Why gut health is important after menopause

The gut microbiome is the new kid on the health block, and while it’s important for everyone, and most people have room for improvement, there is a unique significance for women going through menopause.

After our ovaries produce oestrogen, it gets passed into the gut. Oestrogen has over 200 roles in the body and the gut microbiome has the job of converting it so it can be put to use in each of those individual functions.

But as oestrogen levels decline, those gut microbes become redundant and die off, disrupting the overall balance and allowing bad bacteria to proliferate.

Slower digestion, bloating and constipation are common menopause symptoms, and this explains why. Fortunately, it’s relatively straightfowards to improve the gut microbiome by increasing the amount and varieties of plant-based foods in our diet.

Eat 30 Different Plant-Based Food Varieties A Week

The advice of Dr Tim Spector is to eat 30 different varieties a week. This is easier than it sounds because this includes vegetables, herbs, spices, fruit, nuts, seeds, whole grains and even coffee and dark chocolate.The greater the variation you eat, the wider the diversity of bacteria within the gut and particularly the good kind, helping to keep the bad bacteria in check,

The link between the microbiome and weight gain

Weight gain is another common menopause symptom and whilst this is a complex issue (watch this for more explanation), there’s a known link between weight gain and bacterial imbalance in the gut. It’s thought that the bad bacteria can extract more calories from the food we eat, so we end up with a surplus that get stored as fat.

Insulin resistance may also be linked to a proliferation of certain types of bacteria. Post-menopausal women also become more insulin resistance, meaning that they don’t process carbohydrates as well as they did before, and they are more likely to be stored as fat.

Many women feel frustrated at gaining weight when they know their diet hasn’t changed. Cutting calories doesn’t solve the problem and from just these two issues, you can see how weight gain and calorie intake don’t have a simple relationship for this age group.

Benefits of Improved Gut Health

Clearly the gut microbiome is a complex issue and there is much more to discover about this aspect of our biology. What is known is there are many health benefits to improving gut health by increasing the variety of plant-based foods in our diet and adding fermented foods like saurkraut, kefir and kombucha. This includes lower cholesterol, improving insulin sensitivity, improving digestion and elimination and enhancing our ability to absorb more nutrients from the food we eat.

Eating a Plant-Based Diet - My Experience so far

Whilst I’ve always enjoyed vegetables, nuts and seeds, I’ve tended towards a lower-carb diet for years. Opening a bag of salad and popping a burger under the grill was a typical meal. It kept me full and was super-easy. But as I read more and more about the gut microbiome, I realised I had plenty of room for improvement. Plus, David Attenborough’s documentaries detailing the effect of the meat and dairy industry on the environment really started to prick my conscience. So I decided to make some changes to my diet to increase the plant-based element, and cut back on the meat and dairy.

For clarity I am still eating some meat. I also know how important protein is for menopausal women and am a follower of the work of Dr Stacy Simms who recommends women eat 1.8g to 2.2g of protein per kg of bodyweight a day. She advocates the importance of plant-based eating too, because of its impact on the microbiome, but also adopts a flexitarian approach.

We’re used to thinking about diets as something we completely change overnight. This is not what I am doing. I’ve found these changes quite hard for several reasons, so I think it’s going to take me some time to settle into a routine that works for me and my family.

Firstly, the increase in plant-based foods gave me awful bloating. I try not to focus on what I look like, but I’ll admit to being a tad self-conscious as a PT with a big, bloated tummy. Of course I could have increased the plants more slowly, but I had to put the effort into a bigger, sustained change, otherwise I would have drifted back to my old routine. It’s taken about 3 weeks for my digestion to adjust and the bloating is much improved. As I add new things, like certain beans, it flares up again, but I’m being patient and giving myself time.

Secondly, eating enough protein is a challenge. It’s certainly possible, but it’s not instinctive for me. Hitting my goals before was easy with whey protein, Greek yogurt, plenty of eggs, chicken, fish and beef. As I try and reduce my reliance on these, I’m having to learn more about the protein content of other foods and how to combine them to hit my targets. Buckwheat, quinoa, chickpeas, lentils, fava bean flour, chickpea and pea flour pastas, high quality vegan protein blends and tofu are all making onto the menu on a regular basis, as the higher protein components, although their protein content is much lower per 100g than animal products, so meals are pretty substantial affairs!

Lastly, it is costing me more money and taking more time in the kitchen. My food bills have gone up around £25 a week. This might come down a bit as I become more efficient with my planning and eating. Same with the prep time, but I still have a lot to learn and need to research more recipes.

I bought an air fryer after Christmas, which is brilliant for roasting vegetables and tofu, as well as the chicken and fish we are still eating. I also cook up batches of quinoa, chickpeas and beans and either freeze them or add them to different meals during the week.

The Benefits so Far

It’s early days and it’s not really known how long it takes for some of the benefits of improved gut health to take place. But I am noticing better elimination (to put it as politely as possible!) which is a great change. I’ve certainly noticed things slowing down in that department over the past few years, which is really uncomfortable. So I’m delighted with the improvement there.

My energy levels are up, and my sleep has been great recently. I tend to sleep OK, but I feel I’m having deeper sleeps. My skin is slightly better, but I don’t have much problem there apart from dryness, which has improved.

I haven’t noticed any change in my weight, although I’m not trying to lose weight either. If I was, I think I would have been very discouraged by the bloating. I do feel fuller, but the meals are filling with all that fibre, and I do notice fewer cravings.

At this stage of my life I accept that things take time, and I’m happy to let my body adjust and to enjoy the process and the overall experience and see how it evolves.

I have some ambitious training plans this year, including a half-marathon that starts off with a 5-mile uphill stretch. Diet (and protein intake) have a big impact on recovery and training adaptations (ie more muscle, strength, cardio fitness etc..), so I’ll be paying attention to that too.

Try my recipes

I’ve set up a new recipe section on the website to help you eat more plant-based foods, whilst keeping your protein levels high enough to get the many benefits this gives women our age. I’ll be adding to this continually, so keep checking back for more ideas.