Gut Health: Secret Weapon for Menopause Relief

Have you blamed your hormones for a lot lately ? The hot flushes, the mood swings, the jeans that suddenly don’t fit? But here’s the twist: your gut might be actually running the show, not just your hormones!
Science now shows your gut bacteria help manage oestrogen, cortisol, even your serotonin levels. Think of it as your body’s internal orchestra conductor — and when it’s out of tune, the whole symphony sounds off.

Your Gut and Hormones Are in Constant Conversation

Here’s what we don’t realise: our gut and our hormones are in a two-way relationship.
Our gut bacteria don’t just help digest food — they also help regulate oestrogen, serotonin, and inflammation.

When our gut is happy, our hormones can move through our system smoothly.
When it’s out of balance (thanks to stress, processed foods, antibiotics, or even that glass of wine), oestrogen can build up, cortisol can spike, and inflammation can flare — showing up as bloating, brain fog, or hot flushes. Simply put, happy gut, happy you!

The Gut–Oestrogen Connection: Meet the Estrobolome

Here’s where it gets fascinating. Inside our gut lives a collection of bacteria called the estrobolome — they’re responsible for metabolising oestrogen.

When the estrobolome is healthy, it helps our body use oestrogen effectively and then eliminate it once it’s done its job.
When it’s not, oestrogen can hang around too long, leading to symptoms like:

• Bloating and water retention

• Breast tenderness

• Heavier periods (in perimenopause)

• Mood swings and fatigue

And the opposite can happen too — if you’re not absorbing enough nutrients, your oestrogen levels can dip even lower, intensifying hot flushes, joint pain, and low mood.

I know that when some of these symptoms come up for me, as they do from time to time, it’s time to focus on my gut health and get myself back in balance. As I say, your body is alway sending you messages, the key is to keep listening out for it and adjusting to support it.

The Gut–Brain Connection: Why Mood and Digestion Go Hand in Hand

About 90% of our serotonin — our “feel-good” hormone — is produced in our gut! So when our gut is inflamed or sluggish, it doesn’t just affect digestion — it impacts our mood, motivation, and resilience to stress.

Ever get that “I just can’t cope like I used to” feeling? Sometimes, it’s our microbiome waving a white flag.

How Do You Feed a Happy Gut?

Ok so now that you know the importance of keeping your gut happy, particularly through Perimenopause and Menopause, what can you do about it?
Here’s the good news: your gut loves simple, everyday support — and you don’t have to overhaul your life to feel the difference.

Start with these real-life, midlife-friendly swaps:

1. Eat the rainbow.
Diversity is everything. Aim for 20–30 different plant foods each week (yes, herbs, seeds, and spices count!). Each one feeds different bacteria that support hormone balance.

2. Add fermented foods.
A tablespoon of sauerkraut ( I do this at breakfast every day), kimchi, or kefir each day helps replenish healthy bacteria — even if your gut’s been through years of stress, antibiotics, or wine o’clock.

3. Swap refined carbs for fibre-rich ones.
Wholegrains, lentils, beans, and root veg keep your blood sugar stable and your gut bacteria well-fed — reducing cravings and energy crashes. Stay away from white (pasta, bread etc…).

4. Manage stress.
Your gut feels your stress. Breathing, yoga, or even five quiet minutes between meetings lowers cortisol, which helps digestion and reduces inflammation.

5. Hydrate like it matters.
Your digestive system needs water to move hormones, toxins, and waste out efficiently. Aim for 2L daily, especially if you’re drinking coffee. If you want to be more specific, it’s 30ml per kg of your body weight.

Your Gut as a Menopause Multitasker

So remember, a healthy gut helps:

• Regulate oestrogen (rducing hot flushes and mood swings)

• Support serotonin (lifting mood and focus)

• Balance blood sugar (reducing cravings and energy dips)

• Improve sleep and energy through better nutrient absorption

In other words — if your gut’s thriving, everything else gets easier.

The Big Takeaway

If your body feels out of sync, start with your gut — it’s where menopause relief often begins.
You don’t need extreme cleanses, or cutting everything out. That won’t work long term and this is about your life…not the next few weeks or months.
You just need to feed your inner ecosystem the same way you’d care for any thriving community — with consistency, variety, and a bit, actually knowing what we are like to ourselves I’ll rephrase that, a lot of kindness.

Put the mask on you first, make choices that support your body and thrive again!

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