Make 2026 The Year You Finally Heal Your Gut

If you haven’t heard my gastritis story already, here’s a brief synopsis:

I started feeling super uncomfortable after meals in the Fall of 2023. This was a time in my life of lots of change, anxiety, and relying on alcohol to help me get through the Hard Times. My main symptoms were burning and nausea that wouldn’t go away, especially at night. I couldn’t sleep, I had no idea what to eat, and my anxiety only got worse as my health did.

One year later, I was finally given the go-ahead to get an endoscopy and was officially diagnosed with gastritis, although, I had assumed that’s what was going on anyway.

Through 2024, I visited various doctors, specialists, and holistic practitioners (the latter being the most helpful), but I still had more questions than I did answers. Most doctors didn’t take my symptoms too seriously and said another 5 weeks on pantoprazole should fix me. Now, here we are at the end of 2025, feeling okay most days but not fully back to normal.

If you haven’t been following along on my TikTok, you wouldn’t know that for the past 5 weeks, my husband and I have been stranded in the Dominican Republic due to bureaucratic incompetence mostly. This has left me stranded without my usual foods, medication, and with a heightened anxiety that altogether leaves me feeling pretty defeated. However, I’m still hopeful to make some serious progress on my own health (especially once we’re back home) and continue to help people find their own answers to their mysterious gut issues.

Here’s my plan of action once I get back home:

Get back on my medication temporarily. I was prescribed sucralfate after I told doctors that PPIs were not helping me. Because I’m also dealing with bile reflux, the sucralfate is a much better option for me as it offers protection to the stomach from bile in particular (PPIs do not). I don’t plan on being on this long-term, but after the past few weeks of inconsistent food and occasional drinks, my stomach needs some time to calm the inflammation again.

Get tested for SIBO. This is something I’ve been wanting to do for months. Several doctors denied even giving me the test, but I finally found a pharmacy in Milan that agreed to order a test kit for me. SIBO testing requires some preparation, so I definitely want to wait until I’m home and settled to get this done. While I know I have gastritis and bile reflux, those don’t just exist in a vacuum. My goal is to see if there are any coexisting issues that might be prolonging my healing.

Do a diet reset. I’m not a big believer in “resets” as a term, but in this case, it makes sense. I plan to give my body 2 weeks of simple foods that I know my body tolerates and avoid sugar and alcohol, which I’ve indulged in quite a bit over the holidays. No regrets, but I do feel it in my gut.

Allow my mind to get back into rest and digest mode. During this whole debacle in the Dominican Republic, my body has been in fight or flight mode. The challenge of not knowing when we can go home, dealing with bureaucratic challenges daily, wondering if there’s more we can do to speed up the process, in addition to the financial burden, has all caught up to me. I’m so looking forward to waking up in my own bed, in my own apartment, without the dread of uncertainty constantly looming. (I know life is always uncertain, but that becomes more apparent when you are stranded abroad).

How you can apply my strategy to your own healing:

I do not believe in one-size-fits-all advice, especially when it comes to health. I do believe in providing general guidance that can be adapted based on your particular situation.

Get tested. Testing is the first step to understanding your chronic gut issues. Whether that’s an endoscopy, a blood panel, or a full GI map, each test reveals something about your unique situation and helps you outline a plan of action.

Commit to lifestyle changes to help improve symptoms and underlying causes. For example, if early fullness is your primary symptom and you have slow stomach motility, you may want to try eating a lower fat diet of 5-6 meals per day and going on light walks after each meal. Everyone is different, so finding the right lifestyle for you is key.

Don’t underestimate the power of a regulated nervous system. I like to think we’re in an era of acceptance when it comes to taking mental health seriously. If you’re not there, I can assure you, the role stress plays on the body is just as tangible as what we eat, if not more. When stress arises, your stomach can produce more acid or your digestion can slow. When you’re chronically stressed, long-term gut issues can arise. Whatever it looks like for you, take care of your mental health. If you check your phone first thing in the morning, consider giving it 10 minutes and allow yourself to wake up and step outside. If you always eat at the desk or while watching TV, try having a meal at your dining table with some music on in the background. It doesn’t have to look like 30 minutes of morning medication followed by an elaborate grounding ritual in your red light mask. These are wonderful tools, but regulating your nervous system should be simple, accessible, and something you can do daily.

Once you have a greater understanding of your body and what’s going on, evaluate which medications (if any) and supplements could help you in your healing. I have a free supplement guide linked in my bio if you’re looking for a place to start.

If this sounds overwhelming to you, break it down. Take one step towards your healing today. Long-term health issues require long-term habits, so it’s important that you choose goals that you can stick to.

Deep breath. You got this. Happy New Year.