Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, absolutely. GutCheck is built with a privacy-first philosophy. All your data—logs, ingredients, personal marker scores, and notes—is stored locally on your device's internal database. We do not have servers that store your personal information, and we never see what you eat or how you feel.

No account required. You can start logging immediately after downloading the app. Since your data stays on your device, there is no need for a username or password.

GutCheck uses statistical analysis (Spearman Rank Correlation) to look for patterns between the ingredients you log and the personal markers you track. It looks back 24 hours from each personal marker entry to see which ingredients might be influencing your experiences, helping you identify potential patterns.

The number (e.g., 0.34) represents the strength of the connection between an ingredient and a personal marker.

• Higher Score (closer to 1.0): Indicates a strong, consistent pattern in your data.
• Lower Score (closer to 0.3): Indicates a moderate pattern that is worth watching.

GutCheck only displays insights with a score greater than 0.30 to ensure the patterns shown are meaningful.

Polarity tells GutCheck whether a higher score for a marker is "good" or "bad."

• Positive Markers: Things you want more of (e.g., Energy, Focus). A higher score means you feel better.
• Negative Markers: Experiences you want less of (e.g., Bloating, Pain). A higher score means more discomfort.

For example, if you log "Energy" as a Positive marker, a 10/10 means peak experience. If you log "Bloating" as a Negative marker, a 10/10 means severe discomfort. GutCheck uses this distinction to accurately calculate how different foods affect your overall trends.

No, you do not need to enter everything you eat. GutCheck works best when you log the foods that you think might be affecting your personal experiences. The more consistent you are with logging, the more accurate the trends will be, but even partial tracking can provide valuable insights.

Many digestive issues and food sensitivities are triggered by specific ingredients (like gluten, dairy, or nightshades) rather than the overall food item. By focusing on ingredients, GutCheck can help you identify the exact components that affect your personal markers, even if they are present in small amounts or hidden within complex dishes.

For example, if you have a sensitivity to dairy, you might react to yogurt, cheese, and ice cream. By tracking ingredients, GutCheck can identify "dairy" as a potential trigger across all these different foods.

Yes. You can export your entire database to a JSON file at any time from the Settings page.

Many digestive issues and food sensitivities are triggered by specific ingredients (like gluten, dairy, or nightshades) rather than caloric intake. GutCheck is designed specifically for people trying to understand their body's unique reactions, not for weight loss or calorie counting.

Because GutCheck is offline-first and doesn't use cloud sync, your data is only on your device. We recommend using the "Export Data" feature periodically to keep a backup in a safe place (like your own private cloud storage or computer).