Symptom tracking is half the equation. Combined with your food logs, it's how TCT uncovers which foods might be triggering your discomfort. Here's how to log symptoms effectively and use your data to spot patterns.
Where to Access Symptom Logging
Tap "Symptoms" on the bottom app ribbon.
This takes you to "Your Symptoms" page—your command center for tracking, reviewing, and analyzing symptom patterns.
Your Symptoms Page Overview
At the top, you'll see a review period selector:
- 1 week
- 1 month
- 3 months
- 6 months
- 1 year
Select a timeframe, and TCT shows you all symptoms logged during that period.
The Symptom Overview Section
What you see:
A list of every symptom you've logged during the selected timeframe, displayed with:
- Fillable bar = Visual representation of how often you logged that symptom
- Count = Exact number of occurrences (next to the bar)
- Arrow icon = Tap to dive deeper into that specific symptom
Example: You logged "Headaches" 12 times in the past month. The bar fills proportionally, shows "12," and you can tap the arrow to see detailed analysis.
Deep Dive: Analyzing a Specific Symptom
Tap the arrow next to any symptom to open its detailed view.
What You'll See:
1. Timeframe Selector (Just for This Symptom): Adjust the review period to focus on different date ranges. This is separate from the main page selector—you're now looking at just this one symptom.
2. Breakdown by Time of Day: TCT shows when this symptom typically occurs:
- Morning
- Afternoon
- Evening
- Night
Why this matters: If your headaches always happen in the afternoon, that points to a lunch-related trigger.
3. Severity Graph
- X-axis: When the symptom occurred (dates)
- Y-axis: Severity level (how bad it was)
Use this to spot patterns: Are symptoms getting worse? Better? Tied to specific days of the week?
4. Two Analysis Cards
Suspect Foods Analysis: Links to TCT's food correlation tool to see which foods may be triggering this symptom.
Symptom-Nutrient Correlation: Links to nutrient analysis to see if deficiencies or excesses might be contributing.
(We cover these tools in separate tutorials.)
5. All Logged Occurrences
Every time you logged this symptom, it appears as a card showing:
- Date
- Time
- Duration
- Severity
Tap any card to update or delete that entry.
To return to the main page: Tap the back arrow in the top left.
Symptom History List
Below the overview section, you'll see Symptom History—a complete list of ALL symptoms logged during your selected timeframe.
Each card shows:
- Date
- Time
- Duration
- Severity
To edit or delete: Left swipe the card.
IMPORTANT: Once deleted, you cannot recover it. Make sure before you delete.
How to Add a Symptom
Two ways:
Option 1: Convenience Menu: Tap the blue box with three dots (...) → Select "Log Symptom"
Option 2: From Symptoms Page: Tap the + icon in the upper right corner
The Symptom Logger Page
Recently Logged (Quick Access)
At the top, you'll see symptoms you've logged recently.
Why this matters: If you deal with chronic symptoms (daily headaches, frequent bloating), you can log them with one tap instead of searching.
Common Symptoms vs. Custom Symptoms
You have two options when adding a symptom:
Common Symptoms (29 Options): Pre-defined symptoms backed by clinical research and NIH data.
Why use these: TCT can analyze these against known nutrient deficiencies or excesses. You get deeper insights.
Grouped for Convenience: Some symptoms are combined into categories to make logging easier.
Example: "Brain Fog" includes:
- Memory loss
- Confusion
- Trouble concentrating
Info icon shows what's grouped together.
Important Note About Grouped Symptoms: When you select a grouped symptom, TCT shows you ALL nutrients associated with ALL sub-symptoms in that group. This gives you the most complete picture, but it also means not every nutrient listed may apply to your specific version of that symptom.
Custom Symptoms: Create your own symptom with any name you want.
When to use: If you're tracking something not in the common list (specific skin reactions, unique digestive issues, etc.).
The trade-off: Custom symptoms cannot be analyzed for nutritional deficiencies because TCT doesn't have NIH data linking them to nutrients.
What still works: TCT's food correlation analysis. You'll still see which foods, ingredients, and allergens appear before this symptom—just not the nutrient connection.
Logging Process (Step-by-Step)
- Select your symptom (recently logged, common list, or create custom)
- Tap the + icon on the symptom card
- Check the date and time (adjust if logging after the fact)
- Add duration (How long did it last? Minutes? Hours?)
- Use the severity scale bar to rate intensity
- Tap Save
Understanding Severity
The severity scale is subjective—you decide what 1-10 means.
Examples:
- 1-3 = Mild discomfort, manageable
- 4-7 = Moderate, noticeable impact on your day
- 8-10 = Severe, significantly affects your activities
The key: BE CONSISTENT.
Your scale doesn't have to match anyone else's. A "5" headache for you should always mean the same thing. Consistency helps spot meaningful patterns (symptoms getting worse, triggers causing more severe reactions, etc.).
Why Date and Time Accuracy Matters
TCT uses the symptom timestamp to link it to the foods you ate before it occurred.
Example: You log a headache at 2 PM. TCT looks at what you ate for breakfast and lunch to find potential triggers (timeframe for correlations dependi on settings).
If the time is wrong, the analysis is wrong.
Best practice: Log symptoms as close to real-time as possible. If you log later, adjust the time to when the symptom actually started.
Quick Tips for Effective Symptom Logging
✅ Log in real-time when possible - Easier to remember severity and timing
✅ Be consistent with your severity scale - Don't rate a mild headache as 8 one day and 3 the next
✅ Use common symptoms when available - You get nutrient analysis
✅ Add duration - Helps identify patterns (do some triggers cause longer symptoms?)
✅ Check your time/date - Critical for accurate food correlation
✅ Use "Recently Logged" for chronic issues - Saves time
✅ Review your data weekly - Spot patterns early
What to Avoid
❌ Don't estimate severity inconsistently - "Today's headache was bad... maybe a 7? Or 9?" Pick one scale and stick to it
❌ Don't log all symptoms at end of day - You'll forget details and timing
❌ Don't delete without thinking - You can't get it back
❌ Don't ignore grouped symptom info - The info icon explains what's included
❌ Don't use custom symptoms when a common one fits - You lose nutrient analysis
How Symptom Data Powers Your Analysis
Your symptom logs feed into two powerful tools:
Suspect Foods Analysis: Shows which foods, ingredients, or allergens appear most often before this symptom.
Symptom-Nutrient Correlation: Identifies whether nutrient deficiencies or excesses might be contributing to your symptoms.
The more accurate your symptom logs, the smarter these tools become.
Bottom Line: Symptom tracking is simple—select a symptom, rate severity, check the time, and save. But the value is in consistency and accuracy. Use common symptoms when possible, log as close to real-time as you can, and keep your severity ratings consistent. TCT handles the rest, connecting your symptoms to foods and nutrients to reveal patterns you'd never spot on your own.