Adrenal Fatigue from a Traditional Chinese Medicine Perspective (Why Food and Qigong Matter)

Today, I want to talk about an approach that supports recovery from what many people call adrenal fatigue through the lens of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the paired practices of Qigong and food.

If you’ve experienced symptoms like a racing heart, anxiety, palpitations, insomnia, or that wired-but-exhausted feeling, you may have been told adrenal fatigue isn’t a real thing.

Medically, what’s more accurate is HPA axis dysregulation, a breakdown in communication between the brain, nervous system, and adrenal glands.

The name matters less than the experience. The problem is that doctors rarely talk about this, whatever name you call it, but it affects so many people, especially women.

And the experience can be frightening. I know because I’ve lived it. Doctors refused to listen to me and wanted me on all sorts of medication. It took years for me to really understand what was happening. Luckily, I was smart enough to say no finally.

For many people, these symptoms don’t last weeks. They last months or years, especially when there’s no medical or social support. The body does recalibrate, but it does so slowly—much like an engine that’s been pushed too hard and now needs time to cool down and recover.

That’s where Qigong and nutrition work together.

I’m Lynn Marie—a Qigong practitioner and Traditional Chinese Medicine student—and today I want to give you a framework for understanding what’s happening in your body and how gentle movement, breath, and food can support recovery.

What’s Really Going On

Most people I see developed these symptoms after chronic stress, not just one event, but layers:

• Long work hours

• Divorce or illness

• Grief or injury

• Chronic loneliness

• Major life transitions without support

Even when the mind says, “I’m fine,” the body may strongly disagree.

Waking in the night. Persistent anxiety. A nervous system that never fully settles. This is your body trying to say something is wrong.

From a TCM perspective, this is not a personal failure—it’s a patterned physiological response. And this is where Qigong becomes essential.

Qigong works directly with:

• the breath (which regulates the nervous system),

• posture and movement (which restore circulation),

• and intention (which helps the body feel safe enough to soften).

In TCM, we don’t chase individual symptoms—we look at patterns. One pattern can explain five or six symptoms at once, and one well-chosen practice can support many systems simultaneously.

Common TCM Patterns Seen in “Adrenal Fatigue”.

You may recognize yourself in more than one.

1. Spleen Qi Deficiency

This often shows up as:

• Digestive issues

• Food sensitivities

• Loose stools

• Low or erratic appetite

• Fluid retention

This is a pattern of digestive exhaustion.

In Qigong, this is supported by:

• slow, grounding movements

• gentle abdominal breathing

• practices that emphasize stability and rhythm

Food and movement work together here. Digestion improves not just from what you eat, but from how calm your system is while eating.

2. Liver Qi Stagnation (or Heat)

Often linked to chronic stress:

• Irritability or frustration

• Constipation or alternating stools

• Abdominal tension

• Menstrual irregularities

• Sometimes, elevated blood pressure

This is pressure without release.

Qigong helps by:

• encouraging gentle twisting and side-body movements

• restoring smooth circulation

• giving the nervous system a safe outlet for stress

This is where people often feel emotional relief before physical symptoms shift.

3. Kidney Yin Deficiency

(often paired with Heart Qi deficiency)

Common symptoms include:

• Insomnia

• Anxiety

• Palpitations

• Dry skin, hair, or eyes

• Hot flashes or night sweats

This is depletion with heat—the system is running too fast on too little reserve.

Qigong here is quiet and internal:

• slow breath

• stillness practices

• movements that descend energy rather than lift it

The goal is not stimulation, but containment.

4. Kidney Yang Deficiency

Often later-stage exhaustion:

• Dizziness on standing

• Cold intolerance

• Low back pain

• Tinnitus

• Urinary issues

• Profound fatigue

This reflects a weakened internal “battery.”

In Qigong, this means:

• warming practices

• low, rooted stances

• avoiding overexertion

More is not better here. Consistency is.

Four Core TCM Dietary Principles - (And How Qigong Supports Them)

Diet alone won’t resolve clinical anxiety or depression—but when paired with Qigong, it becomes a powerful ally.

1. Support the Kidneys (Your Life Battery)

Food focus:

• Warm, cooked foods: soups, stews, congee

• Mineral-rich foods: bone broth, seaweed, black sesame, walnuts, kidney beans

• Warming proteins: chicken, lamb, beef, duck eggs, and organ meats if tolerated

• Warming spices: ginger, cinnamon, clove, fennel, nutmeg

Qigong focus: Practices that warm the lower body, slow the breath, and build internal steadiness.

Cold bodies don’t heal efficiently—and neither do overstimulated ones.

2. Strengthen Spleen Qi (Digestion & Absorption)

Food focus:

• Easy-to-digest foods: porridge, root vegetables, steamed greens

• Naturally sweet foods: millet, dates, figs, chestnuts, goji berries

• Avoid excessive raw foods, smoothies, cold drinks, dairy, and excess fruit

Qigong focus: Gentle movements that massage the abdomen and calm the nervous system before meals.

Weak digestion is often a sign of chronic vigilance (your nervous system on high alert), not just poor food choices.

3. Move Liver Qi (Stress Patterns)

Food focus:

• Green and slightly bitter foods: dandelion greens, mustard greens, celery – gently cooked

• Sour foods in moderation: lemon, apple cider vinegar, plums

• Gentle fermented foods like miso

Qigong focus: Flowing movements, side bends, and gentle rotations that help the body exhale stored tension.

This is where many people finally feel relief.

4. Nourish Yin (For Heat, Dryness, Insomnia)

Food focus:

• Yin-nourishing foods: black sesame, almonds, snow fungus mushrooms, coconut

• Slightly fattier proteins: duck, pork, eggs, black beans

• Hydration through soups and broths

• Reduce caffeine and alcohol

Qigong focus: Stillness, slow breath, and practices that anchor energy downward.

Stimulation delays recovery here.

Final Thoughts

Food and Qigong are not separate paths—they’re two hands doing the same work.

These practices won’t force healing. They invite it.

Healing in this terrain isn’t aggressive. It’s patient. It’s warm. It’s consistent.

And over time, that’s how the body remembers how to feel safe again.

Love, Jing, Chi & Shen,

Lynn Marie

Founder

ChiFlow Academy