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A Patient's Story: "I'm Not Being Greedy—I'm Being Chased by Hunger"
Recently, an 80-year-old patient (let's call her Mrs S) came to me describing herself as "cracked earth in the sun—the more I drink, the thirstier I get; the more I eat, the hungrier I feel."
Her symptoms included:
Severe morning mouth dryness despite drinking water
Unquenchable thirst throughout the day
Waking 5-6 times nightly to urinate
Unusually strong appetite, eating more than her adult son
A constant internal urge to eat
Many practitioners might immediately suspect a metabolic condition. But I wanted to start somewhere safer and potentially more revealing: examining her circadian rhythm patterns.
Because sometimes, excessive thirst and hunger aren't just about dehydration or energy deficit—they're the body saying: "My system is overheating."
What Was Happening? The Three-Part Signal
1. Subjective Symptoms
Marked thirst (unrelieved by fluids)
Frequent nocturia (5-6 times/night)
Abnormal hunger (rapid onset, intense)
Knee discomfort (swelling, pain)
2. Tongue Diagnosis
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, tongue observation provides insights into internal balance:
Thin, red tongue body
Scanty coating
Slightly dark sublingual veins
The tongue isn't a verdict—it's a radar, alerting us to which direction the system is shifting.
3. Rhythm Disruption: Where's the Heat Coming From?
Common "heat sources" I observe in similar cases:
Disrupted sleep (frequent waking, poor depth)
Irregular meal timing (late dinners, night snacking)
Evening stimulants (caffeine, spicy foods, screen time, emotional stress)
What seems like minor lifestyle habits can be, metabolically speaking, adding fuel to the fire.
Why I Call This a "Fire Pattern" Imbalance
In Chinese medicine philosophy, rhythm has temperature:
Cool/Yin: Nourishing, moistening, promotes rest
Hot/Yang: Stimulating, drying, prevents settling
When rhythm tilts toward heat, the body exhibits three cascading responses:
① Excess Heat Damages "Moisture Retention"
Symptoms: Dry mouth, thirst, dry lips, poor sleep quality.
It's not that you're not drinking enough—the body can't hold onto moisture. Like water hitting a hot pan, it evaporates instantly.
The thin tongue coating suggests: the body's "moisture foundation" is depleting.
② Excess Heat Amplifies Hunger (Seeking an "Extinguisher")
Counter-intuitively, the body uses increased eating as a cooling mechanism.
Overheated system → seeks relief → food is the easiest "fire extinguisher" available → eating more, hungry sooner, intense cravings.
③ Rhythm Chaos Disrupts Metabolic Order
Like traffic lights malfunctioning:
Should be resting → still stimulated
Should be digesting → experiencing stress
Should be stable → experiencing fluctuation
This isn't personal failure. The system is signalling: I need to cool down, I need order restored.
The 3-Day "Cool Down" Protocol
🎯 Goal: Reduce the alarm signals, allow the system to settle
Tools Needed:
Phone notes app
Morning tongue photos (before brushing, natural light, consistent angle)
Action 1: Fix Your Wake Time
Expose yourself to natural light within 10-15 minutes of waking
Consistency matters more than earliness
👉 Fire-pattern individuals struggle most with schedule inconsistency—it amplifies the heat response.
Action 2: Earlier Dinner
Finish eating 3-4 hours before bed
If genuinely hungry at night: warm, small portions, easily digestible
👉 Late eating keeps the fire burning through the night: more thirst, more restlessness, poorer sleep.
Action 3: Remove Evening Stimulants
Coffee/strong tea → morning only
Spicy, fried, rich foods → avoid near bedtime
Pre-sleep screen time and emotional stress → both "add fuel"
Daily Self-Assessment (0-10 scale):
Thirst intensity
Hunger intensity
Restlessness/tension
You're not "treating" anything. You're allowing the system to cool and return to order.
Observed Outcomes
I don't record "cured" or "percentage improvement." I note: symptom trends.
Mrs S's most noticeable changes:
Reduced nighttime waking from thirst/restlessness
Hunger no longer "chasing" her—closer to normal meal rhythm
Decreased daytime tension, better emotional regulation
In other words: the fire pattern was calmed, incrementally.
⚠️ Important caveat: If symptoms persist or worsen (thirst, urination, weight changes, vision changes, fatigue, slow wound healing), please see your doctor for proper investigation. This rhythm approach supports balance but doesn't replace medical screening.
Key Takeaways for All Patients
If you're experiencing:
Unquenchable thirst
Insatiable hunger
Evening restlessness, difficulty settling, poor sleep
Don't blame yourself first. Ask instead: "Has my rhythm shifted toward heat?"
What fire-pattern individuals need isn't stronger willpower, but:
Consistent wake times
Earlier, lighter dinners
Evening stimulant removal
When rhythm returns to track, metabolism and absorption can return to order.
This is what I call truly integrated healthcare: not adding more interventions, but cooling the system and restoring natural order.
Try It: 3-Day Self-Experiment
📌 Rate yourself today (0-10): Thirst | Hunger | Tension
Track these for three days using the protocol above. You'll understand your body's language faster than any explanation could teach you.
Questions about your own rhythm patterns? Book a consultation at [Your Clinic Name] to explore personalised approaches to health.
Share this article if you know someone struggling with unexplained thirst, hunger, or sleep disruption.
Lynn
The source One Health
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