# The Menopause Gut with Cynthia Thurlow, NP (Ep 083) Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-autoimmune-wellness-podcast-7400858/the-menopause-gut-with-cynthia-thurlow-np-ep-083 Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-autoimmune-wellness-podcast-7400858/the-menopause-gut-with-cynthia-thurlow-np-ep-083.md Podcast: [The Autoimmune Wellness Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-autoimmune-wellness-podcast-7400858) Published: 2026-04-27T11:00:00+00:00 Episode link: https://autoimmunewellness.com/ Audio file: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/episodes.captivate.fm/episode/ce251020-31e2-4175-88f9-ac89e5d3824b.mp3 Processing state: not_requested JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-autoimmune-wellness-podcast-7400858/episodes/the-menopause-gut-with-cynthia-thurlow-np-ep-083 Duration seconds: 3224 ## Resource Episode 83: The Menopause Gut — A Gut-Centered Approach to Perimenopause with Cynthia Thurlow, NP What if the return of symptoms in midlife isn’t a setback—but a signal? What if shifting hormones during perimenopause and menopause are actively reshaping your gut, your immune system, and your resilience? In this episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, I’m joined by Cynthia Thurlow, nurse practitioner, bestselling author, and expert in perimenopause and metabolic health. Her new book, The Menopause Gut , explores how hormonal changes in midlife impact the microbiome, immune regulation, and inflammation—and what women can do to adapt. This conversation is especially relevant for the autoimmune community. Many women experience stable symptoms for years, only to find new flares, food sensitivities, sleep disruption, or anxiety emerging in their 40s. We explore why this happens, how estrogen and progesterone shifts influence gut and immune function, and how to support your body through this transition with clarity and intention. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why perimenopause can trigger new autoimmune symptoms—even after years of stability How declining estrogen reshapes the gut microbiome and increases inflammation The connection between hormone fluctuations, histamine, and new food sensitivities Why perimenopause is a time of increased autoimmune risk (and what that means) How microbiome diversity influences immune tolerance and gut permeability The role of stress, sleep, and the nervous system in midlife immune health How bone density is connected to gut health and inflammation Why “gray area” foods can become more reactive during hormonal shifts Foundational strategies for supporting gut and immune health in midlife How hormone replacement therapy (HRT) fits into a… ## Actions - request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-autoimmune-wellness-podcast-7400858/episodes/the-menopause-gut-with-cynthia-thurlow-np-ep-083/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode. - read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-autoimmune-wellness-podcast-7400858/the-menopause-gut-with-cynthia-thurlow-np-ep-083.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource. A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed. ## Transcript Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.