The Gut Connection: Why Digestive Health Affects Everything

Let’s talk guts. Yes, the place where your food goes to become… well, poop. Look, everybody poops. You, me, Beyoncé, the Dalai Lama… no one gets a free pass. And yet, talking about it is somehow more taboo than discussing politics at the dinner table. Which is a shame, because your poop, and the gut that produces it, is basically your body’s daily status report. Ignore it, and you’re missing one of the most powerful windows into your health.

Most people think gut health is about avoiding bloat or maybe popping a probiotic when they remember. Nope. It’s way bigger than that. Your gut is home to trillions of microbes (yes, trillions - your gut bugs actually outnumber your human cells), and they’re calling shots on everything from your digestion to your brain chemistry.

Meet Your Tiny Roommates

These trillions of microbes that live in your gut don’t pay rent, they eat your food, and sometimes they throw parties you definitely didn’t RSVP to (hello bloating). Collectively, they’re called your microbiome, and they influence everything from digestion to immunity to mood. And they don’t get nearly the attention - or the credit - they deserve.

In fact, one landmark study showed that people with more diverse gut microbes had better overall health outcomes, including lower risk of obesity and chronic disease. Another study found that over 90% of serotonin (one of your “feel-good” brain chemicals) is actually made in your gut. Translation: your belly bugs can influence whether you’re feeling flat or fabulous.

Poop: Your Daily Health Report

Here’s the thing: your poop tells you a lot about what’s going on. Colour, consistency, frequency are all clues. If you’ve never met the Bristol Stool Chart, look it up (ideally not while eating). Type 4 is the gold standard: smooth, sausage-shaped, and easy to pass. Anything outside that might be your body nudging you for more fibre, better hydration, or a serious check on stress and hormones.

It’s not “gross,” it’s feedback. Embarrassing? Maybe. Useful? Absolutely.

Think of it this way: you wouldn’t ignore your car’s check engine light, right? So why ignore the daily data dump (pun very much intended) your body leaves in the loo?

Hormones and the Midlife Gut Shuffle

If you’re over 40, you might have noticed your gut behaving… differently. As if hot flushes and night sweats weren’t enough, midlife hormones love to mess with your digestion too. 

Declining oestrogen can completely change how your gut behaves. Enter the estrobolome: the collection of gut microbes that helps regulate oestrogen. When hormonal shifts knock that balance off kilter, it’s like scrolling social media with your third glass of wine and a credit card linked to your hormone bank account. Suddenly, you’re either overdrawn or spending in places you wish you hadn’t.

As oestrogen dips in perimenopause and menopause, your gut barrier can get a little leakier, digestion can slow, and bloating, constipation, or reflux can pop up like unwelcome guests. Basically, midlife hormones don’t just affect your mood and waistline, they literally reshape the landscape of your gut. And you’re the one left wondering why your jeans feel tighter even when nothing else has changed.

The Gut–Brain Hotline (AKA the Vagus Nerve)

Your gut and brain are in constant conversation, and here’s the kicker: most of the chatter actually goes from the gut to the brain, not the other way around. The messenger in charge? The vagus nerve, a superhighway running between the two.

That “gut feeling” you get? Totally real. About 90% of your serotonin, one of your key happy hormones, is made in the gut, and it uses that hotline to keep the brain updated.

So when your digestion’s off, don’t be surprised if your mood, focus, or even your sleep tank too. It’s like your gut’s ringing your brain on repeat saying, “Yeah, we’re not okay down here.” Ignore those calls, and your brain will respond anyway, usually by making you cranky, snacky, or both.

Why Detox Teas Are Total Crap (Pun Intended)

There are times and places where our detox systems need extra support. Let’s be real: with our modern lifestyle, we put a lot of strain on them, and yes, they can get bogged down. But as my holistic doctor always says, it’s more important to “stoke the fire” first - add in all the healthy things your body needs - to strengthen the systems that are already designed to do the job.

