Why can't I get rid of my fatigue even after sleeping in the summer? Why am I prone to fatigue and unable to lose weight? — A discussion on "Blood Deficiency" and summer fatigue for women in their 50s and menopause
When summer comes, I feel sluggish from the morning even though I should have slept well. I get tired easily, but for some reason, my weight won't drop. In fact, I feel like it's harder to lose weight than before.
This is a very common concern received from women in their 50s and menopause during the summer.
This article is written for women around their 50s who feel that "I can't get rid of my fatigue even after sleeping in the summer" and "I get tired easily but can't lose weight."By the time you finish reading, you should understand that the background of these ailments involves what is called "Blood Deficiency" (lack of blood) in Oriental medicine, and why "replenishing" rather than "cutting back on meals" is considered the shortcut to caring for both summer fatigue and difficulty losing weight.
Drawing on my 27 years of experience as a pharmacist at Tsugumi Kampodo, a specialty herbal medicine shop in Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture, where I have helped people shed a total of over 3,000 kg of fat (about the weight of 3 light cars), I will explain this as gently as possible.
※This article introduces the constitutional perspective of Oriental medicine and does not guarantee any effects. There are individual differences in how people feel. If you have an underlying illness or are currently seeing a doctor, please be sure to consult your primary physician.
Why can't I get rid of my fatigue even after sleeping in the summer?
To give you the conclusion first,in Oriental medicine, it is believed that the body's "Blood" is easily depleted in the summer, which leads to the difficulty in recovering from fatigue.with this, it is thought that the body is circulated by three things: "Qi (energy)," "Blood," and "Water (fluids)."
Qi…The energy that moves the body
Blood…That which carries nutrition and moisture throughout the body
Water…The moisture that hydrates the body
Among these,it is said that Blood is easily depleted along with sweat.In the summer, we sweat a lot without realizing it, and nutrition also tends to be insufficient due to cold foods and light meals. As a result, the body tilts toward a state of insufficient blood, or "Blood Deficiency."
Blood is also considered to play the role of repairing the body while sleeping and filling it with energy for the next morning. If that blood is insufficient, it might be easy to imagine that you are in a state where "there are not enough materials for repair," making it difficult to recover from fatigue even if you sleep for a long time.
Feeling lightheaded in the summer, having brittle nails, dry hair, dry skin, or a complexion that doesn't look quite right—Oriental medicine views these signs as often being related to Blood Deficiency.
Is it true that being prone to fatigue makes it hard to lose weight?
You might think, "If I'm tired, I should be losing weight." However, in conclusion,fatigue and difficulty losing weight are connected through Blood Deficiency.Blood is what carries nutrition throughout the body and supports circulation. When blood is insufficient, nutrition and moisture have a hard time reaching every corner of the body, and
the foundation for metabolism itself becomes weakis how it is perceived in Oriental medicine.In other words,
You deplete blood in the summer
Nutrition and energy have a hard time reaching the body
The body enters "energy-saving mode," and circulation and metabolism drop
You become prone to fatigue and, at the same time, find it hard to lose weight
is the flow.
What many people end up doing here is responding by saying, "I'm not losing weight, so I'll reduce my meals even more." However, if you cut back on meals while you are already lacking blood, the materials for blood themselves decrease, which can actually prolong your fatigue and difficulty losing weight.
When you feel it's hard to lose weight in the summer, what you really need might not be "cutting back," but firstregulating and replenishing.
Why do I get lightheaded or feel anemic in the summer?
In conclusion, getting lightheaded or feeling anemic in the summer is alsoconsidered one of the signs of Blood Deficiencyin Oriental medicine.
Summer, when we sweat, is a season where not only blood but also the body's moisture is easily lost. When blood becomes thin and scarce, nutrition has a hard time reaching the head and the extremities of the limbs, which can manifest as lightheadedness, dizziness, and heart palpitations.
What is important here is the existence that supports "Qi," the gateway for nutrition = white rice.At Tsugumi Kampodo, we value
not cutting out white riceeven when dieting. This is because in Oriental medicine, white rice is considered the "source of Qi" and is thought to be the foundation for creating the energy that moves the body. Only when there is sufficient Qi can the power to create blood from what you eat work. Therefore, we believe that making white rice your ally is, in the end, the shortcut to replenishing blood.Many people worry, "Won't I fail to lose weight if I don't restrict carbohydrates?" but at Tsugumi Kampodo, we do not recommend carbohydrate restriction. What we value is not "what to cut out" but "how to eat."
