Do you have a good "gut feeling"? When you feel into your stomach, do you feel a sense of well-being and lightness? Or does it squeeze and pinch, does it feel heavy or even painful?

The abdomen as the container of the intestine is our central metabolic organ. But it is not only food intake and excretion that are important tasks of the gastrointestinal tract. Due to its high content of nerve cells, it is considered the "gut brain" and is crucial for our immune system.

This is why intestinal health is crucial for our quality of life.

Here we show you 5 signs and criteria for a healthy gut. Do you pass the test?

• Daily bowel movements
• Formed bowel movements
• No bloated belly
• Happy and calm mind
• No food intolerances

Most people perceive their bowel movements as "normal". On closer inspection, you often realise that the subjective perception of "normal" is deceptive. Anyone who does not fulfil these 5 points has at least a functional imbalance in the gastrointestinal tract.

The central functional principle of digestion is called "Agni" in Ayurveda. Incorrect eating behaviour, poor quality food and an imbalance of the three doshas Vata, Pitta and Kapha can cause Agni to become unbalanced. The consequences of this: weakness, tiredness, inner restlessness and sleep disorders, susceptibility to illness, premature ageing...

The functioning of the gastrointestinal tract can be optimised through correct eating habits, appropriate nutritional supplements and regular detox measures. This requires a lifelong endeavour. With each cleansing programme, you should come closer to the 5 signs of healthy bowel function.

1. daily bowel emptying

The bowel should be emptied 1-2 times a day. This emptying should be effortless and leave you feeling relieved and satisfied.

According to Ayurvedic medicine, anyone who does not have a bowel movement every day is suffering from constipation, and anyone who has more than 2 bowel movements per day is suffering from diarrhoea.

Measures for constipation: 2 tablets of Triphala plus or 3 capsules of Triphala pro daily before going to bed. Triphala pro should be taken for 1 month after each cleansing cure to build up the intestinal flora. If this dosage does not lead to daily bowel evacuation, psyllium husk powder and magnesium citrate can be added.
Measures for diarrhoea: 2 tablets of MA1 Sportlerrasayana before each meal, 1 capsule of Triphala pro before sleeping.

2. moulded bowel movements

Well-formed stools with a solid consistency are an important sign of intestinal health. The surface of the stool should be smooth and not sticky. Neither the anus nor the toilet should be soiled during defecation. If you need a lot of toilet paper, you should do more for your bowel health!

3. no bloated belly

Gas formation is a sign that the digestive process is disturbed. Food that is difficult to digest or incompatible, inadequate chewing and incorrect colonisation of the intestinal flora (microbiome) are the main causes of flatulence.

Odourless gases are a sign of fermentation processes, foul-smelling gases are the result of putrefaction processes in the intestine. Both disorders produce toxins that put a strain on the liver and the immune system.

If you are prone to flatulence and gas formation, chewing well is the first step towards healing. Regular detoxification decimates pathological intestinal flora. After every detox programme, it makes sense to regenerate the intestinal flora with high-quality probiotics. Our recommendation for this is Triphala pro.
We can recommend two valuable digestive aids:

MA154 Digest Special: 1-2 tablets after heavy meals. Particularly recommended for abdominal discomfort after eating and a tendency to have hard stools.

MA927 Digest: 1-2 tablets after main meals. Particularly recommended for people with sensitive stomachs and intestines.

4. happy and calm mind

When the digestive system is working well, important messenger substances are produced in the intestines that are crucial for our mood.

The vagus nerve establishes a direct connection between the brain and the gut. In this way, stress and emotions influence the digestive system, but all processes in the gut also influence our brain. Interestingly, about 10 times more information travels from the gut to the brain than vice versa.

Chronic stress damages the gut and can lead to irritable bowel syndrome or even chronic inflammatory bowel disease. Discomfort in the gut in turn leads to negative thoughts and feelings.

A healthy gut environment and a balanced microbiome are crucial for mental health and emotional balance.

A healthy gut produces happiness hormones such as serotonin and ensures cheerfulness and lightness in life.

A disturbed gut produces too few happiness hormones, but more harmful toxins such as alcohol and putrefactive substances (e.g. putrisin), which cause tiredness, irritability and a cloudy mood. Ayurveda refers to these substances as "ama" (the undigested).

What about your mood? Are you always cheerful and relaxed?

5. no food intolerances

A strong digestive system is able to digest all foods completely. This includes foods that are avoided by many people today for good reason: Wheat, milk and dairy products, histamine-containing foods such as sauerkraut and tomatoes.

From an Ayurvedic point of view, anyone who cannot tolerate these foods has a digestive weakness that requires treatment. Of course, these foods must be avoided for as long as the intestines are weakened in order to prevent even more serious health problems. But every effort should be made to improve intestinal health.

Slow, conscious eating and good chewing is the first step. This improves your awareness of what is good for you and what is not.

Further measures to heal food intolerances are: regular cleansing cures, herbal remedies, building up the intestinal flora (Triphala pro), stress reduction (Transcendental Meditation), optimising the supply of vitamins and minerals (according to full blood analysis).