“For me, the opposite of scarcity is not abundance. It’s enough. I’m enough. My kids are enough.”
Brene Brown
Overview of Todays’ Post:
In my post about “basics” I mentioned that Traditional Chinese Medicine views fatigue as a problem of deficiency, excess, or a combined pattern with both.
Today you are going to learn more about deficiency type fatigue. Which categories you fall into, and I will point to some suggestions on how you can start working through these issues from home starting today.
A Picture of Deficiency:
First things first. Let’s find out if this post applies to you! What does a person with deficiency type fatigue look like? Does this sound like you? (for those who are more visual or don’t like lists listen to the podcast)
- Risk Factors
- More common in women (you loose a lot of “vital substances” during menstruation).
- More common in people with restrictive diets such as vegetarians/vegans or those with food sensitivities.
- More common in people who have problems with digestion such as acid reflux, nausea, or constipation (you aren’t absorbing what you eat properly).
- More common if you have a history of childhood illness
- More common with people who overwork themselves either through mental work (study, career) or physical work (exercise junky)
- Common after childbirth
- Common Signs and Symptoms
- Deficiency issues tend to be more mild and symptoms tend to be more manageable with naps and caffeine.
- Symptoms vary widely depending on the organ(s) involved but often include:
- Mild shortness of breath
- Dry or weak cough
- Tendency to catch colds/flu bugs
- Dry eyes/floaters in the eyes
- Mild dizziness usually made worse when not eating or when going from sitting to standing
- Poor appetite
- General muscle weakness or fatigue
- Mild depression or anxiety
- General Signs include:
- Tendency to be thin or underweight
- Tendency to be pale
- Frequent desire to lay down
- Tendency to be soft-spoken or quiet
Up Next: The 4 Types of Deficiency (Which Type Are You?)
