Gut (or digestive) health is a popular topic among online wellness personalities, with numerous videos continuing to flood social media, particularly on Instagram and TikTok, claiming to heal your gut, cure acid reflux, or even help with bloating.

If someone is claiming to have a “fix” for digestive issues, you should be sceptical of these claims. The main drivers of digestive health change include shifts in stomach acid, gut immunity (its role in producing antibodies), and gastrointestinal flora—the complex ecosystem of bacteria in your digestive system—that helps digest food, use vitamins, and produce energy for the body.

How do I know if I have Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease?

One of the most common digestive issues among adults is gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). GERD is caused by excessive stomach acid that moves up into the esophagus. Symptoms may be occasional or daily and affect up to 20 per cent of the general population. If this sounds like you, use this helpful symptom tracker and take it with you the next time you see your health care provider.

If you struggle with GERD, your health care provider may have spoken to you about avoiding common triggers, such as citrus fruits and coffee, and making some lifestyle changes like avoiding large meals late in the day and snacks before bed.

Your health care provider might also suggest trying some over-the-counter antacid products or prescribe medications such as proton pump inhibitors (PPI’s). Prescription drugs such as pantoprazole, esomeprazole, lansoprazole are common, but prolonged, long-term use may result in future complications.

If you take PPIs daily, it’s important that follow up with your health care provider and try to reduce the regular daily use of these drugs, where possible. Your pharmacist can also suggest over-the-counter antacids and advise on whether these might interfere with any other prescription drugs you are taking.

Improving your digestive health 

To promote a healthy gut, there are a few things you can do, and it doesn’t only involve what you eat. 

Eat the right foods 

• Aim for more fiber from whole grain foods, fruits, and vegetables. Be careful not to introduce a lot of fiber too quickly, however. If you aren’t sure where to start, consider contacting your Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) for nutritional advice from a registered dietitian. If you have ASEBP’s EFAP, you can use your four hours of health coaching to work with a registered dietitian, at no cost to you.
• Avoid potential triggers such as gluten, dairy, or other irritants, if this is an issue for you. 
• Reduce intake of processed food, refined sugar, fatty or spicy foods as it can cause gas, heartburn, bloating, and contribute to other longer-term digestive issues.
• Reduce your portion sizes at mealtime. The Dietitians of Canada have this handy guide to help you recognize different serving sizes. 
• Reduce your intake of alcohol, as it can make it more difficult for your body to break down nutrients and can increase your desire to consume processed foods, such as potato chips, fast food, etc. Find Health Canada’s low-risk alcohol drinking guidelines. 

Get more sleep

Not getting enough sleep is linked to a higher prevalence of obesity, which can put you on the path for having other digestive disorders, such as acid reflux.

Try to move more

Walking, cycling, playing golf, or participating in other activities that you enjoy and that encourage you to move and maintain a healthy body weight, all help ward off digestive issues.

Manage stress

Reducing stress is essential to managing heartburn. Trying relaxation or cognitive behavioural therapies (CBT) may help. Tranquility by Inkblot is an online CBT program that’s available, free-of-cost, to those with ASEBP’s EFAP.

Get help for mental health issues

Individuals who live with anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues are at higher risk of digestive issues because of the brain-gut connection.

Should I take a probiotic? 

Probiotics are live bacteria and microbes that are good for you, especially for your digestive system. The two most common types of probiotics are Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium-based products. Even within these families of probiotics, there are significant variations in product strength, doses, and dosage forms, which make it challenging to determine their effectiveness. It’s important to note that there is insufficient clinical research to support the effectiveness of probiotics in most conditions. 

Always talk to your health care provider or pharmacist who knows your health history before starting any natural supplement, including a probiotic. If you decide to try a probiotic for a digestive issue, you might consider trying it out for one-to-two months to see if it provides any benefit to you. 

The information provided in this article is for personal use, reference, and education only. ASEBP does not provide medical advice. Before starting any medication or product, you should always consult with your pharmacist, health care provider, or call Alberta Health Link at 811.