Last week, we explored butyrate, the “invisible fat” produced by the gut, and its role in regulating energy, mood, and inflammation.
But did you know research also suggests that supporting gut health and short-chain fatty acid production may help ease some transitions of menopause, from energy dips to mood changes and metabolic shifts. Small molecules like butyrate remind us just how interconnected our bodies are. They show how lifestyle factors can influence even complex hormonal changes.
October is World Menopause Month and draws attention to this very intersection of biology and lifestyle. This year’s theme, Lifestyle Medicine, couldn’t be more relevant. Menopause is a complex, natural transition influenced by hormones, metabolism, gut health, sleep, and stress. Understanding these connections is key to navigating this stage of life more smoothly.
This Year’s Theme: Lifestyle Medicine
In recent years, menopause has finally stepped out of the shadows. We’ve seen more open conversations, the implementation of workplace support policies, and women being empowered to seek help, which are all huge steps forward.
But alongside this progress has come another, quieter trend: the medicalisation of menopause.
More prescriptions. More hormone therapies. More quick fixes.
While HRT can be life-changing for some, the growing narrative that every symptom needs a prescription risks overshadowing something crucial: menopause is not a disease. It’s a natural biological transition, influenced by far more than declining oestrogen alone.
Lifestyle Approaches That Make a Difference
Every woman experiences menopause differently. Genetics, stress, sleep, diet, gut health, toxin exposure, and even mindset all shape how smoothly this transition unfolds. That’s why no single pill or patch can cover all bases.
Lifestyle medicine recognises that the body is an interconnected system. It looks for root causes, not just symptoms, and focuses on daily choices that support hormonal balance:
Move regularly – Exercise helps regulate insulin and cortisol, supports bone density, and lifts mood.
Eat wisely – A diet rich in fibre, omega-3 fats, and phytoestrogens (from foods like flaxseeds and lentils) supports gut and hormonal health.
Support gut health – As we discussed last week, butyrate helps reduce inflammation and sustain energy. Supporting your microbiome influences everything from mood to metabolism.
Prioritise sleep and stress balance – Rest and nervous system regulation help keep cortisol in check, which in turn supports oestrogen and progesterone balance.
These aren’t “nice-to-haves”; they’re biological levers that significantly shape how women experience midlife.
A More Individual Approach
No two women experience menopause in the same way. Some glide through with barely a symptom; others struggle for years with fatigue, anxiety, or brain fog. That’s why a one-size-fits-all approach rarely works.
Personalisation is key; whether that means testing nutrient status, balancing the gut, supporting liver detoxification, or identifying food sensitivities that drive inflammation.
At its heart, World Menopause Month is about informed choice. For some, that includes HRT. For others, it’s a more natural, integrative path. What matters is broadening the conversation beyond hormones alone.
Food for Thought
Menopause can be a time of loss — of fertility, youth, and sometimes identity — but it’s also a window of opportunity. The same shifts that can trigger symptoms also open the door to renewal: resetting metabolism, restoring gut health, and reconnecting with what the body truly needs.
If last week’s topic of butyrate taught us anything, it’s that small, often overlooked molecules can have outsized effects on how we feel. The same is true of small, consistent lifestyle changes.
As we move through World Menopause Month, let’s reclaim this stage of life from the clinic and the prescription pad and bring it back to where it belongs: in the hands of women themselves.
