When Inflammation Won’t Quit: How I’m Managing Menopause, "May"hem, and a Flare-Up or Two

My ankle sprain from March 14th still lingering!

When Menopause and Inflammation Tag Team Your Healing

Lately, I’ve been riding the inflammation and menopause rollercoaster. My tennis elbow flared (again), and my month-old sprained ankle still refuses to heal like it used to. Sound familiar?

Here’s the kicker: it’s not just aging—it’s menopause.

As estrogen drops, pro-inflammatory cytokines rise. That means more aches, more swelling, and slower healing. It’s part of the midlife script no one hands you… until you’re limping through it.

So—what’s a girl to do?

Anti-Inflammatory Allies: Food, Breath, and PT on Speed Dial

Grab this in my Facebook group!

First stop: the kitchen. I’ve been leaning into colorful, antioxidant-rich foods—think berries, leafy greens, turmeric, and salmon. These help dial down inflammation naturally.

Want to try it yourself? I’ve added a fabulous anti-inflammatory recipe book to my free Facebook group. It’s full of simple, nourishing meals that love you back.

Second: I’m calling in backup. And no, not just myself as a PT—my own PT. Dry needling has been my go-to for stubborn muscle pain. It’s a game changer that stimulates healing through micro trauma.

Dry Needling is a Game Changer!

Let’s Talk Breath and Pelvic Floor (Because Alignment Starts from Within)

Lately, I’ve been leaning into the basics: breath and pelvic floor connection. With my son graduating from Georgia Southern, Mother’s Day around the corner, and life moving at full speed, it’s easy to feel ungrounded.

But here’s the thing—your breath and pelvic floor are a dynamic duo. They stabilize your core, calm your nervous system, and support everything from posture to pelvic health. That’s why I created a quick new video focused on these foundational tools.

It’s now available in my Video-on-Demand library—and you can access it free for 3 days. Just enough time to reconnect, reset, and feel the shift from the inside out.

Breath and Pelvic Floor

From Mayhem to Mindful

Looking for Wisdom in a Time of Mayhem

Along with breathwork, I’ve been leaning into gentle yoga flows and long walks with a soul-soothing playlist. There’s something about music—it rewires the nervous system, one beat at a time.

Check out my go-to playlist here. Check out my go-to playlist here.

I’d love to know—what songs or rituals help you shift from chaos to calm? Drop a comment in the blog or join the conversation in my Facebook group. Facebook group

Let’s crowdsource the soundtrack to serenity.

⸻

Let’s pause, breathe, and thrive,

Amanda Curd

Anchor to Life Pilates & Nutrition