A Doctor Explains: This Is What Happens Inside Your Body When You Hold "It" In

Healthy Living - By The Rachael Ray Staff on

Whether it's because it's not the right time or not the right place, we all do this -- we hold in our No. 2 despite our body telling us we *have* to go.

But take it from gastroenterologist Dr. Anish Sheth -- who received his degree from Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University -- and break that habit!

"It gets dried out," the doc says of stool that's held in. "It gets hard."

And that's not even the worst of it!

"It leads to chronic issues," he continues. "The pelvic floor muscles stop working. The colon can actually become more sluggish [and] it can actually lead to chronic constipation."

Has he convinced you to stop yet? Because *we're* convinced!

"When it's time to go," the doctor stresses, "do everything you can to heed that call."

(Don't ever *force* yourself, he makes sure to say, though!)