How are gut health and acid reflux related? Well, it might be a stronger connection than you think.
Discloser: I am not a trained health professional. All articles are based on my own experience and opinions. Please consult with a health professional before making lifestyle changes.
This post may contain affiliate links and I may earn a small commission when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. You can read my full disclaimer here.
If you’ve been dealing with chronic acid reflux that isn’t caused by the typical triggers you’re probably searching for the deeper issue.
I dealt with chronic acid reflux for nearly 5 years before I decided enough was enough and I started searching for the root cause of the issue. Initially, when I saw a doctor they said it was simply due to stress and I just needed to relax. While that could have been the case, I was a teenager and no matter what I did to relax nothing helped.
So I started researching what could be causing my acid reflux. I noticed that gut health was mentioned over and over again, but in a throw-away manner, so I didn’t take it seriously.
I tried every home remedy I could find and changed my diet completely in an effort to heal my acid reflux. But it wasn’t until I started taking my gut health seriously that I saw major changes.
Can Gut Problems Cause Acid Reflux?
There is a strong link between acid reflux and IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). IBS typically is caused when there is an unbalance of bacteria in your gut.
You see, your gut has both bad and good bacteria and it needs both to function properly. But when there are more bad bacteria than good bacteria it can wreak havoc on your body.
A lot of things can cause this unbalance of gut bacteria to occur. Stress, medications, food allergies and so much more. While the causes vary from person to person the symptoms of an unhealthy gut are pretty similar.
What Are The Symptoms Of An Unhealthy Gut?
Here are some of the most common symptoms of an unhealthy gut. If you struggle with a variety of these issues on a regular basis it might be a sign that your gut is out of balance.
- Sharp stomach pain
- Bloating
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Fatigue
- Trouble sleeping
- Food sensitivities like gluten or dairy
- Craving carbs and sugar
- Unintentional weight gain or loss
- Skin issues (like Keratosis Pilaris or acne)
How To Improve Gut Health for Acid Reflux?
If those symptoms sound familiar don’t worry, healing your gut isn’t as difficult as it seems. It takes some persistence and patience, but if you’re ready to start feeling better it’s 100% worth it.
Here are a few things you can start doing now to heal your gut:
Eat A Gut-Friendly Diet
When we start to heal our gut we need to take a break from the foods that are disrupting our gut and feed it with probiotic-rich foods to help balance the level of good and bad bacteria.
Here’s a list of foods you should avoid while healing your gut and limit once you start feeling better:
- Gluten
- Soda
- Caffeine
- Dairy
- Red meat
- Processed Foods
- Artificial sweeteners
- Fast Food
- Alcohol
- Onions
- Garlic
- Beans
Here’s a list of foods you should start incorporating to help heal your gut:
- Bone broth
- Yogurt
- Kefir
- Kombucha
- Miso
- Sauerkraut
- Kimchi
- Sourdough bread
- Focus on lean proteins like chicken and fish
- Focus on eating more organic fruits and vegetables (cooked vegetables are best)
Here’s what a gut-healing menu might look like for me:
Breakfast: Fruit smoothie with spinach, banana, berries, kefir, vegan protein powder, and coconut water
Lunch: A salad with chicken, strawberries, blueberries, and blue cheese crumbles (good for your gut!) with a cup of bone broth
Snacks: Vegan protein shakes, carrots and celery in guacamole, yogurt with berries
Dinner: Fish with a side of green beans or asparagus
Take a Good Probiotic and Prebiotic
Probiotics and Prebiotics help balance the levels of good and bad bacteria in your gut. You can eat high probiotic foods like sauerkraut and kimchi, but taking a supplement can help when you need a lot of help as well as into the future to help keep your gut balanced. There are a lot of options out there so look for a high-quality supplement. This is the best one I’ve been able to find, it works wonders and you can order it on Amazon or pick it up at Target.
Reduce Inflammation
Another big cause of an unhealthy gut and in turn your acid reflux can be inflammation. There are a few additional things you can try to reduce inflammation beyond taking probiotics and eating a gut-friendly diet.
Try an elimination diet
An elimination diet can help you find foods that trigger inflammation in your body and should be avoided on a regular basis. It can be a more intense process but it’s the best way to learn how foods affect you and which ones you’ll choose to eliminate from your diet. You can learn about the elimination diet and get a step-by-step on how to do it in this book.
Reduce Stress
As someone with chronic stress I know how frustrating it can be to hear this, but yes – finding ways to reduce your stress can also reduce inflammation in your body. I used to think reducing stress was only about yoga and meditation, but I’ve learned it doesn’t have to be that way.
In fact, for a lot of people, active stress-reducing activities are better. This could be taking a walk outside, playing a sport, working out, painting, watching a movie, really anything that brings you happiness and isn’t necessarily productive.
You could also give talk therapy a chance, or at least have a venting buddy to talk to. I find if I can talk through whatever is bothering me with another person I usually feel a lot better.
Learn more about the connection between stress and acid reflux.
So if you’re dealing with chronic acid reflux and feel like you’re doing everything right, it might be time to get serious about your gut health.