations out of embarrassment, they risk delayed diagnoses, ongoing discomfort, and worsening conditions.”
Self-diagnosis of GI issues can lead to delayed diagnoses, ineffective treatment, and higher medical expenses, representing over $136 billion in annual healthcare costs.
A Harvard professor of medicine has pointed out the best way to pass stool
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Dr. Trisha Pasricha, MD, MPH, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and the Ask A Doctor columnist for The Washington Post, published a book in 2026 titled You've Been Pooping All Wrong: How to Make Your Bowel Movements a Joy.
In it, she laid out evidence-based, time-tested practices that have been shown to make using the restroom easier and more comfortable.
Dr. Pasricha echoed AGA’s instructions to consume more fiber, adding that those who are deficient could take a psyllium supplement, a plant-based powder soluble in water or coffee.
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“If you have diarrhea, it forms this gel that kind of pulls it together and makes it more formed,” she explained about fibers. “If you have constipation, it softens it up.”
Moreover, fibers feed the microbes in the gut, which in turn produce short-chain fatty acids that help reduce gut inflammation and risks of colon cancer, dementia, and heart attack.
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She cited a study in her book, which she was also part of, that surveyed 125 people about smartphone use while pooping. The subjects went in for colonoscopies, and the result showed that those who used phones in the bathroom were 46% more likely to have hemorrhoids than those who went device-free.
“We found out that you were five times as likely to spend more than five minutes in the bathroom if you brought your smartphone in,” Dr. Pasricha wrote, urging everyone to limit scrolling to two TikTok videos or Instagram reels before checking in with oneself.
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She also advised people to stay away from ultra-processed foods and artificial sweeteners, as they “decrease the mucus barrier that's on our guts, and can change the microbes.”
Her book advocated squatting for pooping, as sitting at a 90-degree angle causes a muscle called the puborectalis to curve around the colon like a sling, keeping it shut and making it harder to defecate.
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But there is no need to abandon the comforts of a modern toilet, according to the doctor. Placing a stool or yoga blocks under the feet to raise the knees above the hips would allow the tube to straighten up again.
Dr. Pasricha referred to August Rodin’s famous sculpture, The Thinker, as the ideal posture for pooping.
"Squatting is nature's way." Netizens voiced their opinions on the latest update about better bowel health
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