Is Your Gut “Good”? How to Check
By
Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Posted April 17, 2025
I always get asked, “How do I know if my digestion is working right?”
Well, the answer is pretty simple, but it’s also a little gross.
A simple test you can do at home reveals whether your digestion is normal or not.
Your digestive system processes everything you eat—extracting nutrients, and eliminating waste. The time this journey takes—from first bite to elimination—reveals a lot about your overall digestive health.
As food travels through your body, it passes through several organs, each with a specialized job.
- Your stomach breaks down food with powerful acids and enzymes.
- The small intestine absorbs essential nutrients.
- Finally, the large intestine extracts water and prepares waste for elimination.
This entire process is called digestive transit time and it varies considerably from person to person. Healthy transit times typically range from half a day to over three, with most people averaging around 24 hours.
What makes this process work efficiently? A key factor is your gut microbiome—the trillions of bacteria in your digestive system.
These microscopic helpers assist with breaking down food and producing beneficial compounds that regulate digestive movements and support your immune system.
You can measure your own transit time at home using corn.
The tough outer shell of corn kernels is made of cellulose, which humans can’t digest. This makes corn an ideal visual marker for tracking how quickly food moves through your system.
Here’s how to do it:
- Eat a small portion of corn with a meal
- Make note of when you consumed it
- Observe when you notice corn appearing in your stool
- Calculate the hours between consumption and appearance
This simple observation can help you understand whether your digestion falls within typical ranges. If your transit time seems particularly fast (under 12 hours) or slow (over three days), you should talk to your doctor about it.
Understanding your digestive transit time provides valuable insights into your gut health.
If your transit time is optimal (around 24-48 hours), you can continue doing what you’re doing. If it’s too fast (under 12 hours), try adding more soluble fiber from foods like oats and apples to slow things down. For an overly slow transit time (over three days), increase water intake, add insoluble fiber from vegetables and whole grains, and incorporate gentle movement like walking after meals.
Monitor changes in your transit time after making changes so you can fine-tune your diet to reach the ideal digestive balance.
P.S. Let it go—experience the unexpected freedom of “Fart Walks.”
Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.
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