The wife and I were talking to my Mom's oncologist (sad, but another story). He asked if we used Metamucil. We both looked at him like he was from Uranus. He explained that the undeveloped world can drop a load at any time, anywhere, with no risk of colon cancer. All the civilized folk -- US, France (?), Europe, Japan -- have an increasing colon cancer risk. And it's all tied back to our need to strain to deliver anything solid into the porcelain receptacle.
Bottom (hee hee) line -- we started to take Metamucil (sorry for the 'plug'; there are other brands). We soon discovered that we did not need more that thirty seconds to eliminate all there was to lose. There was also no effort needed. And best of all: the crap floated! The bottom of the bowl no longer had streaks of brown glue that had to be scrubbed. (Well, the wife did it; I rarely noticed.)
My sons and daughters laughed their collective asses off when we suggested they try it. One son and daughter-in-law got over their fit on the floor and rather abashedly tried it for a few days. We did not know until the next week, when they admitted to sampling our supply of poop smoother.
The next week their two sons (grandsons to me, ya know) were introduced to the stuff. Called it "evening juice," they did. A pediatrician told them it was harmless at any age, and the kids could certainly use it safely.
I've been "using" for over ten years now. The proctologist is happy with what he doesn't find up my colon. I'm happy that he's happy.
The wife is more appreciative than I am. She has always been able to unload loaves that appear to be, say, three inches in diameter, and a foot or more long. I was plunging a couple times a week. Had to break the buggers up to get 'em down. Now they go meekly every time. Still huge, but apparently soft enough -- they just spin around, get themselves lined up, and fold around the bends on the way.
Note that farting is no less or more frequent. And they still smell of what you ate yesterday, sort of.