Can Intermittent Fasting Help with Acid Reflux & IBS?
If you’ve ever battled acid reflux or IBS, you know the struggle- bloating, burning, and unpredictable digestion—it’s enough to make mealtime feel like a gamble. But what if the key to relief isn’t just what you eat, but when you eat?
Intermittent fasting (IF) is gaining attention for its gut health benefits, including its potential to reduce acid reflux and ease IBS symptoms.
How Intermittent Fasting Helps Acid Reflux
Acid reflux happens when stomach acid escapes in to the oesophagus, causing that awful burning sensation (hello, heartburn!).
IF may help by:
✔ Giving digestion a break: Less frequent eating means fewer chances for stomach acid to creep up
✔ Lowering inflammation: IF has been shown to reduce inflammation in the gut, which can ease reflux symptoms
✔ Improving gut motility: Fasting allows the digestive system to clear food before the next meal, reducing acid buildup.
Tip: If you struggle with acid reflux, avoid foods like chocolate and coffee when breaking your fast. Instead, choose soothing, gut-friendly meals (like the recipes below!).
How Intermittent Fasting Supports IBS
For those with IBS, food can feel like an unpredictable villain—one minute you're fine, and the next you're doubled over in discomfort. IBS symptoms like bloating, cramping, and erratic bowel movements are often triggered by poor gut motility, stress, and inflammation.
IF can help by:
✔ Regulating digestion: Fasting allows the gut’s natural cleaning process (the migrating motor complex) to do its job, reducing bloating and discomfort.
✔ Balancing the microbiome: A fasting period encourages the growth of beneficial gut bacteria
✔ Reducing inflammation: IF has been linked to lower gut inflammation, which may ease IBS symptoms
🚨 But be careful! If you have IBS, start slow. A 12-hour fast is a good place to begin before attempting longer windows. Also, avoid breaking a fast with heavy, greasy, or high-FODMAP foods.
If you are using IF regularly, then please make your first meal as nutritious as possible. I have some recipes below, but I would also urge you to consider fruits and vegetables in capsule form.
These are a great way to absorb good quality nutrients quickly.
Super gut-friendly, promoting beneficial bacteria and SCFA, supporting mood and anxiety.
70% of your immune system is in the gut so IF and capsules can help you fight seasonal colds, flu and food intolerances.
High in polyphenols, they can reduce inflammation.
Supporting your blood sugar with IF & capsules is a fab way to lower your insulin resistance.
IF when you start can make you feel fatigued, these are concentrated nutrients that can increase energy
Gut-Friendly Recipes to Break Your Fast
What you eat after fasting matters just as much as the fasting itself! Breaking a fast with the wrong foods (think sugary cereals, processed carbs, or coffee) can trigger reflux and IBS symptoms.
Instead, try these soothing, gut-friendly recipes packed with healthy fats, fibre, and probiotics to keep digestion happy.
🥑 Recipe 1: Creamy Avocado & Scrambled Eggs (Reflux & IBS-Friendly!)
✅ Why it works: High in healthy fats, gentle on digestion, and rich in protein to stabilise blood sugar.
Ingredients:
2 eggs
½ avocado, mashed
1 tsp olive oil
Pinch of sea salt
Fresh herbs (optional)
Instructions:
1️⃣ Heat olive oil in a pan over medium-low heat.
2️⃣ Whisk eggs and cook gently, stirring occasionally.
3️⃣ Spread mashed avocado on a plate and top with eggs.
4️⃣ Sprinkle with salt and herbs.
Gut Bonus: Avocado is packed with fibre and healthy fats, which help soothe acid reflux and support gut motility.
🍵 Recipe 2: Soothing Bone Broth & Quinoa Bowl
✅ Why it works: Bone broth is packed with gut-healing amino acids, and quinoa is a gentle fibre source that shouldn’t trigger bloating.
Ingredients:
1 cup bone broth (homemade or high-quality store-bought)
½ cup cooked quinoa
½ courgette, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp turmeric
Sea salt & black pepper to taste
Instructions:
1️⃣ Heat the bone broth in a saucepan.
2️⃣ Add cooked quinoa, courgette, turmeric, and olive oil.
3️⃣ Simmer for 5 minutes, season with salt & pepper, and serve warm.
Gut Bonus: Bone broth contains collagen and glutamine, which help repair the gut lining and ease IBS symptoms.
🫐 Recipe 3: Blueberry Chia Pudding (Great for Gut Bacteria!)
✅ Why it works: Chia seeds provide gut-friendly fibre and support blood sugar balance, while blueberries are packed with antioxidants and prebiotics.
Ingredients:
2 tbsp chia seeds
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ cup blueberries
Sprinkle of ground cinnamon
Instructions:
1️⃣ Mix chia seeds, almond milk, and vanilla extract in a jar.
2️⃣ Stir well and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight).
3️⃣ Top with blueberries and cinnamon before eating.
Gut Bonus: Chia seeds soak up excess stomach acid, helping reduce acid reflux flare-ups. Cinnamon helps to balance blood sugar
Final Thoughts: Is IF Right for You?
✅ If you experience mild reflux or IBS and want to improve digestion, intermittent fasting is a good place to start.
🚫 NOT SO FAST! If fasting makes you feel weak, or dizzy or triggers symptoms, ease in slowly and listen to your body.
Read my earlier blog on how to start IF
if you need advice then please feel free to book a free 30-minute discovery call
Jackie xxx
