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The Menopause Gut: What Hormone Loss Is Really Doing to Digestion, Inflammation, and Weight with Cynthia Thurlow

The Hormone Solution | Menopause, Perimenopause, & Women's Midlife Health

Release Date: 05/02/2026

The Menopause Gut: What Hormone Loss Is Really Doing to Digestion, Inflammation, and Weight with Cynthia Thurlow

The Hormone Solution | Menopause, Perimenopause, & Women's Midlife Health

In this episode, I sit down with Cynthia Thurlow, nurse practitioner, TEDx speaker, and author of The Menopause Gut, to unpack what is really happening inside the body during this transition. We get into why so many women suddenly feel bloated, constipated, reactive to foods, inflamed, and resistant to weight loss, even when they are eating well and doing all the “right” things. Cynthia breaks down the gut-hormone connection in a way that is smart, practical, and incredibly eye-opening. We also go deeper into leaky gut, digestive enzymes, bile, hydrochloric acid, short-chain fatty acids,...

Quick Hits: Metals & Menopause: The Impact of Heavy Metals on Your Sex Hormones, Thyroid, and Energy with Dr. Chris Shade

The Hormone Solution | Menopause, Perimenopause, & Women's Midlife Health

Join our FREE upcoming masterclass: Why Midlife Weight Gain Won’t Budge A smarter way to use GLP-1s in midlife without wrecking muscle or metabolism When: April 30th 11 am PST Register here: Welcome to Quick Hits — where we bring you the most impactful moments from past episodes in under 15 minutes. Today’s clip comes from one of our most replayed conversations. If you want the full episode, check the link in the description below. Listen to the full episode here: Itunes: Christopher Shade, PhD, founder and CEO of Quicksilver Scientific, continues to be the driving force of...

We’ve Used GLP-1s for 3 Years: What Worked, What Backfired, and What Women Need to Know

The Hormone Solution | Menopause, Perimenopause, & Women's Midlife Health

Three years ago, GLP-1 peptides were barely being talked about in the midlife women’s health space. Since then, Jessica and I have personally used them, experimented with different approaches, and helped over a thousand women inside our peptide program navigate what works, what backfires, and what women in perimenopause and menopause need to know before jumping in. In this episode, we’re pulling back the curtain on our own GLP-1 journeys, including my rough start with Ozempic, why Tirzepatide worked better for me, Jessica’s experience with Semaglutide and fatigue, and why Retatrutide is...

The Real Reason Your Menopause Belly Shows Up Even When You’re Doing Everything Right with Siobhan Mitchell

The Hormone Solution | Menopause, Perimenopause, & Women's Midlife Health

Join our FREE upcoming masterclass: Why Midlife Weight Gain Won’t Budge A smarter way to use GLP-1s in midlife without wrecking muscle or metabolism When: April 30th 11 am PST Register here: There comes a point for so many women in their late 30s and 40s when they look in the mirror, or down at their belly, and think, what is happening to my body? You’re still eating well. You’re still exercising. You’re still trying to do all the “right” things. And yet your body suddenly feels like it is playing by a completely different set of rules. In this episode, I sit down with Dr....

Part 2: What Midlife Women Need to Know About Testosterone & Steroids with Victoria Felkar

The Hormone Solution | Menopause, Perimenopause, & Women's Midlife Health

In this second of two parts, I sit down with Victoria Felkar again to unpack the complicated, often glamorized world of androgens, testosterone therapy, and anabolic steroids for women. Are these hormones empowering tools—or ticking time bombs? How do you know the difference? We dive into what’s really happening beneath the surface when women start layering in testosterone or other androgens, especially without a solid hormonal foundation in place. Have you ever wondered why some women feel amazing on testosterone, while others spiral into acne, hair loss, mood swings, or worse? What role...

