In 2016, San Diego photographer Jesse Karras was watching part of Jim Jeffries’ comedy special, Freedumb, where the comedian hilariously shares about teaching his son Hank to shit. At that present moment, Karras had a copy of Thich Nhat Hanh’s little Zen book titled ‘How to Sit’ on his coffee table. And the idea was born — a guide for how to shit.

That initial idea became “Have a Great Shit: The Best Bathroom Book,” which is released just in time for National Poop Day, Feb. 3. This holiday is a treasured American tradition that yearly falls the day after Super Bowl Sunday, a football game that is societally used largely as an excuse to eat as many buffalo wings and nachos as humanly possible. Thus, the day after makes for an extra poopy Monday…yet the act of pooping is rarely discussed.

Food safety and health doesn’t stop at the moment the food is swallowed.  It is critically important to monitor the health of our poops to ensure our digestion is working as it should be and we are purging our bodies effectively. As critical as this daily routine is for our physical and mental health, information on how to improve the quality of our shits is not often shared in pop culture. Karras was inspired to break the “poo taboo” to research the topic extensively and put together his findings into an educational, entertaining guide for how to have a great shit. The author also covers many other aspects of the bathroom experience, such as how to poop in different environments, how to improvise without toilet paper and how altering “poo-sitions” can affect the health of your bowel movements.

Our world may seem divided from time to time, but we stand united in our desire to have a great shit. Let’s all celebrate this year’s National Poop Day on Feb. 3 by sitting on the porcelain throne for a laugh while reading “Have a Great Shit: The Bathroom Book.”

THE TOP TEN TOILET TIPS TO HELP YOU GO LIKE A PRO

Taken from: Have a Great Shit – The Best Bathroom Book – by Jesse Karras

1. Roll call – Make sure you have ample toilet paper on the roll for your wiping needs BEFORE you sit to shit.
2. Let it go – Not pooping when you have to go causes constipation and other unpleasant side effects. Resist the urge to resist the urge and take a dump when you have to go.
3. Walk it off – Get some exercise each day to help activate your bowels.
4. No loitering – Only sit on the can when you have to shit. Loitering increases the odds of hemorrhoids by forcing a shit before it is ready.
5. Fat chance – Minimize high-fat foods like cheeses, red meat, and fried foods in your diet to reduce the chances of constipation.
6. Vacation constipation – Consider taking a daily fiber supplement when you travel to stay regular and stave off the constipation blues.
7. Eat your peas – Peas are loaded with more fiber than just about any other vegetable. Find out some of the best and worst foods for getting your daily fiber dose in the book.
8. Chill out – Stress is a major cause of constipation and other health-related problems. Look for natural and healthy ways to reduce your stress like meditation, exercise, eating better, or therapy.
9. Drink up – Your turds are 95% water so hey give them what they want. Soda and alcohol dehydrate you so chug twice as much water comparatively to keep regular.
10. Chew on this – Thoroughly chewing your food before swallowing helps aid in the digestive process and minimizes bacteria and fungi that can cause indigestion and gas.