LEPT Nutrition

🌿🦠 THE ESTROBOLOME: FASCINATING SCIENCE—BUT BEWARE OF “HORMONE DETOX” CLAIMS

You've probably started seeing words like:

“Estrogen detox”
“Clear excess estrogen”
“Fix your estrobolome”
“Rebalance your hormones through your gut”

They sound very scientific.

But the actual science is much more nuanced.

First—what is the estrobolome?

The estrobolome refers to gut microbial genes involved in the metabolism of estrogens.

Here's the simplified version:

1️⃣ Estrogens are metabolised by the body, including processing in the liver.

2️⃣ Some estrogen metabolites are conjugated and enter the intestine via bile.

3️⃣ Certain gut bacteria produce enzymes, including β-glucuronidase, which can deconjugate some of these estrogen metabolites.

4️⃣ This means some estrogen may potentially be reabsorbed and returned to circulation, while some continues towards excretion.

Pretty fascinating, isn't it? 🦠

But here's where we need to separate SCIENCE from MARKETING.

The existence of the estrobolome does NOT mean we can currently:

❌ Diagnose an “unbalanced estrobolome” from symptoms alone
❌ Assume high β-glucuronidase automatically means “too much estrogen”
❌ Tell every woman she needs to “detox estrogen”
❌ Take one probiotic or supplement and “fix” estrogen metabolism
❌ Promise that changing the microbiome will resolve menopause symptoms

Research into the relationship between the microbiome, estrogen and menopause is developing rapidly—but there is still a lot we don't know.

So what CAN we do?

Rather than chasing a “hormone detox,” I come back to the foundations that support overall gut and metabolic health:

🌿 Eat a diverse range of plant foods
🥗 Include adequate fibre
🫘 Include legumes, wholegrains, nuts and seeds where tolerated
🍓 Eat plenty of colourful plant foods
💧 Support regular bowel habits
🏃 Keep moving
💊 Use probiotics or supplements for a clear reason—not because a product promises to “detox estrogen”

Your liver already has sophisticated pathways for processing hormones.

Your gut microbiome can participate in estrogen metabolism.

But that doesn't mean we need to “detox” our hormones.

It means we have another fascinating piece of the menopause-health puzzle to keep investigating.

🌿 FOOD FIRST. SCIENCE FIRST. PERSONALISE THE REST.

👇 Have you seen a supplement or program promising to “detox estrogen” or “fix your estrobolome”?

Lorraine English | Clinical Nutritionist
Specialising in Menopause & Gut Health
LEPT Nutrition

🌿🌮 BURRITO BOWL WITH QUINOA TOFU TACO FILLING

Gut-friendly food doesn't have to be boring.

This colourful burrito bowl is packed with different plant foods, fibre and protein—and it's ready in around 35 minutes.

🌿 19g FIBRE per serve
💪 20g PROTEIN per serve
🌈 Plenty of plant variety
🥑 Healthy fats from avocado + extra virgin olive oil

50g quinoa, uncooked
150g extra-firm tofu, crumbled
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3g chilli powder
2g cumin
¼ cup oregano
2g garlic powder
1g iodised salt, or to taste
150g salsa, divided
5ml lime juice
1 tsp nutritional yeast
1 red capsicum, sliced
¼ head romaine lettuce, chopped
85g cooked black beans
1 avocado, diced

Instructions:
METHOD

1. Cook the quinoa

Cook the quinoa according to the packet directions.

2. Brown the tofu

Add the crumbled tofu to a dry non-stick frying pan over medium heat.

Cook, stirring regularly, for approximately 8–10 minutes or until just golden brown.

Transfer to a dish and set aside.

3. Make the taco filling

Add the extra virgin olive oil to the pan, followed by the cooked quinoa, chilli powder, cumin, oregano, garlic powder and salt.

Stir to combine, then add half the salsa, lime juice, nutritional yeast and browned tofu.

