Hey Reader
How you doing today?
As a woman over 40 are you noticing changes in your mood, focus, anxiety levels, sleep, or emotional resilience? If you are, this might surprise you:
It’s not “just stress.”
And it’s not “just hormones.”
Your gut, oestrogen, brain, and nervous system are in constant communication, and from your 40s onwards, that relationship starts to change.
What’s really happening in your body
From perimenopause onwards, oestrogen no longer follows a predictable pattern. It fluctuates, sometimes significantly.
What many women don’t realise is that the gut plays a critical role in how oestrogen is processed, recycled, and eliminated.
Inside the gut lives a collection of bacteria known as the oestrobolome. Its job is to help regulate circulating oestrogen levels.
When gut health is compromised:
• oestrogen balance becomes erratic
• inflammation increases
• the brain becomes more stress-sensitive
• the nervous system stays in “fight or flight” for longer
This can show up as:
• anxiety or low mood
• brain fog and reduced focus
• disrupted sleep
• heightened stress reactivity
• feeling emotionally overwhelmed or on edge
This isn’t a personal failing; it’s a physiological shift.
Why your nervous system feels hijacked
The gut and brain are directly connected via the vagus nerve, your primary calming pathway.
When gut health is disrupted:
• signals to the brain become inflammatory rather than calming
• the nervous system struggles to access “rest and digest”
• cortisol remains elevated for longer
Over time, many women over 40 experience this pattern:
Wired at night.
Tired during the day.
Reactive, even when life hasn’t dramatically changed.
Let me introduce you to MCT oil and how it fits in (and why it matters)
One nutritional tool that can be particularly supportive at this stage is MCT oil (Medium Chain Triglycerides).
MCTs are metabolised differently from other fats:
• they’re absorbed quickly by the gut
• they provide a fast, clean energy source for the brain
• they don’t spike blood sugar
• they place minimal demand on digestion
For women over 40, this can be powerful because:
• Brain support: MCTs provide ketones, an alternative fuel for the brain, which can help with mental clarity and focus during hormonal fluctuations.
• Blood sugar stability: Stable blood sugar supports calmer cortisol patterns and nervous system regulation.
• Gut-friendly fuel: MCTs are easier to digest than many fats, supporting energy without digestive stress.
• Stress resilience: Reduced blood sugar crashes = fewer stress spikes.
MCT oil doesn’t “fix hormones,” but it supports the systems that hormones rely on; gut, brain, and nervous system.
What women over 40 can do to reduce the impact
This isn’t about restriction, perfection, or extreme routines.
It’s about working with your physiology.
1. Feed the gut first
Fibre-rich vegetables, fermented foods, adequate protein, and gentle fats like MCT oil all support gut bacteria and hormone metabolism.
2. Stabilise blood sugar
Regular, balanced meals matter more now. MCT oil can help support energy between meals without triggering crashes.
3. Reduce inflammatory load
Ultra-processed foods, excessive alcohol, poor sleep, and chronic stress all amplify gut inflammation and hormonal disruption.
4. Support the nervous system daily
Strength training, gentle movement, breathwork, and intentional pauses help retrain the body out of constant alert mode.
5. Challenge the belief that you should ‘push through’
Midlife bodies respond best to consistency, support, and recovery, not pressure or punishment.
The shift that changes everything
When women understand this connection, something important happens:
They stop blaming themselves.
They stop forcing old strategies.
They start responding intelligently to what their body needs now.
That’s when clarity, calm, and energy begin to return.
Hopefully you've stuck with this until the end. Becuase.....
I’ll be sharing more practical guidance on how to support gut health, hormonal balance, and nervous system resilience for women over 40, without burnout or overwhelm at my forthcoming “Flat to FAB.ulous” in person workshop in Market Harborough, on 18thFebruary.
Get your tickets and for more details see the Eventbrite link https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1981408748906
You don’t need to do more.
You need to do things differently.
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Book a DISCOVERY call using the link below and find out where the new YOU can take you....
With love
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