“What’s your gut go to do with it?”

We’re surrounded by all things gut. But what does it mean to have a healthy gut and what does it have to do with menopause and easing your symptoms?

Well, we were delighted to be joined by Jo Lyall, Nutritionist and Founder of The Better Menopause - a company that's dedicated to uplifting women in their midlife journey. Their science based nutritional supplements are tailored to ease the challenges of perimenopause and menopause, including their pioneering probiotic supplement, The Better Gut, which has been designed exclusively for women in midlife.

Why is gut health so central to overall health?

Our gut is really at the centre of our metabolism. It's responsible for how we digest and absorb every nutrient that comes into our bodies. Now, those nutrients can't reach our organs or enter our bloodstream until they've been through the gut. The gut is playing this really important role in providing us with our nutrition and the fuel that we need to live every day. It's also one of our first, layers of defence for immunity.

So… a massive 70% of our immune system is in our gut!

If you think about it, anything that you consume, the body must ensure that it's safe and it's not going to cause any damage. That also goes for viruses that we take in through our digestive tract as well. So, the gut plays a really important role in immunity.

There is also a really strong connection between the gut and the brain, they're in communication with each other all the time. This is how, cravings happen. The brain creates the desire and demand to feel hungry.

Often our skin is a good map for what's going on inside our gut health too. If we're suffering with skin problems, whether it’s spots or rashes or redness; they can more often than not, be linked back to what is going on inside our gut. So. this gives you an idea about why the gut is so important.

Jo is keen to point out:

“It's definitely not just about a supplement. There aren't silver bullets out there that are gonna solve all your menopause problems. It really is about a collection of changes that that you need to make alongside it. My view is that your gut health is the foundation of it.”

The Estrobolome

Inside our microbiome, we have a collection of bacteria called the estrobolome, and these are responsible for the metabolism of oestrogens. And when our oestrogen levels fluctuate during perimenopause, it sends mixed signals to the gut. If the estrobolome is out of balance it can cause excess oestrogen in the body. Now, when we have too much oestrogen, this can cause us to gain additional body fat.  It puts us at risk of certain cancers and other health problems. It's not something that you want to have. You want to have balanced oestrogen levels.

What about bloating?

It is one of the very few visible symptoms of menopause, because you can feel it, you can see it and it makes your clothes uncomfortable. You may suffer with indigestion, reflux, general discomfort after eating, constipation, diarrhoea or just a change in the way you feel, a change in the way that your body is digesting and absorbing food. You might see more food particles in your stool as well, and that will tell you if your body’s not quite digesting everything in the way that it should.

Jo recommends taking a good look at your stools every time you go to the toilet to see how healthy your body is at that point. This is a very healthy tip and great advice. After all, we know what’s going into our bodies we should know what comes out…

She finished off this valuable session by reiterating, “you are the best judge of how you're feeling. It's not a disease, it's a period of life. And if you don’t feel like yourself - low energy, high anxiety, bloating etc. Then you know what's going on with your body. So, listen to yourself.”

From listening to this session, it sounds like your gut should be the first port of call for most things. With menopause symptoms try and sort out your gut first… it certainly won’t do any harm.

To watch Jo Lyall’s talk again, head here – it truly is educational! 

Note: This session is sponsored by The Better Menopause. The Better Menopause are dedicated to uplifting women in their midlife journey with meticulously crafted products that are shaped by the voices of their community. Their science-backed nutritional supplements are tailored to ease the prevalent challenges of perimenopause and menopause. Find out more at www.thebettermenopause.com.