Let’s talk about bloating, about women’s hormones and about herbs!
Do you feel six months pregnant by the end of the day…
Do your jeans fit in the morning, but not in the evening?
Does PMS turn your stomach into a balloon?
Do you feel uncomfortable much of the day?
We are often told it is about what we are eating, but the truth is often a mixed picture, one of hydration, diet and hormonal status.
Women experience bloating differently to men because:-
•Oestrogen
affects fluid retention
•Progesterone
slows gut motility
•Stress
increases gut sensitivity
•Postpartum
changes abdominal tone
•Dehydration
compounds everything.
Let’s start at the very beginning! What Is Motility?
Motility is the wave-like muscular movement that pushes food through your digestive tract.
When motility is strong:
Food moves efficiently
Gas doesn’t build up
Elimination is regular
Oestrogen is excreted properly
When motility slows:
Food lingers
Fermentation increases
Gas builds
Oestrogen gets reabsorbed
The Oestrogen Reabsorption Cycle (And Why It Matters)
Oestrogen is processed by the liver and sent to the gut for elimination via the stool. But here’s what many women don’t realize:
If stool sits in the colon too long due to slow motility, Oestrogen can be reactivated and reabsorbed back into circulation.
The result?
More circulating Oestrogen.
More fluid retention.
More breast tenderness. More PMS.
More bloating.
It becomes a loop:
Slowmotility → oestrogen reabsorption → Higher oestrogen load → Even slowermotility + more water retention → More bloating.
And this is especially noticeable in chronic stress
Progesterone: The Other Piece
In the second half of your cycle, progesterone rises. Progesterone relaxes smooth muscle — including the intestines.
This is why:
Constipation increases pre-period
Bloating worsens before menstruation
Digestion feels heavier
It’s not random - It’s hormonal physiology.
So What Do We Do About It?
Step 1: Improve Motility Gently
There are many herbs that really help to improve motility.
Such as Ginger, shown in clinical research to enhance gastric emptying.
Fennel seeds, Relaxes spasms while improving movement through the intestines.
Camomile, helps to reduce gas, relax the system, and also has a bitter component that stimulates digestion via the gall bladder
Daily walking also stimulates the
migrating motor complex — one of the most underrated tools in women’s digestive
health.
Step 2: Hydrate to Prevent Oestrogen Recycling
Dehydration slows stool transit time. Think about dry river beds. Water is needed to move the logs downstream.
Hydration:
Softens stool
Improves bowel frequency
Reduces bacterial overgrowth risk
Supports detox pathways
This is not about drinking more coffee and wine!
It’s about consistent water intake, or herbal teas.
Step 3: Support the Gut Lining
If inflammation is present, motility becomes irregular.
Demulcent herbs soothe irritation,
allowing smoother peristalsis.Herbs such as marshmallow
root, liquorish and slippery elm powder ease the inflammation, which allow the
tissues to move better.
Step 4: Improve the microbiome
Diverse plant fibers, which feed the bacteria in the gut.
Polyphenol-rich herbs
Adequate hydration
Stress reduction (vagal tone influences microbial balance)
Balanced microbiome → improved oestrogen clearance → reduced hormonal bloating.
The Empowered Takeaway
If you experience:
PMS bloating
oestrogen dominance symptoms
Constipation before your period
Feeling “inflamed” or swollen
This is not just about gas. It may be about motility and Oestrogen recycling.
And once you understand that, everything changes.
Bloating is feedback!
My FLOW Method
I have seen so many women in my clinic who suffer from bloating and digestive discomfort. Which is why I have created my FLOW Method:
F – fluid regulation
L – lining repair
O – optimized motility
W – women’s nervous system reset.
This system really helps get to the root of the problem, helping women to feel comfortable in their body again.
About me
