Do you Read While Poo-ing? You Need to Read This

It has become a common habit to take newspapers, magazines and even mobile phones into the toilet. There’s a downside to it and you’re putting your health at risk.

Studies have shown that the more time spent in the toilet, the more likely you have piles.

A research from an Israeli pediatric gastroenterologist, Ron Shaoul revealed that people who read while using the toilet consider themselves to be less constipated--even though the data doesn't show much of a difference from non-toilet readers. There's also a chance that toilet-readers may suffer more from hemorrhoids, though that's not really conclusive. 

The longer time spent taking a dump can restrict blood flow around the anal area. This even makes it worse. 

Also, longer sitting in the poo bucket can add more stress and strain on your bottom region, which causes piles (haemorrhoids). Piles are swellings that develop inside and around the anus.

You can also contact germs and bacteria when you use your phone while in the toilet.

Val Curtis, director of the Hygiene Centre at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, added microbial contamination to the risks of reading in the toilet. Curtis said microbes don't do well on absorbent surfaces, and would probably only survive a few minutes on newspaper. 

He identified Plastic book covers, and the plastic surfaces of eReaders and smartphones pose a heavier risk as Microbes can live on them for hours. 

The solution: Don't read eBooks. Also, wash your hands with soap and water. Which, if you weren't doing that already, you're already in a bigger problem.