※If anemia persists or is severe, there may be medical causes hidden behind it, not just Oriental medical constitution. If you have symptoms that concern you, please be sure to visit a medical institution.
What is the difference between a restrictive diet and "replenishing" herbal medicine?
In conclusion,when dealing with summer Blood Deficiency, the idea of "replenishing" is more appropriate than "cutting back."Let's compare a general diet during fatigue with the approach at Tsugumi Kampodo.
■ Basic concept
General: "Cut back" or "endure" meals
Tsugumi Kampodo: "Replenish" and "regulate" what the body needs
■ Handling white rice
General: The first thing to reduce
Tsugumi Kampo-do: Use it as an ally as a 'source of Qi'
■ When the body is tired
General: Tendency to increase exercise even when tired
Tsugumi Kampo-do: First, replenish blood and Qi to establish a foundation
■ Interpretation of difficulty in losing weight
General: Tendency to view it as 'lack of effort'
Tsugumi Kampo-do: View it as an imbalance in constitution (such as blood deficiency)
■ Ease of continuation
General: Hard to maintain self-denial
Tsugumi Kampo-do: Easy to continue with little sense of self-denial
■ Support system
General: Basically self-management
Tsugumi Kampo-do: Accompanying daily meals via official LINE
Clients of Tsugumi Kampo-do often tell us, 'I don't feel like I'm depriving myself, yet my body feels lighter.' In fact, we have seen examples of changes such as a 50-year-old going from size L to M (-9kg) and a 57-year-old losing 8cm from their waist (*These are just examples; individual results may vary).
In Kampo philosophy, we do not view physical discomfort as something to be 'pushed through with willpower.' We consider being prone to fatigue and difficulty losing weight as signs that an imbalance in your constitution is manifesting in your body. That is why, rather than blaming yourself, we gently replenish what is lacking. We believe this is the first step to successfully managing summer fatigue. Furthermore, at Tsugumi Kampo-do, while focusing on dietary therapy, we also propose support products (such as Kampo medicine) to bolster your constitution when necessary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Should I reduce my food intake when I am tired to lose weight?
A. In Oriental medicine, we think the opposite. If you cut back on food when you are tired due to blood deficiency, the materials for blood decrease, which can prolong fatigue and difficulty in losing weight. We recommend replenishing and balancing first.
Q. I am prone to anemia; is Kampo alone okay?
A. While some people feel better with dietary therapy, if anemia persists or is severe, there may be underlying medical causes. Please be sure to consult a medical institution for any concerning symptoms.
Q. Can I consult you even if I am far from Fukuyama?
A. Yes. We provide online support nationwide. You can consult via Zoom and LINE, and Kampo medicine will be delivered to your home; no store visit is required.
Track Record | Over 3,000kg of fat lost to date
Supported by Natsue Fujiwara (commonly known as Kae-sensei), a pharmacist with 27 years of experience.
To date, the total amount of fat shed by the people we have supported exceeds 3,000kg. This is equivalent to about three light cars.
'My constitution changed in 3 months, and I was able to welcome summer with confidence'
'I didn't rebound, and my weight has remained stable since'
'My menopausal symptoms eased, and my body feels much better'
We have received many such comments.
*Individual results may vary.
Summary — Regulating summer fatigue by "replenishing"
Finally, let's review the key points.
In summer, you are prone to consuming "blood" along with sweat, andblood deficiencyis likely to occur
When blood is insufficient, it is difficult to recover from fatigue even after sleeping, and the foundation of your metabolism weakens, which is thought to make itharder to lose weightas well
Dizziness and feeling anemic can also be signs of blood deficiency
The important thing is to "replenish" rather than "cut back." Make white rice your ally and incorporate ingredients that replenish blood
Face your summer body with the mindset of regulating it, rather than enduring it
Summer lethargy and difficulty losing weight are not because you aren't trying hard enough. They may be signs that your body is telling you it needs to be "replenished."
Tsugumi Kampodo accepts free consultations via our official LINE account from anywhere in the country. If you feel like "I wonder which type I am" or "I want to do something about this summer lethargy," we can work together step-by-step via LINE, with no need to visit the store and with home delivery available. We will think about what can be done together.
▼ You can find the way to eat that replenishes blood and suits you together in our "Weight Loss Constitution Discovery Session" on our official LINE (free, supports online nationwide, no store visit required).
Click here to register for LINE
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