🌿 Peri-Menopause, Pain, and Undernourished Tissues: How to Rebuild Your Body from the Inside Out

peri-menopause fascia is undernourished due to lack of estrogen.

If you’re in peri-menopause and suddenly dealing with stubborn pain—plantar fasciitis, low back tightness, shoulder tension, or that “saran wrap” feeling in your muscles—you’re not imagining it.

Stretching doesn’t help.Massage only brings short-term relief.Movement feels harder than it used to.

As an acupuncturist who lives this experience, I want you to know:

👉 There is a reason.👉 And there is a solution.

Let’s talk about what’s really happening in your tissues—and how to rebuild them.

🌸 What’s Causes Peri-Menopause Pain?

During peri-menopause, estrogen begins to fluctuate and decline. Estrogen supports:

• Tissue hydration

• Collagen production

• Circulation

• Inflammation control

• Fascia elasticity

  
  

When it drops, tissues become:

• Drier

• Less flexible

• More inflamed

• Slower to heal

  
  

From a TCM perspective, this reflects:

• Blood Deficiency

• Yin Deficiency

• Liver & Kidney weakness

• Qi & Blood stagnation

  
  

When tissues are undernourished, they cannot relax—no matter how much you stretch.

🌿 The “Saran Wrap” Feeling: Why You Feel Tight Everywhere

Many women in peri-menopause describe feeling:

• Bound up

• Restricted

• Tight all the time

• Stiff despite movement

  
  

In TCM, this happens when:

Blood isn’t feeding muscles. Yin isn’t moistening fascia. Qi isn’t circulating.

Think of it like trying to run your body on empty.

No amount of stretching fixes an empty tank.

🦶 Why Plantar Fasciitis and Joint Pain Appear Now

Common peri-menopause pain patterns include:

• Plantar fasciitis

• Low back pain

• Hip pain

• Shoulder/neck tension

• Frozen shoulder

• 
  

In TCM, joints, feet, and spine rely on Kidney and Liver nourishment.

When estrogen declines:

→ Kidney Yin weakens→ Blood decreases→ Fascia dries→ Inflammation rises→ Pain develops

This is why pain often appears “out of nowhere” in midlife.

🌼 How to Truly Nourish Your Tissues (TCM + Integrative Approach)

Healing this pattern requires regeneration—not quick fixes.

Here’s what works when done consistently:

1️⃣ Build Blood & Yin with Food

Focus on deeply nourishing foods:

🥩 Grass-fed meats🥚 Eggs🐟 Wild salmon🥬 Dark leafy greens🍠 Sweet potatoes🫘 Black beans🌰 Sesame seeds🍒 Berries

TCM also emphasizes:

• Bone broth

• Soups and stews

• Warm, cooked meals

  
  

Avoid excess raw/cold foods—they weaken digestion and absorption.

2️⃣ Glycine: The Collagen & Repair Amino Acid

Glycine is a simple amino acid with powerful benefits for peri-menopausal tissues.

It helps:

Build collagen. Repair fascia. Support joints. Improve sleep. Calm the nervous system.

Glycine is found in:

• Bone broth

• Collagen powder

• Gelatin

  
  

Many women benefit from supplementing glycine in the evening to support both tissue repair and deeper sleep—when healing happens.

From a TCM lens, this supports Blood and Yin restoration.

3️⃣ Trace Minerals: The Spark Plugs of Healing

Trace minerals are required for:

⚡ Tissue regeneration⚡ Hormone signaling⚡ Nerve function⚡ Muscle relaxation⚡

Enzyme activity

Key minerals include:

• Magnesium

• Zinc

• Copper

• Selenium

• Manganese

  
  

Deficiency can lead to:

• Muscle tightness

• Poor healing

• Fatigue

• Increased pain

  
  

High-quality trace mineral drops or mineral-rich foods help restore cellular function and improve tissue resilience.

In TCM terms, this supports Essence (Jing) and Kidney energy.

4️⃣ Omega-3s: Anti-Inflammatory Tissue Support

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for fascia and joint health.

They help:

Reduce inflammation. Improve circulation. Support cell membranes. Protect connective tissue.

Sources include:

🐟 Wild salmon🐟 Sardines🥜 Flax & chia💊 High-quality fish oil

Omega-3s are especially important during hormonal shifts when inflammation tends to rise.

5️⃣ Goji Berry Water: Daily Yin & Blood Tonic

In TCM, goji berries (Gou Qi Zi) are famous for nourishing:

🌿 Liver Blood🌿 Kidney Yin🌿 Eyes🌿 Muscles🌿 Tendons

Daily goji water is a gentle, powerful practice.

How to make it:

• Add 1 tablespoon dried goji berries to warm water

• Let steep 10–15 minutes

• Drink throughout the day

• Eat the berries

  
  

Benefits include:

Better hydration. Improved tissue nourishment. Hormonal support. Gentle energy boost.

Think of this as daily moisture for your fascia.

6️⃣ Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine

Targeted acupuncture helps:

Increase circulation. Reduce inflammation. Regulate hormones. Nourish Liver & Kidney systems. Promote tissue repair.

Herbal formulas may support:

• Blood building

• Yin moistening

• Joint health

• Chronic pain reduction

  
  

This is where individualized care truly matters.

7️⃣ Gentle, Consistent Movement

Prioritize nourishing movement:

🚶‍♀️ Walking🧘‍♀️ Gentle yoga🌊 Swimming💫 Qi Gong

Avoid “pushing through” pain.

Movement should restore—not drain—you.

8️⃣ Sleep, Stress & Recovery

Healing happens at night.

Chronic stress burns Yin and Blood.

Support recovery with:

🌙 Earlier bedtime📵 Reduced evening screens🌿 Nervous system regulation💆‍♀️ Gentle self-care

This directly affects tissue repair.

⏳ Why 3 Months of Consistency Changes Everything

Tissues regenerate slowly.

But when women commit for 3 months, they usually notice:

✨ Less stiffness✨ Reduced pain✨ Better flexibility✨ Improved sleep✨ More energy

This is true healing—not temporary relief.

💛 You Are Not Broken—You Are Undernourished

If you’re struggling with pain in peri-menopause:

You are not “aging badly.” You are not failing your body.

Your tissues are asking for deeper nourishment.

And when you give it to them—they respond.

🌿 Let’s Heal This Together

I walk this path with you.

I understand the frustration. I understand the exhaustion and I am on this journey with you.

If you’re ready to support your body with acupuncture, herbal medicine, and integrative care, I’d love to help.

Schedule your appointment with Free Flow Health Acupuncture in San Diego to begin your

healing journey.