4. Make it crispy

Spread the quinoa and tofu mixture into an even layer in the pan.

Allow it to caramelise for 3–4 minutes before stirring and flattening again. Continue until the quinoa is slightly crispy.

Taste and add additional salt or lime juice if needed. Transfer the mixture to a dish and set aside.

5. Cook the capsicum

Add the sliced red capsicum to the same pan and increase the heat to medium-high.

Cook for 8–10 minutes until tender and slightly charred.

6. Build your burrito bowl

Divide the quinoa and tofu mixture, capsicum, romaine lettuce, black beans and avocado between two bowls.

Top with the remaining salsa and enjoy..

Then build your bowl

WHY I LIKE THIS ONE

This is exactly what I mean when I talk about PLANT VARIETY.

Different plant foods provide different fibres, resistant starches and plant compounds.

Rather than searching for ONE magical “gut-health food”, think about the variety you're putting on your plate across the week.

FOOD FIRST. VARIETY MATTERS.

👇 Would you make this for lunch or dinner?

Lorraine English | Clinical Nutritionist
Specialising in Menopause & Gut Health
LEPT Nutrition

WHAT'S YOUR MENOPAUSE STYLE?

Menopause isn't one-size-fits-all.

One woman is hot, irritable and awake at 2am.

Another feels sluggish, her digestion has slowed down, and she can't understand why her body is changing.

Another is exhausted but can't switch off.

And another simply says:

“I don't feel like myself anymore.”

Sound familiar?

Which menopause style sounds most like YOU? 👇

🔥 A — FIERY FLUCTUATOR

Hot flushes • night sweats • mood swings • irritability • unpredictable energy • sugar or salty cravings

🐢 B — SLOWED & STUCK

Sluggish • afternoon fatigue • slower digestion • weight changes, particularly around the middle • comfort-carb cravings

⚡ C — WIRED & TIRED

Exhausted but unable to switch off • restless sleep • overwhelmed • stressed • palpitations • relying on coffee to keep going

💛 D — LOW & LOST

Flat • emotionally drained • unmotivated • disconnected • low libido • low energy • not feeling like yourself

👇 COMMENT A, B, C or D.

Over the coming weeks, I'm going to unpack each menopause style and explore:

🥗 Nutrition
🌿 Food strategies
🏃 Lifestyle support
💊 Lorraine's Supplement Toolkit

Because your friend, sister or colleague may be experiencing menopause VERY differently from you.

And the approach that suits her may not necessarily be the approach that suits you.

Which one are you? 🔥 A | 🐢 B | ⚡ C | 💛 D

These menopause styles are an educational tool to help identify symptom patterns. They are not a medical diagnosis.

Lorraine English | Clinical Nutritionist
Specialising in Menopause & Gut Health
LEPT Nutrition

THE MENOPAUSE GUT CONNECTION

Menopause, Lower Estrogen & the Gut Microbiome: What Do We Actually Know? 🦠

As we move through menopause, estrogen levels decline.

But could those hormonal changes also influence the community of microbes living in our gut?

Possibly—but the answer isn't as simple as social media sometimes makes it sound.

🦠 WHAT DOES THE RESEARCH SHOW?

Some studies have found differences in the gut microbiome between pre- and postmenopausal women.

Researchers are investigating changes in:

🌿 Microbial diversity
🦠 The types and relative abundance of different bacteria
🧬 Microbial functions, including estrogen metabolism
🔥 Metabolic and inflammatory pathways

But here's the important part:

The findings aren't consistent.

A recent systematic review and meta-analysis found no significant overall differences in microbial diversity or the major bacterial groups Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes between women with lower estrogen levels and premenopausal women.

Why is it so difficult to get a clear answer?

Because your microbiome is influenced by MUCH more than estrogen.

🥗 Diet
💊 Medications and antibiotics
🏃 Physical activity
😴 Sleep
🧠 Stress
🎂 Age
⚖️ Metabolic health
🌍 Geography and environment

So we shouldn't assume that every microbiome change around menopause is caused by falling estrogen.

