Menopause and Your Gut, Brain, Skin and Joints: Holistic Midlife Wellness

There is now powerful research to suggest that we can radically improve how we experience menopause through improving our gut health, which has an additional positive effect on our brain function, skin and joints. At AM Consulting we offer a holistic plan for perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms, to help you to move forward with knowledge, self-compassion and a plant-based nutritional plan. 

Let’s explore, together, throughout this blog, the gut-brain connection, all the good science stuff and understanding how hormones can affect your mind, your skin, your joints, and even more parts of your body.

Truly understanding the relationship between menopause and the nourishment and care of your body will give you the tools that you need to work with your body, rather than feeling like you’re battling against it. There is much that is freeing and should be embraced about the menopause, and it’s my job to really help you to work with and embrace all aspects of it.

The Gut: The Centre of It All

Your gut is more than a digestive organ, it’s a world unto itself operating within the ecosystem of your body that operates almost like a centralised hub of your hormonal, metabolic, immune activity, and even brain. As our oestrogen levels drop during perimenopause and menopause, many women experience changes in gut motility, digestion, and the composition of gut bacteria (the microbiome).

One key player here is the estrobolome – a word that I personally love – which is a collection of microorganisms in the gut that help regulate and metabolise oestrogen, breaking down oestrogen into forms that can be properly excreted. If the estrobolome is imbalanced, which is known by another fabulous word: ‘dysbiosis’, oestrogen may be reabsorbed into the body rather than eliminated, leading to further hormonal disruptions, so you can imagine just how much of a significant impact gut health has on how we experience the menopause.

Maintaining a thriving estrobolome is crucial for keeping oestrogen metabolism intact, especially as the body adjusts to its new hormonal rhythm. A fibre-rich, plant-based diet, abundant in fermented foods, leafy greens, legumes, and polyphenol-rich plants, can support a healthy gut microbiome. Think: tempeh, kombucha, miso soup, sauerkraut, flaxseeds, kale, and green tea.

The Gut-Brain Connection and the Menopausal Brain

There’s a two-way street of communication between your gut and your brain, known as the gut-brain connection. This link becomes even more relevant during menopause, when many women notice changes in how their memory operates, their overall sense of focus and mental clarity, as well as their day-to-day mood.

Dr Lisa Mosconi, a leading neuroscientist and author of The Menopause Brain, explains that the hormonal shifts of menopause, and especially the decline in oestrogen, create a neurological transition. This mainly happens as oestrogen has neuroprotective effects, influencing how the brain uses glucose, how it forms connections, and how it manages inflammation, so when oestrogen drops, so does the brain’s efficiency in using fuel becomes altered, which in turn then causes that ubiquitous ‘menopause fog’ many experience. 

When we understand the gut-brain connection, we can get a handle on what’s happening in the gut; a nourished, balanced gut can help modulate inflammation and support neurotransmitter production, including serotonin and GABA, which influence mood and sleep. Probiotic and prebiotic foods, healthy fats from nuts and seeds, and plenty of colourful vegetables support both gut and mental wellness during menopause. On the flip side, foods that negatively affect your gut health should be dramatically reduced or eliminated (alcohol, processed food, high sugar food, artificial sweeteners, red meat, dairy products and fried food).

Skin and Menopause: More Than Surface-Level

The largest organ, our skin, is another area where the effects of menopause are often noticeable as our skin often tells the story of what is going on within. As oestrogen declines, so does collagen production, leading to increased dryness, thinning skin, and reduced elasticity, and the skin becomes more vulnerable to environmental stressors and may also take longer to heal.

The gut plays a quiet but important role in our skin health; a healthy gut supports nutrient absorption, especially of key skin-supportive nutrients like zinc, omega-3s, vitamin C, and antioxidants. It also helps manage inflammation, which, when uncontrolled, can accelerate ageing and worsen skin sensitivity.

Topically, skincare can help, but true skin radiance starts from within. Supporting the gut microbiome, keeping blood sugar stable through plant-based whole foods, and staying hydrated are all vital. Flaxseeds, chia seeds, avocados, and berries are all plant-based powerhouses for the skin, feeding it with essential fats and polyphenols that reduce inflammation and promote healing.

Aching Joints? You're Not Imagining It

Joint stiffness and aches can sneak up during menopause, often catching women by surprise. Oestrogen has anti-inflammatory properties, and when its levels dip, inflammation can rise. This can affect joint tissues, making movements feel stiffer, more painful, or less fluid than before.

Compounding this, as gut function becomes less efficient, so does the absorption of nutrients like magnesium, calcium, and omega-3 fatty acids, which are all super critical for joint health. Plant-based omega-3s from sources like flaxseeds, walnuts, and algae oil can be particularly helpful, and natural anti-inflammatories like turmeric, ginger, and leafy greens also help manage inflammation and nourish the joints from within, making your gut health, once again, a foundational block in your joints. A disrupted gut microbiome can contribute to systemic inflammation, which makes joints feel worse. Healing the gut often leads to a surprising improvement in joint comfort.

A Metabolic Slowdown… or a Gut Shift?

Many women notice weight changes during menopause, which typically presents as belly fat and a slower metabolism – what if we told you that this is also, you guessed it, closely tied to gut health.

The decline in oestrogen influences how the body stores fat, how it uses energy, and how it responds to insulin, but recent research also points to the role of gut bacteria in regulating metabolism and weight. When the microbiome is diverse and balanced, the body is more efficient at breaking down food, absorbing nutrients, and managing appetite.

Rather than seeing weight gain as inevitable, it helps to view it as a sign of deeper changes — particularly in gut health. Supporting digestion, managing stress, and eating mindfully can all help the body feel safer and more balanced, which naturally supports a steadier weight.

Nurturing the Whole Self: The Menopausal Mindset

At AM Consulting, we encourage women to see menopause not as the beginning of decline, but as the start of deeper embodiment and empowerment. The shifts in your gut, brain, skin, and joints are not separate, but rather, they are part of a larger transition in which your body is recalibrating itself.

Supporting your gut health can unlock more energy, mental clarity, emotional resilience, and physical comfort. And that begins with plant-based, intentional nourishment.

Whether you’re sipping on miso broth, soaking chia seeds overnight, or blending a vibrant green smoothie, know that these rituals do more than feed your body: they communicate safety, wisdom, and self-care to your entire system.

Eat for Wellness

Understanding the gut-brain connection and how it relates to the menopausal brain, joints, skin, and metabolism empowers you to take proactive, compassionate care of your body during this transition.

Your gut is the root - support it, and the rest of you will flourish

If you’re looking for guidance through this powerful season, AM Consulting is here to support you with personalised, plant-based, and whole-body wellness mentoring.