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

The gut provides nutrition for growth, survival, thriving, and repair after injury and illness. Gut function improves when intake is balanced and waste products are cleared adequately. Common clinic conditions include irritable bowel syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and constipation. A healthy gut depends on balance, diversity, and routine. Dietary guidance emphasizes high fibre foods, fruit, vegetables, legumes, and wholegrains, while avoiding alcohol, caffeine, fatty or spicy foods, and artificial sweeteners. Large late meals can trigger symptoms, so moderation and occasional lighter days help recovery. A Mediterranean-style diet supports digestive health by increasing fruit, vegetables, and fish while reducing processed foods, high dairy intake, and red meat. Kiwi is recommended for constipation.

"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."

"A healthy gut is built on three main things: balance, diversity and routine. Give your gut a break The starting point for good gastric health is focusing on a diet that is high in fibre, fruit, vegetables, legumes and wholegrains, says Patel, and avoiding irritants: alcohol, caffeine, fatty or spicy foods and artificial sweeteners. We know that large, late meals can also trigger gastrointestinal symptoms. Ultimately it is about everything in moderation and giving your gut a break sometimes, says Verma."

"If you've had a heavy, rich meal one day, then the next day have something a bit lighter, so it can recover from the excesses. Kiwi is a great remedy for constipation. Studies have shown that a Mediterranean diet leads to better digestive health, says Dr Nurulamin Noor, a clinical lecturer in gastroenterology at the University of Cambridge and Cambridge University Hospitals. So eat plenty of fruit, vegetables and fish, and try to reduce or have a low intake of processed foods, high dairy foods and red meats."

"What are some of the best things to eat to aid digestion? Kiwi is one of the most effective dietary interventions for constipation, says Verma. We also recommend"

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