When my practitioner told me my Blood was deficient, I was confused. My blood tests were normal. She was not talking about blood volume or hemoglobin. She was talking about Blood quality and nourishing function.
Blood deficiency in TCM means the Blood that nourishes your organs, eyes, hair, and Mind is insufficient or poorly nourished.
What Blood Deficiency Really Is
Blood (Xue) is more than red cells. It is the substance that:
- Nourishes all organs
- Moistens muscles and tendons
- Houses the Mind (Shen)
- Provides the material basis for menstruation
- Feeds the eyes, hair, and nails
Signs of Blood Deficiency
- Dizziness, especially when standing quickly
- Blurry vision or floaters
- Pale lips, tongue, and complexion
- Numbness or tingling in extremities
- Insomnia or light, unrefreshing sleep
- Anxiety, easily startled
- Scanty or absent menstruation
- Dry skin, hair, and nails
- Poor memory
- Constipation
Common Causes
- Poor diet (not enough blood-building foods)
- Blood loss (menstruation, surgery, injury)
- Spleen deficiency (cannot produce blood)
- Chronic illness
- Overwork
- Emotional strain
Foods to Build Blood
- Leafy greens: Spinach, kale, collard greens
- Beets: Excellent for blood quality
- Red beans: Nourish blood
- Black beans: Kidney and blood nourishing
- Goji berries: Traditional blood tonic
- Red dates (Jujube): Nourish blood and calm mind
- Liver: Traditional blood-building food
- Blackstrap molasses: Rich in iron
Herbs for Blood Deficiency
- Dang Gui (Angelica): Premier blood tonic
- Shu Di Huang (Rehmannia): Nourishes blood and yin
- He Shou Wu (Fo-Ti): Blood and hair nourishing
- Long Yan Rou (Longan): Nourishes Heart blood
Quick reference:
- Key sign: Pale color + insomnia
- Best food: Beets and leafy greens
- Best herb: Dang Gui