Episode
#1 Menopause Gut Expert: Why Your Microbiome CONTROLS Hormones, Mood & Bone Loss | Cynthia Thurlow | #145
- Podcast
- The Dr Vonda Show
- Published
- Jan 27, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2812
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Summary
Get Dr. Vonda's latest insights on strength, bone health, longevity, and aging with power delivered straight to your inbox. Join her free health & longevity newsletter here: https://www.drvondawright.com/resources/aging-longevity There's a moment many women reach in midlife where things don't feel wrong but they don't feel right either. Digestion changes. Bloating appears out of nowhere. Sleep feels lighter. Inflammation lingers. And no one ever told us these systems might all be connected. I sat down with Cynthia Thurlow, a nurse practitioner and intermittent fasting expert, to talk about a topic that is still vastly underexplored in women's health: the gut microbiome during perimenopause and menopause. So many women are told their digestive symptoms, inflammation, mood changes, or recurrent infections are just "part of aging." What Cynthia makes clear is that these experiences are deeply rooted in physiology and that when we understand what's happening, we're no longer powerless. This conversation matters because it replaces dismissal with clarity and fear with context. We examine how this topic shows up in daily life: - Why declining estrogen affects gut barrier integrity, immune response, and inflammation - How "leaky gut" can contribute to bone loss, autoimmune risk, and metabolic changes - The connection between gut health, mood, anxiety, and neurotransmitter signaling - Why fiber and short-chain fatty acids become more important in perimenopause and menopause - How fermented foods can support microbiome diversity and recovery after stress, illness, or antibiotics - The gut–vaginal microbiome connection and why improving one can support the other - How chronic stress and unprocessed trauma can accelerate hormonal aging and menopause timing About Cynthia Thurlow:…