Gut Health and Perimenopause
Food is one of the most power tools you have to influence your metabolic and overall health in perimenopause, but it must to go hand in hand with solid digestive function and a healthy microbiome.
We want to ensure we are breaking down and absorbing the nutrients from our food, we want to make sure we do everything to support the immune system (reducing inflammation) and optimising the synthesis and regulation of hormones and neurotransmitters.
We often assume that digestion is on auto pilot but like a lot of things in perimenopause, what you previously got away with, you no longer can. For example, I feel like I used to get away with eating at my desk or even in the car but now I suffer digestively.
Here are a few issues I often see override and impair the process of digestion.
1. Stress. Hence why I can’t eat in the car or at my desk. Both places I am on high alert and ready for action, not in a state of ‘rest and digest’. It makes sense!
2. Not chewing your food. This is an essential part of the digestive process often missed.
3. Low stomach acid. It’s thought that a large proportion of the population has low stomach acid despite acid blockers being one of the most prescribed medications.
4. Poor bile flow. Made in the liver and stored in the gallbladder, bile is responsible for helping fats become absorbable.
When our digestion is poor, it can influence our overall health.
It impacts on the state of the microbiome, shifting it away from having a diverse range of health inducing gut bug – into a state we call, dysbiosis.
Dysbiosis – An imbalance of good and bad bacteria
The gut microbiome can influence our experience of perimenopause symptoms. Introducing………
THE ESTROBOLOME is a collection of bacteria in the gut which is capable of metabolising and modulating the body’s circulating estrogen.
In short, the gut microbiome has a strong influence on estrogen levels – which in turn can impact weight, libido, PMS, heavy bleeding, mood and our overall experience of perimenopause and ageing.
Utilising microbiome testing is a great way to understand exactly what you are dealing with and what leavers you have to pull to support your health. Weather you do it now or later down the track, I highly recommend my perimenopause clients do it at some stage. It provides insight that we otherwise can only guess – It allows targeted dietary treatment to optimise your microbiome. If this is something you are interested in and want to know more, definitely reach out to me.
Here are some simple habits you can follow to support digestion and the microbiome:
1. Include foods that support digestion and the microbiome.
Fermented foods – kimchi, kefir, sauerkraut, yoghurt.
2. Use Herbs for digestion.
Include- chamomile, dandelion root, ginger, milk thistle, gentian, fennel and peppermint.
3. Support the liver by eating bitter foods, citrus fruits, cruciferous veggies (broccoli and arugula) and berries.
4. Avoid foods and drink that harm the gut – alcohol, excess caffeine, sugary drinks, processed foods, gluten and fried foods. Also avoid over drinking around mealtimes to allow digestive secretions to do their job.
5. Make fibre your friend: Veggies, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. Take the goldilocks approach with your fibre intake, you can overdo it so go low and slow as you introduce more to ensure you don’t overdo it.
