Gut Health and Menopause: How Healing Your Gut Can Ease Symptoms
We know that the gut influences all elements of our health, from our immunity through to our hormones, and within this is the menopause. During the menopause, the body undergoes hormonal changes, which can also then cause imbalances in the gut. We’re here to look at the link between gut health and menopause and what can be done to help ease symptoms by focusing on the gut microbiome!
How are gut health and menopause linked?
Research has suggested that the menopause is associated with lower gut microbiome diversity, with the gut microbiome composition shifting over the lifetime and there being a link between menopause and low estrogen levels, and reduced gut microbiome diversity. Lower gut microbiome diversity then has a knock on effect on both gut function, as well as wider health.
What gut health issues can be worsened during the menopause?
Gut health is key to general wellbeing, and so if the decrease in estrogen that comes with the menopause impacts that, it can be felt physically and mentally, including exacerbating common menopause symptoms including gas, bloating, difficulty sleeping and concentrating, changes to the skin and general aches and pains.
How can improved gut health help with menopause symptoms?
By supporting our gut health and increasing the diversity of the gut microbiome, we can help our body to make up for the decrease in levels of estrogen and the effect this has on our gut function and wider health. The gut can be healed with a gut health reset, and simple lifestyle changes can help you support your gut health and ease menopause symptoms.
5 ways to improve your gut health and related menopause symptoms
Eat more fermented foods
Fermented foods like Biotiful kefir, sauerkraut and kimchi are packed full of probiotics that encourage gut diversity. They’re really simple to add into your diet, with a spoonful of kimchi or sauerkraut on the edge of your plate. Biotiful kefir is particularly easy to incorporate into your lifestyle to help with gut health and menopause, with both Biotiful kefir yogurts and drinks to suit your personal preference. The original flavours are great on their own or for use in cooking as you’d use yogurt, or the flavoured versions are a great gut-healthy alternative to your usual post-meal sweet treat.
Eat more fibre
Eating enough fibre is key to our overall gut health as well as supporting gut health and menopause, helping to increase the diversity of the gut microbiome but also assisting directly with digestion too. There is a fibre deficiency in the UK that needs addressing! fibre is in so many different plant based foods, including whole grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables, oats, nuts and seeds. If you can get your 5-a-day in, and eat as much variety in terms of the plant based foods you’re eating as possible, you’ll be helping to support your gut.
Eat more polyphenol-rich foods
Polyphenols are plant compounds that act as antioxidants, to help with the growth of healthy bacteria in our gut. Dark chocolate, green tea, olive oil and berries are great sources of polyphenols.
Stay hydrated
Lastly, make sure you’re staying hydrated. When you’re drinking enough water, your digestive system will work healthily and this allows your body to gain as much as possible in terms of nutrients from the foods you’re eating. As a result, you’re supporting your gut health and menopause related symptoms.
What role can Biotiful kefir play in gut health and menopause?
Biotiful kefir is a fantastic food to incorporate into your life, as it contains millions of healthy bacteria that helps our gut to thrive. It also contains protein and calcium to help with overall bone strength, muscle recovery and general health! Not only can it help to relieve common menopause symptoms linked to gut health, but alongside a balanced diet, it can transform how you feel physically and mentally, which is why gut health is so popular.
Many people choose Biotiful kefir as it’s so simple to fit into your current routine. Whenever you’d usually eat or cook with yogurt, you can simply replace it with Biotiful kefir for additional gut health benefits. From using the original yogurt in your tzatziki and curries through to the flavored yogurts for desserts or the Biotiful kefir drink for a gut-health boost. We have plenty of Biotiful kefir recipes to take inspiration from!
If you’re looking for a simple solution to help your gut health and therefore help to ease some symptoms of menopause, then incorporating Biotiful kefir into your diet is a great way to do it.
