Call me repressed, but I would rather share my most intimate and embarrassing secret than talk about what I do on the toilet. And I'm not the only one. Some of us grew up thinking our toilets are dirty, secret places where we go to do our business -- and even turn on the faucet so company doesn't hear us -- and then flush and forget it ever happened.
But our thoughts about the potty might change sooner than we realize. The "toilet of the future" is headed our way and it honestly sounds like a porcelain miracle. It features a built-in screening system that can actually check your waste for kidney disease, diabetes, nutritional deficiencies, and even pregnancy. But before you run to put your name on a waiting list, ask yourself this: are you willing to get with the times by...squatting?
This incredible invention, which is called the "Wellbeing Toilet," was invented by three students in London. Rather than sit on it like a conventional toilet, you sit and pull your knees up to your chest so that you're resting in a hunched position. Many experts say squatting when you relieve yourself is actually a lot better for your health than sitting -- for one thing, it prevents hemorrhoids from forming. Hallelujah to that! And anyone who has traveled to parts of Africa or Asia -- or even Paris -- knows that squatting toilets really aren't all that uncommon.
Want to get an idea of what the Wellbeing Toilet woud look like in your house? Here you go:
Okay, it's odd-looking, but not hideous or anything.
And here's what one might look like sitting on the toilet:
It actually doesn't look as uncomfortable as I predicted it would.
No word yet on when this toilet will be available for purchase and how much it might cost, but I've got to say -- I am seriously into this idea. Not so much for the squatting aspect, which still seems strange to me, but because it actually lets us keep track of our health in ways that are revolutionary. Imagine being able to stay on top of your nutritional intake and being able to correct whatever deficiencies you may have before getting sick. Incredible. And this baby would have saved me at least $100 in pregnancy tests.
If I lived in a house with one bathroom, I probably wouldn't buy the Wellbeing Toilet. I don't know, it would still seem weird to me to expect guests to squat when they came over. My 64-year-old dad would absolutely die. But the toilet would be perfect for a master or second bathroom.
Here's a video clip in which the toilet's inventors chat about the Wellbeing Toilet:
See this video on The Stir by CafeMom.
What do you think of the Wellbeing Toilet? Would you buy one and do you think it will sell?
Image via Mr. Doro/Flickr
Images via YouTube