What is blood?
In TCM, Blood has a different meaning than in the western medicine. Blood is considered a form of Qi – a dense fluid inseparable from Qi. Qi infuses life force into the blood, generating movement, activating circulation though all the organs, moistening and nourishing all the cells and tissues of the body. As Qi is to Yang and warming, blood is to Yin – cooling and moistening.
What make up the blood?
Food that we eat.
What we eat matters because when we eat, the Qi of the spleen transforms the food into blood. The spleen extracts nourishment from the food, that that nourishment moves throughout the body via the pumping of the heart. Blood circulates throughout all the tissues and vessels of the entire body.
What function does blood do?
Whenever qi goes, blood will follow, and they cannot be separated in function. As Qi moves blood, blood nourishes and promotes Qi. It is said that the nourishing Qi circulates with the blood in the blood vessels, blood nourishes the organ systems, muscles, and tendons. The quality of blood, derived from the quality of the foods we eat and the body’s capacity to transform that food into nourishment, and is enhanced by proper nourishment.
Blood moistens the body
The blood is a fluid that bathes all the tissues of the body, ensuring that they are resilient and do not dry out. Blood also moistens the eyes, skin, hair, and tongue. If you have dry hair, skin and eyes, there may be a Blood deficiency.
What is Blood disharmony?
When blood disharmonies come to the forefront, nourishment, vitality, and ease are compromised. Where nourishment is compromised, there is blood deficiency; where there is pain, there can be blood stasis, and where there is heat, there can be irregular bleeding and dryness.
What is blood deficiency?
Blood deficiency does not imply that there is not enough blood in the system. It does mean that the body is not receiving enough nourishment via the blood. The tissues and organs are not being enveloped in nourishing blood to ensure flexibility and vibrancy of the muscles, skin, hair, and eyes. Blood deficiency can occur when there is poor nourishment, poor absorption (it can be a digestive and metabolism issue), excessive bleeding (as in excessive menstrual flow), or chronic disease.
The symptoms of a Blood deficiency are the skin and lips are pale and listless, the skin and hair are dry without sheen, memory is poor, the mind is restless, and one may suffer from depression, fatigue and insomnia. The good news is that blood deficiency can be improved with diet.
AVOID OR REDUCE FOODS THAT HAVE A WARMING OR HOT THERMAL NATURE (DRYING) Drinks such as coffee, chocolate, and black tea, too many spicy foods, alcohol, processed salty foods like chips, canned or processed soups (which are very high in sodium)
ADD NOURISHING FOOD THAT ARE NEUTRAL AND MIDLY WARMING IN NATURE Foods with a sweet flavour such as red cabbage, red beets, carrots, and spinach. Red fruits such as cherries, strawberries and red grapes, dates longan fruit, goji berries, figs, and watercress. What is Blood stagnation?
If the qi is weak or stagnant, it cannot move blood effectively and blood stagnation can occur. Blood stagnation can lead to blood stasis. If you have a physical injury, the trauma itself can cause swelling and black and blur marking (a sign of blood and fluid stagnation) which can typically include pain that is sharp and fixed in one place. Other signs of blood stagnation or stasis are premenstrual pain, menstrual cramps with blood clots or purplish lips.
AVOID FOODS THAT CONGEST AND STAGNATE greasy, fatty, fried foods, baked goods, crackers, chips and excess salt and sugar.
(No matter the health problem, eliminating processed, overly salty, sugary, fatty, artificial foods and flavour’s from your diet will ensure better overall health)
ADD FOODS THAT ARE MORE ACTIVATING AND CAN HELP BREAK UP STASIS Vinegar and medicinal wines with herbs such as dang gui and thyme. Other additions can include Eggplant, Onion, mustard greens and Chinese leeks.
What is Blood heat?
Symptoms related to blood heat can be more serious. They can include feeling hot, a dry mouth, skin eruptions that are itchy, red and inflamed, bright red menstrual bleeding, excessive menstrual bleeding and breakthrough bleeding between periods.
REDUCE OR AVOID FOODS THAT COOL BLOOD Foods that are greasy, fatty or too spicy.
ADD FOODS THAT ARE COOLING AND CLEAR HEAT Celery, spinach, mung beans, sea vegetables. *The above information is for reference/sharing purposes only.
《This information should not be used as a substitute for the advice given to you by a Chinese medicine practitioner. If you are in doubt, please consult your practitioner in charge. " *以上资料供为参考。 《此信息不应替代中医师提供给您的建议。如果您有疑问，请咨询您的中医师。》
Comments