Gut troubles? This gastroenterologist has tips to help you achieve 'poophoria'

Gut troubles? This gastroenterologist has tips to help you achieve 'poophoria' April 11, 20267:00 AM ET By  Andrea Muraskin DBenitostock/Moment RF/Getty Images Forty percent of Americans have their daily lives interrupted by uncomfortable bowel symptoms, according to the American Gastroenterological Association. That's a lot of troubled guts. But Dr. Trisha Pasricha says at the other end of the spectrum, there are people who experience "poophoria." That's Pasricha's term for a state of being where doing your business is painless and worry-free. " I just want you to poop quickly, effortlessly, and then go live your best life," she says. Want the latest stories on the science of healthy living? Subscribe to NPR's Health newsletter. Pasricha is the director of the Institute for Gut-Brain Research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, and writes for the Washington Post. She also treats patients with IBS and other painful digestive issues that can be tricky to diagnose. Sponsor Message Pasricha's is not a one-size-fits all approach. There's no magic number of times you need to go in a day, nor a perfect color or consistency that means you're healthy or normal, she says. But if you often struggle with issues like bloating, constipation or diarrhea she wants you to know: There's a better way to poop. Life Kit 'Say no to power peeing' and other good tips from a pelvic floor physical therapist In her new book You've Been Pooping All Wrong: How to Make Your Bowel Movements a Joy Pasricha lays out evidence-based habits and practices to make your relationship with your solid waste as smooth as possible. Here are some of her most tried-and-true tips. Pasricha offers much of this advice to her patients — but following it just might save you a trip to the doctor. Andrea Muraskin for NPR Do: Take a look at your Number 2 A lot of people are shy about looking at the toilet bowl but Pasricha says you can learn a lot...