The wisdom of the Donguibogam can also be clearly explained through modern medicine. Have you ever heard the term 'blood sugar spike'? When you consume a generous amount of sweet fruit after breakfast or as a snack, the fructose and glucose abundant in the fruit are rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream, causing blood glucose to surge sharply. It is much like suddenly pressing the accelerator on a highway.
To regulate this sharply elevated blood glucose, our body secretes a large amount of the hormone insulin from the pancreas. Insulin works to move glucose from the blood into cells to be used for energy, store it as glycogen in the liver or muscles, and convert surplus sugars into fat. However, when blood glucose rises too rapidly, insulin is also secreted excessively, and this excess insulin causes blood glucose to plummet right back down. This state is known as the blood sugar rollercoaster, where blood glucose repeatedly spikes and drops like a volatile stock chart.
When blood glucose drops sharply, our brain and body perceive a shortage of energy, leading to intense fatigue, sleepiness, impaired concentration, and lethargy. In particular, because the brain uses glucose as its primary fuel source, a drop in blood glucose lowers brain function, leaving you dazed and overwhelmed with sleepiness. This phenomenon aligns remarkably well with the Korean medicine explanation that an underperforming spleen and stomach fail to supply energy properly, as well as the concept of qi stagnation.
Furthermore, excessive fructose intake places a burden on the liver, can induce fatty liver, and may affect gut health. It can cause gut dysbiosis, triggering inflammatory responses that may lead to systemic fatigue. The gut is closely connected to the nervous system—often called the second brain—so when gut health deteriorates, stress hormone secretion can increase, worsening low mood and fatigue.
Chronic blood sugar spikes increase oxidative stress in our body's cells and promote inflammatory responses, raising the long-term risk of insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular disease. This follows the exact same principle as a weakened spleen and stomach accumulating metabolic waste, or dampness, and obstructing the circulation of qi and blood.
Therefore, please remember that heavy afternoon sleepiness and lethargy may not be simple drowsiness, but rather fruit fatigue syndrome triggered by sweet fruit. It is helpful to understand your body's signals and respond wisely based on what modern science has demonstrated.
