You’re eating clean, exercising, maybe even meditating—but your hormones still feel out of sync. The bloating, the mood swings, the energy crashes that hit out of nowhere. What if the issue isn’t your hormones at all? What if the real culprit is your gut ? Your microbiome is running the show. It’s not just digesting food—it’s influencing how your body processes oestrogen, regulates stress, and absorbs the very nutrients your hormones depend on. A sluggish gut can mean recirculating hormones, erratic blood sugar, and a nervous system that’s perpetually stuck in overdrive.

The fix? It’s not another supplement or another restrictive diet. It’s understanding how your gut, liver, and nervous system are working together (or against you). Because when your digestion is strong, your hormones don’t just balance—they thrive.

The gut isn’t working alone—it’s in constant conversation with your liver, microbiome, and nervous system , all of which have a direct impact on your hormones. When digestion is sluggish, when your liver is overwhelmed, or when your microbiome is out of balance, the ripple effect shows up as:

• Unpredictable cycles and PMS (because your body isn’t clearing excess oestrogen efficiently)
• Bloating and digestive discomfort (a sign your gut is struggling to metabolise nutrients)
• Mood swings and anxiety (when your gut microbiome is inflamed, it throws off serotonin production)
• Fatigue and sugar cravings (because your blood sugar regulation is being impacted)

Your gut is supposed to be a finely tuned filtration system, efficiently breaking down food, absorbing nutrients, and eliminating waste—including old hormones your body no longer needs. But when this process slows down, toxins and excess hormones start recirculating instead of leaving the body. 

The result? Your hormonal balance gets thrown off, and suddenly you’re dealing with symptoms that seem to come out of nowhere.

The liver is your body’s built-in detox system , processing everything from environmental toxins to old hormones that need to be eliminated. But here’s the catch: if your gut is sluggish, your liver can’t do its job properly.

When your liver is overloaded —whether from processed foods, stress, alcohol, or an imbalanced microbiome—it struggles to break down and eliminate excess oestrogen , leading to:

• Painful, heavy periods and water retention
• Breast tenderness and hormonal acne
• Unexplained weight gain, especially around the hips and thighs

Most people think hormonal imbalances are purely an endocrine issue, but in reality, your hormones are only as healthy as your detox pathways allow them to be. If your liver and gut aren’t clearing out excess hormones efficiently, those hormones just get reabsorbed into your bloodstream—making your symptoms worse.

If you’re constipated, your body is holding onto old hormones. Fixing your digestion isn’t optional—it’s the first step to balancing your hormones.

Where to start:

• Avoid flooding your digestion with cold foods. If you’re constantly bloated, tired, or dealing with slow digestion, iced drinks and raw salads are making it worse.
• Stop following wellness trends that don’t work for your body. Just because a food is labeled “healthy” doesn’t mean your gut can handle it. Some so-called superfoods may actually be irritating your digestion, increasing inflammation, and disrupting hormone clearance. Prioritise what feels good in your system—not what’s trending. 

You’ve heard of the microbiome, but have you heard of the estrobolome ? It’s a specific subset of gut bacteria responsible for metabolising and regulating oestrogen levels. If your estrobolome is imbalanced—whether from antibiotic use, stress, or a lack of diverse fibre—your body holds onto oestrogen longer than it should.

This can show up as:

• PMS and mood swings that feel worse than usual
• Cystic acne that flares up before your period
• Unrelenting bloating, even when you’re eating “clean”

Your gut is supposed to break down and eliminate excess oestrogen —but if your microbiome isn’t thriving, that process gets disrupted.

How to support your digestion?

• Feed your liver what it needs to detox efficiently. Bitter foods like dandelion greens, radish, and citrus peels support bile flow, helping your body break down and clear out excess hormones.

• Fibre is your best friend. It binds to oestrogen and waste, ensuring they don’t get reabsorbed. Load up on flaxseeds, leafy greens, and root vegetables.

• Get bile flowing with movement—twisting yoga poses and brisk wa

Your gut isn’t just digesting food—it’s constantly communicating with your nervous system. The gut-brain axis is a direct connection between your digestive system and your stress response , which means if you’re constantly in fight-or-flight mode, your gut function shuts down.

When stress is high, digestion slows, nutrient absorption drops, and inflammation increases. The result?

• Blood sugar imbalances that fuel cravings and energy crashes
• Bloating and sluggish metabolism from cortisol-induced gut dysfunction
• Increased anxiety and poor sleep from disrupted serotonin production

This is why hormonal balance isn’t just about food. If your nervous system is stuck in survival mode, your gut can’t function optimally—and if your gut is struggling, your hormones will too.

How to reset your gut-brain connection?

• Diaphragmatic breathing before meals activates the parasympathetic nervous system
• Adaptogens like ashwagandha or rhodiola help buffer cortisol’s impact on digestion
• Slow, restorative movement like Qi Gong or walking helps regulate stress responses

Fix Your Gut, Fix Your Hormones—In That Order

Your hormonal health isn’t just about balancing oestrogen or progesterone. It’s about whether your gut is breaking them down, your liver is clearing them out, and your nervous system is keeping everything running smoothly.

Finding a balance isn’t complicated, but it does require a shift in focus :

1. Strengthen your digestion first. If you’re bloated, constipated, or dealing with food sensitivities, your hormones are struggling too.
2. Clear out what your body doesn’t need. Your liver can’t detox excess hormones if it’s overwhelmed with sugar, alcohol, or stress.
3. Regulate your nervous system. Because if your body thinks it’s in survival mode, digestion and hormone balance will never be the priority.