Nourishment That Works With Your Biology
- AJ Shek
- 9 hours ago
- 4 min read
I've been thinking a lot about the gut lately; how it quietly shapes so much more than digestion. It influences our mood, skin, sleep, metabolism, immunity, and even how we handle stress. As Giulia Enders describes in Gut: The Inside Story of Our Body's Most Underrated Organ,1 this long-overlooked organ is essentially our "second brain," wired with its own nervous system and in constant conversation with the rest of the body.
What's especially exciting is how rapidly this science is evolving. Researchers are uncovering connections between what we eat, the microorganisms living within us, the environments we inhabit, and even the pets we share our homes with. All of these inputs shape our gut microbiome, and in turn, how efficiently we absorb nutrients, clear waste, and maintain whole-body balance.
This is where it gets personal.
Most high-performing professionals aren't actually eating mindfully or for optimal functionality and performance. Instead, we are choosing food based on convenience, stress, emotion, lack of time, and dopamine. Protein and fiber get dismissed as boring while sugars, salts, and fats run the show, not because we're undisciplined, but because our depleted brains are begging for fast relief.
To make matters worse, today's restaurant industry in the most developed cities around the world are not built for our biology, but for amusement, entertainment, and financial gain. Due to rising labor and food costs, and a complicated calculation of financially maximizing "butts in seats", most menus are engineered for flavor, not nourishment. Dishes are creative and delicious, but built around refined carbs and fats, not the high-quality protein and fiber that support metabolism, brain function, and stable energy.
Next time you're out at the hottest "experimental culinary playground," silently scan your plate: the carb-to-protein ratio isn't an accident. Notice how much sugar is tucked into sauces, cocktails, and "bites". Finally, ask yourself why dessert suddenly feels irresistible the moment your entrée is finished.
It may come as a surprise to you, but many of us in the most sophisticated cities in the world are living not just time-starved, but nutrient-starved as well. Unfortunately, this catches up to us in our late 30s and 40s in the form of thyroid issues, stubborn weight gain, brain fog, inflammation, anxiety, low libido, poor sleep, and the creeping feeling of being "less resilient" even though we work harder than ever.
During pre and perimenopause, there's another layer no one warned us about:
Our biology isn't static; it shifts rhythmically across the menstrual cycle, and
our nutritional needs shift in conjunction with our cycle.
While we don't need to completely shift our diets during each phase in our cycle, if we learn to feed our bodies with nutrients that support how our body is functioning at each phase during the month, we can help support hormone production and synthesis throughout the menstrual cycle. 2,3
Follicular phase
Estrogen begins rising. The body thrives on foods rich in folate, B-vitamins, omega-3s, and high-quality protein to support follicle development and neurotransmitter balance.
Ovulation
The body needs amino acids, zinc, magnesium, vitamin D, and antioxidants to support the peak of estrogen and the brief but powerful spike of luteinizing hormone.
Luteal phase
Progesterone takes center stage. Stable blood sugar becomes the key to mood, sleep, and energy, so protein, fiber, complex carbohydrates, and magnesium-rich foods are non-negotiable.
Menstruation
Iron, omega-3 fatty acids, and anti-inflammatory nutrients help replenish blood stores, reduce prostaglandin-driven cramps, and support recovery.4. These aren't "nice to haves"; your hormones are literally built out of amino acids, fats, B vitamins, minerals, and cholesterol. When nutrients are insufficient, the body doesn't stop making hormones; it simply reallocates energy away from vitality and performance toward basic survival.
The Gut Hormone Connection
Here's what makes this even more important: your gut microbiome plays a direct role in regulating estrogen levels through the production of beta-glucuronidase, an enzyme responsible for estrogen deconjugation.5 When women have sufficient estrogen in their bodies, their intestinal microbiota exhibits species diversity, with beneficial bacteria dominating and the growth of harmful bacteria being inhibited.6 This means your gut health directly influences your hormonal balance, and vice versa.
Clinical evidence suggests that both estrogen and progesterone affect gastric motility and gut permeability via receptors in the gut, and estrogen is known to modulate visceral sensitivity.7 This reciprocal relationship explains why many healthy women experience changes in gastrointestinal symptoms during the menstrual cycle, from bloating and constipation, to shifts in bowel consistency.8
You are not just what you eat;
you are what your gut can absorb, metabolize, and turn into
fuel, neurotransmitters, and hormones.
When you eat in alignment with your biology, instead of against it, your gut, brain, metabolism, and hormones start working for you again. The real frontier for high performers isn't willpower, discipline, or hustle; it's nourishment that supports the brain, the gut, and the hormonal rhythm of the female body.
References
Enders, G. (2015). Gut: The Inside Story of Our Body's Most Underrated Organ (Revised Edition). Greystone Books.
Hawkins, S. M., & Matzuk, M. M. (2008). The menstrual cycle: Basic biology. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences.
Krog, M. C., et al. (2022). The healthy female microbiome across body sites: effect of hormonal contraceptives and the menstrual cycle. Human Reproduction, 37, 1525–1543.
https://www.precisionbiotics.co.uk/blog/womens-health/gut-health-and-your-menstrual-cycle/
https://helloclue.com/articles/cycle-a-z/how-your-gut-affects-your-hormones
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2024.1321268/full