If your body suddenly seems to be playing by a completely different set of rules in perimenopause or menopause, this episode is for you!
For the first time ever on Optimal Metabolism, I am welcoming back a three-peat guest! Cynthia Thurlow, NP, is a two-time TEDx speaker, international speaker, bestselling author, and host of the Everyday Wellness podcast. Her viral TEDx talk on intermittent fasting has surpassed 15 million views, and she has become a leading voice in women's metabolic health, perimenopause, menopause, and intermittent fasting.
Cynthia joins me to discuss her latest book, The Menopause Gut: Balance Your Microbiome to Reclaim Your Health in Midlife and Beyond.
We're digging into the connection between declining estrogen and the microbiome—and why changes in your gut may affect everything from insulin resistance and stubborn weight gain to inflammation, energy, sleep, brain health, and hormone balance.
If you've been eating healthy, exercising, fasting, and doing all the things that used to work—but your body isn't responding the same way anymore—this conversation may help explain why.
WHAT WE DISCUSS:
- Why the gut becomes increasingly important as estrogen declines
- How the microbiome changes during perimenopause and menopause
- The connection between gut health, insulin resistance, and blood sugar
- Why stubborn weight gain in midlife isn't simply about calories or willpower
- What the microgenderome is and why women should know about it
- Why digestive problems and food sensitivities can suddenly appear after 40
- The estrobolome and the relationship between gut health and estrogen metabolism
- How chronic stress can influence the gut and the menopause transition
- Why sleep and circadian rhythm matter for gut and metabolic health
- The gut-brain connection and why anxiety and brain fog can increase during midlife
- How gut and hormonal changes may influence immune health and autoimmunity
- Why extreme dieting and exercise strategies may stop working in midlife
- Practical ways women can begin supporting their microbiome and metabolism
ABOUT CYNTHIA THURLOW, NP
Cynthia Thurlow is a nurse practitioner, two-time TEDx speaker, international speaker, and founder and CEO of the Everyday Wellness Project. With more than 25 years of experience in health and wellness, she specializes in perimenopause, menopause, intermittent fasting, and women's metabolic health.
She is the bestselling author of Intermittent Fasting Transformation and The Menopause Gut: Balance Your Microbiome to Reclaim Your Health in Midlife and Beyond.
CONNECT WITH CYNTHIA + GET THE BOOK
📕 The Menopause Gut: Cynthia's latest release and the foundation of her gut-centric approach to perimenopause and menopause.
Order the book here:
https://www.cynthiathurlow.com/the-menopause-gut
Or order from any major book retailer.
🎁 Bonus Resources + Gut-Type Guide:
https://themenopausegut.com/
🌐 Cynthia's Website:
https://www.cynthiathurlow.com/
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