Quick Hits: Cracking the Genetic Code: Unlocking the Link Between Genetics, Hormones, Detox, Diets, Mood, and More

The Hormone Solution | Menopause, Perimenopause, & Women's Midlife Health

Welcome to Quick Hits — where we bring you the most impactful moments from past episodes in under 15 minutes. Today’s clip comes from one of our most replayed conversations. If you want the full episode, check the link in the description below. Have you ever wondered what your DNA says about your diet and hormones? Well in today's episode we are going to explore the connection between genetics and popular diets like keto, vegan, and low carb. Additionally, we'll explore how DNA reports can help us better understand our hormones and their impact on our health. Kashif Khan the Chief...

Part 1: Women Have Been Lied To About Testosterone with Victoria Felkar

The Hormone Solution | Menopause, Perimenopause, & Women's Midlife Health

In this episode, I’m joined by the brilliant Victoria Felkar, and we go where most conversations in women’s health simply don’t: anabolic steroids. Why has this topic been so misunderstood—and even feared—by women, especially in midlife? Are we lumping very different hormones into one “scary” category without truly understanding them? Victoria shares her own jaw-dropping health story—one that led to sky-high androgens, medical confusion, and even accusations of steroid use. How did a teenage experience with birth control, stress, and recovery from an eating disorder spiral...

Quick Hits: The Hidden Role of Melatonin in Hormones, Aging, and Sleep with Deanna Minich

The Hormone Solution | Menopause, Perimenopause, & Women's Midlife Health

Welcome to Quick Hits — where we bring you the most impactful moments from past episodes in under 15 minutes. Today’s clip comes from one of our most replayed conversations. If you want the full episode, check the link in the description below. Listen to the full peptide here: Dr. Deanna Minich, is a Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner, with a Masters of Science degree in Human Nutrition , and a Doctorate in Medical Sciences. She is an international lecturer, educator, and author, with over twenty years of experience in academia and in the food and dietary...

The Menopause Metabolic Storm: Why Estrogen Loss Makes Weight Gain So Hard to Escape

The Hormone Solution | Menopause, Perimenopause, & Women's Midlife Health

Are you ready for a true masterclass? In this solo episode, I’m diving deep into estrogen and metabolic health—and trust me, this one challenged even me. Is estrogen really making you gain weight, or is the real problem what happens when it drops? If you’ve hit your 40s or 50s and suddenly nothing works anymore, you need to hear this. Why does belly fat seem to appear overnight in perimenopause? Why does your energy tank, your cravings skyrocket, and your mood feel completely hijacked? I unpack the science behind estradiol and how it impacts insulin, cortisol, thyroid, muscle,...

Quick Hits: From Breast Cancer to Bone Health: The Uncharted Territory of HRT & Chronic Diseases in Menopause with Dr. Elizabeth Yurth

The Hormone Solution | Menopause, Perimenopause, & Women's Midlife Health

Listen to the full peptide here: Download on Apple and on your favorite podcast platform. Welcome to Quick Hits — where we bring you the most impactful moments from past episodes in under 15 minutes. Today’s clip comes from one of our most replayed conversations. Today we're talking about the crucial world of women's hormonal health with Dr. Elizabeth Yurth from the Boulder Longevity Institute. We discuss how hormonal imbalances impact everything from chronic disease to daily vitality. We also demystify hormone replacement therapy, emphasizing its importance beyond just reproductive...

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We also go deeper into leaky gut, digestive enzymes, bile, hydrochloric acid, short-chain fatty acids, fiber, stress, trauma, mitochondria, and why simply putting a woman on HRT is sometimes not enough. This is one of those conversations that makes you realize menopause is not just about your ovaries. It is a full-body shift, and the gut is right in the middle of it.

In this episode, we cover:

Why the gut is one of the most overlooked systems affected by menopause
How declining estrogen and progesterone impact digestion and motility
Why women often experience more bloating, constipation, and food sensitivities in midlife
The connection between gut health, inflammation, immune changes, and weight loss resistance
Why digestive enzymes, stomach acid, and bile production can all become compromised
What leaky gut is and why it may become more common during perimenopause and menopause
How stress, trauma, and the nervous system can worsen gut and hormone symptoms
Why fiber still matters, even if your gut is struggling
The role of mitochondria, sleep, movement, and lifestyle foundations in gut recovery
Why HRT can help, but often is not the whole story

Visit Cynthia's website here.

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