Perimenopause Bloating, Gut Changes and Fluid Retention

Why Your Body Feels “Inflamed”

“I feel like my body has turned into a sponge”

Common lines I hear from women in their 40s:

• “My jeans don’t fit well, even if I eat well.”

• “I feel puffy and inflamed, like I’m carrying water.”

• “My gut swings between constipation and diarrhoea.”

• “My legs feel heavy and I don’t recognise my body anymore.”

These gut and fluid changes are often part of perimenopause, even when blood tests are “fine”.

Why perimenopause affects gut and fluid

Hormonal shifts can alter:

• Gut motility (how fast or slow your bowel moves)

• Sensitivity of the gut-brain axis (how strongly you feel sensations)

• How your body stores fat and fluid (especially around the abdomen and legs)

• Sleep and stress – which both strongly influence digestion and fluid balance

Add life stress, irregular eating, alcohol, and more time sitting, and things can escalate quickly.

What mainstream evidence says about lifestyle & mind–body for these symptoms

There isn’t one “perimenopause bloating drug”, but we do know:

• Exercise and physical activity in midlife women improve body composition, blood pressure and metabolic health, which relate to fluid retention and heaviness. (Menopause Australia)

• Mind–body therapies like yoga, mindfulness and relaxation improve sleep, depression and anxiety, which are key drivers of IBS-like symptoms and perceived bloating. (Frontiers)

• Guidelines from bodies like the Australasian Menopause Society emphasise lifestyle and behaviour changes (movement, diet, sleep, stress management) as core parts of menopause symptom care. (Menopause Australia)

So while there’s no single pill that “fixes perimenopause bloating”, there is a strong evidence base for movement, mind–body work and behavioural changes as legitimate pillars of care.

How body-based and mind–body support help at Ayusha

At Ayusha, we focus on three main levers:

1. Nervous system down-regulation
   When you’re in fight-or-flight, digestion gets sidelined. Deep relaxation work, Atma Shakti and slow movement can shift you towards “rest and digest”, which is essential for gut repair.

2. Gentle, circulation-boosting bodywork
   Warm oil work and rhythmic, lymphatic-style techniques help support venous and lymphatic flow, ease heaviness and give you a felt sense of lightness – even though they’re not “treatments” for disease.

3. Movement and breath that your body can actually do
   We build simple, realistic practices like:

• Gentle twists and spinal movement

• Lower limb activation for circulation

• Breath patterns that ease abdominal tension

The goal is not a “flat Instagram stomach”; it’s less discomfort, less heaviness and more trust in your body again.

If this is your perimenopause story

If you’re in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Warners Bay, Port Stephens, Hunter Valley, Central Coast or Sydney and your gut and fluid have changed in your 40s:

• You can book a perimenopause-focused session where we map your symptoms, support your nervous system and work with your body directly.

• Or start with a short discovery call if you’re unsure whether this is peri or something else.

You might also want to read:

• Perimenopause overview – for the full symptom map.

• Perimenopause insomnia & night sweats – because poor sleep worsens gut and fluid issues.

• Perimenopause anxiety & rage – if your gut flares when your emotions do.

  When to get medical input

  Please see your GP promptly if you have:

  • New, persistent change in bowel habit

  • Unexplained weight loss, bleeding or severe pain

  • Strong family history of bowel disease or inflammatory conditions

  Ayusha’s role is to support comfort, coping and lifestyle change, not to replace necessary investigations.