AND THEN THERE'S THE ESTROBOLOME...

The relationship may also work in BOTH directions.

Estrogen may influence the gut environment, while certain gut microbes possess enzymes involved in estrogen metabolism and recirculation.

That's the fascinating gut–estrogen relationship researchers are continuing to investigate.

🌿 WHAT CAN WE DO NOW?

We don't need to wait for every piece of the science before looking after our gut.

Focus on the foundations:

🥦 Plenty of fibre-rich plant foods
🫘 Legumes
🌾 Wholegrains
🥜 Nuts and seeds
🫐 A variety of colourful plants
🏃 Regular movement
😴 Good sleep where possible

Not because these foods will “balance your estrogen.”

Because they form part of a dietary pattern that supports gut and overall health through midlife.

The menopause–microbiome connection is exciting. But emerging science should never become an excuse for exaggerated promises.

Next in :
🌿 Can food influence the estrobolome?

Lorraine English | Clinical Nutritionist
Specialising in Menopause & Gut Health
LEPT Nutrition

MUSHROOMS ON TOAST — GOOD FOR YOUR GUT & A GREAT ADDITION TO YOUR MENOPAUSE PLATE

Sometimes the simplest meals are the best.

This Mushrooms on Toast takes around 15 minutes and packs plenty of plants onto your plate.

🍄 MUSHROOMS ON TOAST

Serves 2 | 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

🫒 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
🧄 2 cloves garlic, crushed
🍄 200g white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
🌿 ½ tsp dried thyme
🥄 1 tbsp reduced-salt tamari or soy sauce
🥛 A dash of unsweetened almond milk
🌱 10g parsley, finely chopped (optional)
🍅 100g cherry tomatoes
🥬 150g baby spinach
🍞 4 slices gluten-free bread, toasted
Black pepper, to taste

METHOD

1️⃣ Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and sauté the garlic for 1–2 minutes.

2️⃣ Add the mushrooms, thyme, tamari and black pepper. Cook until the mushrooms are tender and starting to brown.

3️⃣ Reduce the heat, add a dash of almond milk and stir for another minute. Remove the mushroom mixture and set aside.

4️⃣ Add the cherry tomatoes to the same pan and cook for around 2 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until just wilted.

5️⃣ Toast the bread and top with the mushrooms, tomatoes and spinach. Finish with parsley.

💪 WANT MORE PROTEIN?
Add a poached, fried or boiled egg on top—or another protein-rich food that suits you.

🍄 WHY MUSHROOMS?

Mushrooms provide fibre and contain unique carbohydrates, including beta-glucans.

And look at the plant variety in this one meal:

🍄 Mushrooms
🧄 Garlic
🍅 Tomatoes
🥬 Spinach
🌿 Thyme
🌱 Parsley

Eating a variety of plant foods provides different fibres and plant compounds as part of a dietary pattern that supports your gut microbiome.

And during menopause?

Rather than looking for foods that claim to “balance hormones,” I want you thinking about your whole dietary pattern:

🌿 Plenty of plants
🦠 Fibre
🫒 Healthy fats
💪 Enough protein

Protein becomes particularly important through midlife for helping maintain muscle mass—which is why adding an egg can turn this plant-rich toast into a more protein-focused meal.

Your gut health and menopause nutrition don't have to be separate conversations.

📌 SAVE this recipe for breakfast, brunch or lunch.

Lorraine English | Clinical Nutritionist
Specialising in Menopause & Gut Health
LEPT Nutrition

Menopause and Sleep: Why a Bad Night Can Affect Tomorrow’s Appetite

Did you sleep badly last night… and find yourself reaching for coffee, something sweet or extra snacks today?

That connection is worth understanding.

Sleep can become much more challenging during perimenopause and menopause.

Hot flushes and night sweats may wake you. Anxiety can make it difficult to switch off. Changing sleep patterns, stress, alcohol and lifestyle factors can all play a part.

