Gut health · Assessment

Gut Health Assessment

Your gut health influences IBS symptoms, eczema flares, and acne severity through shared inflammatory and microbiome pathways. This 12-question assessment scores your gut across three dimensions — IBS symptoms, gut-skin connection, and microbiome health.

1. How often do you experience bloating, gas, or abdominal discomfort?

Rarely or neverA few times per monthWeeklyAlmost daily

2. Do your skin conditions (eczema, acne, rashes) seem to flare after eating certain foods?

No — no clear patternPossibly sometimesOften yesAlmost always yes

3. How are your bowel movements? (Consider your typical pattern)

Regular and comfortableOccasionally irregularOften irregular or urgentChronic diarrhoea or constipation

4. Which conditions do you currently deal with? (Select the one that affects you most)

None of theseIBS or gut symptomsEczema or skin reactionsAcne — often cystic or hormonal

5. How much fermented food do you eat (yogurt, kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha)?

Regularly — multiple times per weekOccasionally — a few times per monthRarelyNever

6. Have you taken antibiotics in the past 2 years?

NoOne courseTwo coursesThree or more courses

7. Do you tolerate probiotic foods (yogurt, kefir) well, or do they cause bloating or reactions?

Tolerate well — no issuesMinor reactionsSignificant bloating or worsened symptomsI avoid them due to reactions

8. How much does stress affect your gut or skin symptoms?

Minimal — stress doesn't seem to change muchSome effect during high-stress periodsStress reliably worsens symptomsStress is a primary trigger

9. How do you typically react to alcohol?

Fine — no gut or skin effectsMild digestive effectsGut symptoms or skin flares reliablySignificant symptoms after any alcohol

10. How diverse is your diet? (variety of vegetables, grains, legumes, fruits)

Very diverse — 20+ different plants per weekModerate varietyLimited variety — eat the same foods repeatedlyVery limited — few fruits/vegetables

11. How often do you eat ultra-processed food (packaged snacks, fast food, ready meals)?

Rarely — mostly whole foodsOccasionallyOften — several times per weekDaily or multiple times per day

12. Do you currently track your food and symptoms?

Yes, consistently with an appSometimes or informallyI've tried but don't stick with itNever — starting from scratch

About the gut health assessment

What the assessment scores

Instead of one overall number, this assessment produces three sub-scores so you can see where your gut health is strongest and where it needs attention. The gut–IBS score reflects digestive symptoms such as bloating, gas and irregular bowel habits. The gut–skin score reflects whether skin conditions like acne, eczema or rashes flare after certain foods and how stress affects your symptoms. The microbiome score looks at factors that shape your gut bacteria: fermented food intake, recent antibiotic use, how well you tolerate probiotic foods, diet variety, ultra-processed food and how you react to alcohol.

The 12 questions feed those three sections, and each section is rated Good, Moderate concern or High concern based on the share of its maximum score you reach (up to 30% is Good, up to 60% Moderate, above that High).

Why look at digestion, skin and microbiome together

Research on the gut–skin axis suggests that gut bacteria, intestinal barrier function and inflammation can influence skin conditions like acne and eczema, and stress affects both the gut and the skin. The evidence is stronger for association than for cause, but it is a good reason to consider digestion and skin together rather than treating them as unrelated.

What to do with your results

If one area scores High concern, start there. High gut–IBS scores are worth raising with a doctor, since persistent digestive symptoms have several treatable causes. For a High microbiome score, the practical levers are eating a broader range of plants each week, cutting back on ultra-processed food, and adding fermented foods if you tolerate them. If skin and gut both score high, tracking food alongside skin flares is the fastest way to find out whether they are connected for you. This is an educational tool, not a medical test.

Frequently asked questions

How can I tell if my gut is healthy?

Signs of a well-functioning gut include regular, comfortable bowel movements, little bloating or pain, stable energy, and no persistent skin or food-reaction problems. There is no single test for overall gut health, which is why symptom-based assessments like this one are a starting point to discuss with a clinician.

What is the gut–skin axis?

It is the two-way relationship between the gut and the skin, involving gut bacteria, the immune system, inflammation and stress hormones. Studies link gut imbalances to conditions such as acne and eczema, though the direction of cause and effect is still being worked out.

How long does it take to improve gut health?

Changes in gut bacteria can begin within days of a diet change, but symptoms usually take several weeks to shift, and skin changes can lag further behind. Give any new habit at least three to four weeks before judging it, ideally while tracking symptoms.

Does a high score mean something is wrong with me?

No. A high score means you reported many symptoms or risk factors, and those are common and often modifiable. If symptoms are persistent, worsening, or come with warning signs such as blood in stool or unexplained weight loss, see a doctor.

Keep reading

This tool is for education and self-reflection only. It is not a medical diagnosis, and it does not replace advice from a doctor or registered dietitian.