Why the habit of holding poop can harm your health –

(vadimguzhva/Thinkstock/Getty Images)

Fifty-three hours is the maximum time that the intestine takes to transform what you ate in the last meal into a “package” ready to be eliminated from the organism. And when that moment comes, there’s no way not to notice: the urge to poop is uncontrollable. But, many times, you choose to contain it: instead of using the bathroom at work, at the club or at a friend’s house, you end up doing a little (opposite) effort to hold everything in there.

Read too: Get rid of constipation and flatten your belly

Ignoring the potty-going signals when poop knocks causes the stool to back up into the colon, absorbing water and hardening until the next call. In addition to causing discomfort and swelling, this can lead to a number of other problems, such as constipation and hemorrhoids. In more serious cases, it can even cause bowel distention and loss of strength in the rectum muscles.

And more: Acupuncture can be an ally against constipation

So, to avoid all that headache, listen to your body and try to go to the bathroom whenever you feel like it, no matter where you are – the norm is to have a bowel movement twice a day to three times a week.