Struggling with bloating, cramping, unpredictable bowels or that sudden dash-to-the-loo urgency? You’re certainly not alone. In this episode of The Happy Menopause, I take a deep dive into Irritable Bowel Syndrome — a condition that affects a huge number of women, and one that often gets worse during perimenopause and menopause.
I’ll explain what IBS actually is, how it’s diagnosed, and why hormonal changes can make your gut so much more reactive at this stage of life. We’ll look at the gut–brain axis, food sensitivities, FODMAPs, stress, dysbiosis and the key factors that might be driving your symptoms.
Most importantly, I share 10 practical nutrition and lifestyle strategies you can start using straight away to calm your digestion, reduce discomfort and feel more confident in your gut again.
If you’re tired of feeling bloated, uncomfortable or out of control with your symptoms, this episode is packed with clarity, reassurance and actionable steps to help you feel better.
If you love The Happy Menopause, please tell your friends and family, and don’t forget to hit follow or subscribe on your favourite podcast platform. It makes a huge difference to the algorithms that decide whether more women get to find the show – after all, every woman deserves to have a happy menopause!
Show Notes
Struggling with IBS? Book in for a FREE Discovery Call to find out if a nutrition programme could help you.
Check out Jackie’s menopause nutrition books for lots of practical advice on food and supplements: The Happy Menopause Guide to Energy: Nutrition to Rejuvenate Your Brain & Body and The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish
Book in for a nutrition consultation with Jackie for a bespoke menopause programme
Join The Happy Menopause Club for premium content and extra support.
Follow Jackie on Twitter/X, Facebook and Instagram
Check out Jackie’s other books: Va Va Voom: The 10-Day Energy Diet and The Right Bite: Smart Food Choices for Eating on the Go
Biography
Jackie Lynch is an award-winning nutritionist, author, and speaker, and the founder of the WellWellWell nutrition clinic, where she has helped thousands of women navigate the menopause with confidence and take control of their health.
A passionate advocate for breaking the taboo around perimenopause and menopause, Jackie is the host of the hit podcast The Happy Menopause, which was shortlisted for the International Women’s Podcast Awards in 2021, 2022, and 2024. She is also the founder of The Happy Menopause Club – a premium membership platform providing expert nutrition resources and community support for midlife women.
Jackie is the bestselling author of The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish (Watkins, 2020), which was Highly Commended at the 2021 Health & Wellbeing Awards. Her earlier titles include Va Va Voom: The 10-Day Energy Diet (Headline, 2017) and The Right Bite: Smart Food Choices for Eating on the Go (Nourish, 2016). Her latest book, The Happy Menopause Guide to Energy: Nutrition to Rejuvenate Your Brain & Body (Watkins), is out now.
A highly respected voice in the field of women’s health and menopause, Jackie regularly shares her expertise in national press and broadcast media, with appearances including Channel 4’s Superfoods. Her WellWellWell clinic was named Menopause Nutrition Clinic of the Year at the London & South-East Prestige Awards in both 2021 and 2022.
Jackie is a Fellow of the British Association for Nutrition & Lifestyle Medicine (BANT), a Member of the British Menopause Society, and a registered nutritional therapist with the Complementary & Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC), an Accredited Register approved by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care. She also served as Chair of the Institute for Optimum Nutrition from 2011 to 2022.
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