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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Lifestyle
Sarah Phillips

How often should you go to the toilet? How can you get the better of wind? Experts’ tips for a healthier gut

A smiling man in glasses holds a small bowl, with a floating image of a larger food bowl beside him
Composite: Guardian Design; Posed by model; arsenik; Maria Fuchs/Getty Images Composite: Guardian Design; Mirjana Pusicic;etorres69/Getty Images

Think balance, diversity and routine

“Our gut is a complex machine,” says Dr Ajay Verma, a consultant gastroenterologist at Kettering general hospital in Northamptonshire. “It is constantly providing us with the nutrition we need, initially to grow and develop, and then for us to survive, thrive and repair from injury and illness.” How can we keep it functioning well? Put simply: “Make sure what you put into it is balanced, and that you clear out its waste products adequately,” says Verma.

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