Gut health, hormones & menopause: the easiest diet hack you’re not using
- Jun 6, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: Nov 17, 2025
Why your gut is your best ally during perimenopause, and how to feed it right
Changing the way you eat is the simplest, most powerful hack to support yourself through perimenopause and menopause.
Let’s look at why first.
The gut-hormone connection
There’s a bidirectional relationship between your hormones (oestrogen and progesterone) and your gut (1).
During the menopause transition, your microbiome changes (2) - losing beneficial bacteria that:
Lower inflammation
Preserve insulin sensitivity
Support brain activity via the gut-brain axis
Get to know your microbiome
An entire ecosystem of bacteria, fungi and other microbes lives on the epithelial lining of your gut and does far more than aid digestion. This community plays a powerful role in the regulation of inflammation, mood, immunity and, crucially, during perimenopause, hormones (3).
One of the key ways your gut supports hormone balance is through something called the 'estrobolome', a collection of gut bacteria involved in metabolising oestrogen.
These bacteria are involved in the reabsorption of oestrogen metabolites to maintain optimum levels (4).
An imbalance in the composition of organisms (a state known as dysbiosis) can disrupt this process, resulting in excess or insufficient reabsorption of oestrogen, and can exacerbate symptoms like bloating, mood swings, or irregular periods.
Your microbiome also communicates with the central nervous system and endocrine system via the gut-brain axis.
The gut-brain axis
This is a two-way communication, sending and receiving of signals, through the release of chemicals, including cytokines, hormones and neurotransmitters.
These are relayed through the blood and a vast network of nerves in the gut, called the enteric nervous system, where they impact various metabolic processes.
When hormonal changes in perimenopause affect your mental well-being, your microbiome can act as a buffer to some of these changes.
A healthy gut microbiome can:
Regulate mood by influencing the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin and GABA (a calming chemical) (5).
Lower inflammation, which can ease anxiety, brain fog and fatigue.
Improve sleep quality by influencing the production of melatonin.
On the flip side, an imbalanced gut, with too few beneficial bacteria and too much inflammation, can feed into feelings of anxiety, low mood or poor concentration.
Why diet matters
Currently, the only proven way to support your microbiome is through a diet rich in plant foods; the greater the diversity of which, the more organisms you will support. Hence, the well-versed edict to eat a minimum of 30 different plant foods a week.
While tweaking your diet, this is also the perfect time to add in components that will help directly counteract the effects of perimenopause and menopause.
These include:
Phytoestrogens: plant-based compounds that mimic oestrogen
Antioxidants, to balance the pro-inflammatory state
Fibre happens to be a great prebiotic, but studies also show a dose-dependent relationship between fibre (up to 35g) and a reduction in cholesterol and glucose absorption, with a reduction in cardiovascular disease, body weight and type 2 diabetes (6).
The goal here is to:
Support hormonal balance during perimenopause and menopause
Reduce the risk of developing metabolic syndrome and chronic illness
FYI: What the WHI study found
One lesser-known outcome of the Women’s Health Initiative was the effect of a low-fat, high-nutrient diet
Women who ate less fat, increased fibre, vitamins, minerals, fish, and dairy saw a modest reduction in oestrogen-sensitive breast cancers, and lower diabetes and mortality risk, especially in women with obesity at baseline (7).
Hack your diet: 3 key compounds to prioritise
1. Phytoestrogens
Plant compounds structurally similar to oestrogen, they bind to receptors and reduce symptoms of menopause (8).
Sources:
Isoflavones: soy, tofu, tempeh, miso, soy milk
Lignans: flaxseeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds
My hack: I swapped my afternoon coffee for a miso soup (with tofu). Easy wins include switching to soy milk if you’re dairy-sensitive.
2. Antioxidants
Neutralise free radicals that cause ageing, hormone disruption, and chronic disease (9).
Sources:
Berries (especially blueberries) are rich in vitamin C
Leafy greens (spinach, kale, broccoli) contain carotenoids
Spices (cloves, turmeric, cinnamon)
Legumes (lentils, black beans) contain polyphenols
Dark chocolate (>70% cocoa)
Green tea, coffee and red wine are rich in polyphenols
My hack: I love dark chocolate and add berries to my chia pudding. I fry kale in olive oil, drizzle with tahini and add it to my salads; delicious and antioxidant-rich.
3. Fibre
Feeds your gut microbes, improves hormone clearance, and reduces inflammation (10).
Soluble fibre (slows digestion, stabilises glucose, binds oestrogen and excretes cholesterol):
Legumes (chickpeas, lentils)
Psyllium husk
Berries, carrots, and sweet potatoes
Chia, flax, and sunflower seeds
Insoluble fibre (adds bulk, speeds transit, supports barrier function):
Whole grains (wheat bran, brown rice)
Veggies (broccoli, kale)
Nuts and seeds (almonds, walnuts)
My hack: I mix 2 tbsp of chia seeds or psyllium husk with milk and yoghurt — adds ~11g of fibre and travels well. I never go on holiday without them!
The lowdown
Your gut is central to your menopause transition.
Support your hormones by feeding your microbiome. It starts with every bite.
References
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