Ep. 549 Fiber Is the Missing Micronutrient! – The Best Way to Fix Your Gut, Hormones & Metabolism with Dr. Karan Rajan | Menopause, Gut Health and Hormones

Today, I am delighted to welcome Dr. Karan Rajan, a gastroenterologist, author, and one of the most prominent health and science creators on social media, with a large and engaged social media following.

In our discussion today, we delve into the evolution of fiber, exploring it as a previously overlooked micronutrient, and discussing its chemistry, biology, and the roles of fiber polyphenols, prebiotics, and GLP-1s. We look at satiety and various hormones, and Dr. Rajan shares his take on the increase we’re seeing in colorectal cancer. He also clarifies why colonoscopies are safe screening modalities, how women's guts change in midlife, and various other topics, including poop, the Goldilocks effect, the estrobolome, polypharmacy, microplastics, estrogen dominance, medical myopia, and the gut-brain axis.

Join us for today’s incredibly informative and information-packed podcast with Dr. Karan Rajan.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:

• Why is fiber so important?

• How fiber fuels the microbiome

• Some examples of high-fiber foods

• How fiber and polyphenols support microbial and hormonal balance

• How fiber supports our endogenous GLP-1 ecosystem

• Why colonoscopy risks are often misunderstood

• How perimenopause alters gut motility and appetite

• What constipation really means 

• How lifestyle factors like sleep, exercise, sunlight, and medications shape the microbiome

• Dr. Rajan debunks some common social media misconceptions surrounding the gut-brain axis.

Connect with Cynthia Thurlow  

• Follow on X, Instagram & LinkedIn

• Check out Cynthia’s website

• Submit your questions to support@cynthiathurlow.com

• Join other like-minded women in a supportive, nurturing community: The Midlife Pause/Cynthia Thurlow 

• Cynthia’s Menopause Gut Book is on presale now!

• Cynthia’s Intermittent Fasting Transformation Book

• The Midlife Pause Supplement Line

Connect with Dr. Karan Rajan

• On the Loam website

•  Instagram and YouTube

• On other social media: @drkaranrajan