But poor sleep doesn't necessarily stay in the bedroom.

It can influence how hungry you feel and the foods you want the following day.

After a disrupted night, appetite regulation, glucose metabolism and food choices can be affected. And when you're exhausted, highly palatable, quick-energy foods can become much more appealing.

Then a familiar cycle can begin:

😴 Poor night's sleep
☕ Extra coffee to function
🥐 Breakfast gets skipped
🍫 Afternoon cravings arrive
🍷 A glass of w**e to relax
🌙 Sleep is disrupted again

This is why I don't look at nutrition, sleep and menopause as completely separate issues.

What can you do?

Start with the basics:

🥚 Eat a proper breakfast if skipping it leaves you ravenous later.
Include protein rather than relying on coffee alone.

🥗 Eat regular, balanced meals.
Long gaps without food may make it harder for some women to manage hunger later in the day.

☕ Look at caffeine timing.
Caffeine can remain in your system for hours. If sleep is an issue, that afternoon coffee may deserve a closer look.

🍷 Don't use alcohol as a sleep strategy.
Alcohol may initially make you feel sleepy, but it can disrupt sleep quality later in the night.

🌿 Build meals around protein, fibre-rich plant foods and quality carbohydrates.

And remember: if hot flushes and night sweats are repeatedly destroying your sleep, nutrition isn't the only conversation to have.

MHT/HRT can be an effective treatment for menopausal vasomotor symptoms for appropriate women. Speak with your doctor about your individual options.

Nutrition doesn't replace appropriate menopause treatment.

And MHT doesn't replace good nutrition.

Both can have a place in supporting your health through menopause.

Lorraine English | Clinical Nutritionist
Specialising in Menopause & Gut Health
LEPT Nutrition

How Do Gut Bacteria Participate in Estrogen Metabolism?

We often think about estrogen as a hormone story.

But your gut bacteria are part of the conversation too.

Here's the simplified version. 👇

Estrogen is metabolised in the body, including in the liver. Some estrogen metabolites are conjugated and enter the intestine through bile.

This is where certain gut bacteria come in.

🦠 Some bacteria produce an enzyme called β-glucuronidase (beta-glucuronidase).

This enzyme can deconjugate some estrogen metabolites in the intestine.

Why does that matter?

Once deconjugated, some estrogen may potentially be reabsorbed through the intestinal wall and returned to circulation.

Other estrogen metabolites continue through the digestive tract towards elimination in the stool.

This microbial involvement in estrogen metabolism is part of what researchers refer to when discussing the estrobolome.

But here's the important part:

🚫 This does NOT mean “more beta-glucuronidase is bad” or that you need to “detox your estrogen.”

The relationship between our gut microbes, their enzymes and estrogen metabolism is complex—and research is still developing.

What we can focus on now is supporting overall gut health with:

🥦 Fibre-rich plant foods
🫘 Beans and legumes
🌾 Wholegrains
🥜 Nuts and seeds
🫐 A variety of colourful plants
🚶 Regular movement
💧 Adequate hydration

Your gut bacteria don't work in isolation.

Diet, lifestyle, medications, age, hormones and your individual health all contribute to the bigger picture.

🌿 Your gut is part of your menopause story.

Next in :
👉 What happens to the gut microbiome as estrogen declines during menopause?

Lorraine English | Clinical Nutritionist
Specialising in Menopause & Gut Health
LEPT Nutrition

MOKEY SHAKSHUKA — A MENOPAUSE-FRIENDLY MEAL YOUR GUT CAN GET BEHIND

When I talk about eating well through menopause, I'm not talking about a complicated “hormone diet.”

I'm talking about meals that bring together the nutritional foundations your body actually needs.

And this Smokey Shakshuka does exactly that. 👇

🍳 EGGS + TURKEY MINCE
Provide quality protein—particularly important through midlife when maintaining muscle mass becomes increasingly important.

