It’s all too easy in the wellness world to focus on what’s not going so well. Not getting enough sleep, moving too little, eating irregularly and feeling constipated or bloated are run-of-the-mill these days, but sometimes it’s good to stop for a moment and focus on what is going well.

Maybe you’re hitting your workout goals and smashing your veg intake – go, you! With this in mind, rather than another rundown of poor gut health symptoms, we’re looking at what having a great gut feels like. You never know, you might already have a healthy, well-functioning, happy gut – in which case, you can pat yourself on the back (and probably start worrying about something else instead – but that’s a whole other story).

What does a healthy gut feel like?

“Good gut health can manifest itself in various ways,” explains Nishtha Patel, a nutritional therapist and gut expert. “These include regular bowel movements, and the absence of gastrointestinal discomfort, such as bloating or gas.”

“A healthy gut typically means regular and consistent bowel movements,” says Patel. “Generally, people should have bowel movements one to three times per day. The stools should be a nice sausage shape and not have a ‘bitty’ or runny consistency, and they should be medium to dark brown in colour.”

If you want to know exactly what your stools should look like, if only to give yourself a pat on the back, then check out the famous Bristol stool chart – we’re aiming for a Type 4.

“The ideal poo should be easy to pass,” advises registered nutritional therapist Anna Mapson. “You shouldn’t be sitting on the toilet trying to go for more than five minutes, and there shouldn’t be any straining, urgency or pain associated with pooing.”

We’re all prone to bloating and gas occasionally, and this is entirely normal. But Patel advises that excessive amounts can be a sign of digestive issues. “No stomach pain, cramping or other discomfort should be present in a healthy gut,” she says. While we are all different, this is a good general rule to follow, and you’ll probably know what is normal for you – and don’t let it stress you out.

“We don’t want to get too obsessed with our digestion,” reassures Mapson. “It’s normal to get a bit of bloating after a big meal or to experience gas after eating lots of lentils. This is nothing to worry about, and just a by-product of your gut bacteria fermenting the high fibre.”

Another indication of gut health and function is transit time – ie the time it takes food to travel through your digestive system and out the other end, from your mouth to your bottom. And there’s a test for this – who doesn’t love a test?

“Ideally, a healthy transit time in a healthy person would generally take around 30 to 40 hours but can take up to 72 hours,” says Patel. “A good way to test this is by swallowing a few kernels of sweetcorn and seeing how long they take to come out, or eating beetroot and checking the colour of your stools.”

Side note: if you’re concerned about changes to your stools, always consult your GP. 

How a healthy gut manifests in our bodies

So, you’ve got shape, texture and transit time down – well done. Good gut health will impact lots of other areas of your health and wellbeing, so you should start to feel the benefits across the board. 

“The gut plays a crucial role in the immune system,” explains Patel, “so a healthy gut can lead to better immune function and decreased susceptibility to infections.”

We know that an amazing 70% of our immune cells are housed in our gut, so if you’re pretty robust and rarely poorly, it’s an excellent sign that your gut is ticking along nicely. 

We’ve all heard about the gut-brain axis, and there is science-backed evidence that our gut is closely connected with our mental wellbeing. “There is a second nervous system that resides in the gut known as the enteric nervous system,” explains Patel. “Research suggests that there is a connection between gut health and mental wellbeing, and that a healthy gut may improve mood and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.”

“Our gut microbes can be linked to skin conditions such as eczema or rosacea,” says Mapson, “so happy skin is a pretty reliable non-digestive sign of good gut health.” 

But it is important to note that such conditions aren’t caused solely by poor gut health, with eczema in particular having strong genetic causation. 

Sleep issues can certainly affect out gut health, and the reverse is also true. “Having a balanced. diverse microbiome benefits our circadian rhythm, encouraging regular sleep patterns and quality,” says Patel.

The experts agree that if you’re generally healthy and tend to feel well in yourself, then congratulations – the chances are you’re nailing your gut health. But, as you might have guessed, now isn’t the time to rest on your laurels. Digestive health is a constantly moveable feast (pun intended), so keep it up – but take some strength and satisfaction from the thought that you already know how it’s done. 

Images: Getty