Ep #189: The Menopause Gut with Cynthia Thurlow, NP

You used to digest everything. Now a salad wrecks you. If perimenopause changed your gut overnight, this one's for you.Andrea Donsky, nutritionist, published menopause researcher, menopause educator, author, and co-founder of wearemorphus.com sits down with nurse practitioner and bestselling author Cynthia Thurlow to unpack the gut-hormone connection nobody warned us about. Cynthia's brand new book, The Menopause Gut (out April 28), is the paradigm-shifting guide to why 94% of perimenopausal women suddenly have digestive issues, and what to actually do about it.What you'll learn:Why you can't digest food properly if you're stressed (and the 4-breath trick that changes it)What the estrobolome is and how it's recycling your estrogen in ways that make bloating worseThe fiber mistake that's making your gut feel worse, not betterWhy your gut suddenly looks more like a man's after menopauseHow PCOS and perimenopause collide (and why it's not "over" when your period stops)The difference between intermittent fasting and "digestive rest" and which one works better in midlifeChapters:0:00 Cynthia's Morocco Story: When Perimenopause Broke Her Gut 2:10 Why Gut Health Gets Worse in Perimenopause and Menopause 6:32 Digestion Starts in the Brain: The Parasympathetic Connection 11:10 Estrogen, Histamine, and Why You Suddenly React to Foods 15:58 Postbiotics 101: Butyrate, Urolithin A, and Short-Chain Fatty Acids 21:30 Fiber, Bloating, and Why You Can't Just Jump to 30 Grams a Day 26:15 The Gut-Bone Connection Nobody Talks About 29:58 Sleep, Stress, and the Cortisol-Constipation Loop 34:42 The Vagus Nerve: Your Gut-Brain Superhighway 39:00 Intermittent Fasting vs Digestive Rest: What Changed Her Mind 42:50 PCOS, Insulin Resistance, and Menopause: The Missing Conversation 46:40 Where to Find Cynthia and The Menopause Gut Book📖 Get Cynthia's new book The Menopause Gut (out April 28): https://amzn.to/4r2IDz3Send us Fan Mail ======Morphus: Menopause Reimagined💊 Shop Morphus Supplements: https://wearemorphus.com/collections/all📖 Order "Nourishing Menopause: Powerful Nutrition & Lifestyle Strategies to Feel Your Best." (Simon & Schuster, May 5, 2026)Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/4xaREJK Amazon US: https://amzn.to/4rFj7jk 📰 As seen in USA Today: https://bit.ly/43nrMwO  ✅ Fill out our surveys: https://bit.ly/4jcVuLh🦋 SUBSCRIBE to our list: https://bit.ly/3VdDA0VFOLLOW US: TikTok @andreadonsky & @wearemorphusInstagram: @wearemorphus | @andreadonskyFacebook: /wearemorphusDISCLAIMER: This is not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider. This podcast contains affiliate links; Morphus may earn a commission. Thank you for your support.