Once your body is properly nourished and supported, then you can look at whether the added stress of pulling heavy toxins out (the ones lifestyle changes haven’t already shifted) is warranted. Real detoxification can take a serious toll on your body. Think about someone going through rehab or drug withdrawal. It might not look that dramatic from the outside, but the internal strain is real.

This is where I get extra sarcastic, because if one more person tells me they’re “detoxing” with a tea that makes them run to the bathroom, I may scream. Your liver and kidneys are your main detox system - it’s literally what they’re designed to do, and they do it brilliantly. But here’s the kicker: they rely on a healthy gut to escort waste and excess hormones out of the body.

Your microbiome even helps process oestrogen, (hello again, estrobolome). If your gut bacteria are off, you can end up recycling spent oestrogen instead of eliminating it, which is not what you want in midlife. So yes, your gut literally influences your hormones.

Detox teas and powders? Basically Instagram in a teabag: all pretty packaging, zero substance, and likely to waste a lot of your time. Your detox organs don’t need a fancy powder or brew with a side of stomach cramps to “cleanse” anything.

If someone tries to sell you that stuff, here’s a radical idea: just flush your money down the toilet instead. Same result, less bloating.

The real way to “detox”? Drink plenty of clean water, eat real food, move your body, manage stress, and…shocker…actually get some sleep. Unsexy, but it works.

And just for the record: there was a time when I bought into the whole detox product thing too. So this isn’t about shame. And yes, there are legitimate ways of clearing things like heavy metals or parasites. But they need to be done with very specific protocols, high-quality materials, and under the guidance of someone who knows what they’re doing. And spoiler alert: that’s 99.9% unlikely to be an influencer on TikTok or Instagram.

Gut Love: What Actually Works

Here’s the good news: you don’t need fancy supplements or overpriced cleanses. The boring basics? They’re magic.

• Fibre: Aim for 25–30g/day, from beans, lentils, veg, fruit, oats, seeds. Your microbes will throw you a party.
  

• Protein + Plants: Diversity is key. Yes, that “eat the rainbow” advice you’ve heard a million times? Turns out it’s actually true.
  

• Hydration: Water, not wine. Sorry, but your gut bugs don’t do merlot. (It’s OK, I’m crying with you.)
  

• Movement: Walking, lifting weights, dancing in your kitchen. They all keep your gut motility happy.
  

• Stress Management: Deep breaths, decent sleep, a big belly laugh with friends. Stress shows up in your gut faster than a bad curry.

The Bottom Line

Your gut isn’t just about digestion. It’s your immune system’s headquarters, your brain’s pen pal, and your hormone helper. Treat it well, and it’ll pay you back with more energy, better moods, and long-term health.

And yes… for the love of all things holy, please pay attention to your poop. It’s the most brutally honest feedback you’ll get all day.

👉 If you’re nodding along thinking, “Yep, that’s me,” then you’ll love the free 360° Feel Better Challenge we’ve got coming up. Think of it as your bite-sized reset, no detox teas required.

Join us from 15 September for five days of simple, doable steps to think, eat, move, relax, and sleep better, with live coaching, a private community, and even a prize draw for a 3-month VIP membership in Club Fabulous Beyond 40.

Grab your free spot here: 360feelbetterchallenge.com

References

Claesson, M. J., Jeffery, I. B., Conde, S., Power, S. E., O’Connor, E. M., Cusack, S., … O’Toole, P. W. (2012). Gut microbiota composition correlates with diet and health in the elderly. Nature, 488(7410), 178–184. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature11319

Yano, J. M., Yu, K., Donaldson, G. P., Shastri, G. G., Ann, P., Ma, L., … Hsiao, E. Y. (2015). Indigenous bacteria from the gut microbiota regulate host serotonin biosynthesis. Cell, 161(2), 264–276. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2015.02.047

Schoeler, M., & Caesar, R. (2019). Dietary lipids, gut microbiota and lipid metabolism. Reviews in Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders, 20(4), 461–472. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11154-019-09512-0

Plottel, C. S., & Blaser, M. J. (2011). Microbiome and malignancy. Cell Host & Microbe, 10(4), 324–335. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2011.10.003