🌿 TOMATO + CAPSICUM + SPINACH + ONION + GARLIC
That's five different plant foods before we've even counted the herbs and spices.

Plant variety matters because different plants provide different fibres and plant compounds—and that's good news for your gut microbiome.

🫓 WHOLEMEAL PITA
Adds a fibre-rich wholegrain carbohydrate to make this a more complete meal.

🫒 EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
Provides predominantly unsaturated fats and beneficial plant compounds and fits beautifully into a Mediterranean-style way of eating.

🌶️ TURMERIC + CUMIN + PARSLEY + CHILLI + SMOKED PAPRIKA
Herbs and spices count towards plant variety too!

Why do I like this combination during menopause?

Because we're bringing together:

💪 Protein for muscle maintenance
🌿 Fibre + plant diversity for gut health
🫒 Healthy fats
🌾 Quality carbohydrates
🥗 Plenty of nutrient-rich whole foods

And THAT'S the connection I want women to understand.

Supporting your gut and supporting your health through menopause don't need to be two separate diets.

One well-built plate can do both. 💚

📌 SAVE this recipe for an easy lunch or dinner.

Lorraine English | Clinical Nutritionist
Specialising in Menopause & Gut Health
LEPT Nutrition

Caffeine, Sleep, Anxiety and Hot Flushes: Should You Cut Back?

“I can't function without my coffee.”

If you're navigating menopause and feeling exhausted, I understand why that morning coffee can feel non-negotiable.

But before you blame caffeine for every menopause symptom—or give it up completely—let's put it into perspective.

☕ Coffee isn't automatically the problem.

The questions are:

How much are you drinking?
When are you drinking it?
And what is it replacing?

Caffeine is a stimulant.

For some women, too much—or consuming it too late—may contribute to:

🌙 Difficulty sleeping
😰 Feeling jittery or more anxious
💓 Palpitations
🔥 More noticeable hot flushes
😴 A cycle of tiredness followed by more caffeine

But individual tolerance varies considerably.

The bigger issue I often see?

Coffee replacing food.

If breakfast is two coffees and nothing else, you're getting stimulation—but you're not getting the nutrition a meal provides.

No meaningful protein.

Little or no fibre.

No balanced source of energy.

Then 11am arrives and you're hungry.

Or perhaps you push through until lunch.

Then by 3pm?

The cravings hit.

This isn't necessarily a lack of willpower.

You may simply have under-fuelled earlier in the day.

Try changing the order:

🍳 Food first—or food WITH your coffee.

For example:

🥚 Eggs + wholegrain toast
🥣 Greek yoghurt + berries + nuts
🌾 Oats + chia + yoghurt
🍞 Wholegrain toast + cottage cheese + tomato

Then look at timing.

If sleep is poor, experiment with moving your last caffeinated drink earlier in the day and see whether YOUR sleep improves.

You don't necessarily need to give up the coffee you love.

But if you're drinking coffee all day because you're exhausted, the more important question is why you're so tired.

Poor sleep?

Night sweats?

Not eating enough?

Low iron?

Stress?

Something requiring medical investigation?

Don't use caffeine to continually mask a symptom that deserves attention.

Coffee can be part of your day. It just shouldn't have to carry your day.

Lorraine English | Clinical Nutritionist
Specialising in Menopause & Gut Health
LEPT Nutrition

Blown away by the John Farnham tribute concert live stream at HOYTS tonight! Such a powerful way to kick off the Lend Your Voice campaign for Head and Neck Cancer Australia. I was diagnosed with Barrett’s esophagus 12 years ago, so know how vital early detection and specialized support are for these areas of the body. Proud to support this foundation! 🧡Donate here: lendyourvoice.org.au

Home 5,600 Australians are diagnosed with Head and Neck Cancer every year. John Farnham is one of them. Leave a message of support for people affected for your chance to WIN VIP tickets to the sold-out John Farnham Celebration Concert on 20 September in Melbourne!