Concept of Blood

The concept of blood (xue) in traditional Chinese medicine is closely related to the concept of blood in Western medicine except that it goes further to include functions such as tissue nourishment.  The diagnosis of “blood deficiency” in Chinese medicine often corresponds to iron deficiency anemia in Western medicine but a patient can still have “blood deficiency” by Chinese medical standards even though testing may reveal normal blood iron level.

During female monthly cycle, blood plays a major roll in nourishing the endometrium (uterine lining) and preparing it for embryo implantation.   Endometrial tissue is very sensitive to hormonal fluctuations and as it gets closer to the ovulation, estrogen production increases which in turn provokes endometrial lining to proliferate and produce more blood vessels.   Nice and rich uterine lining creates a fertile ground for the new life to develop.  If uterine lining is too thin the process of conception becomes more difficult.  Uterine lining can be seen and measured via ultrasound and the thickness between 8 and 13 millimeters in the second part of the cycle (after ovulation) is generally considered normal.

What Causes Blood Deficiency?

Women are especially prone to blood deficiency if they have a history of heavy periods.  It is important to replenish the blood that has been lost during the period by eating blood nourishing and iron rich foods.  Inadequate protein intake is a very common contributing factor as well.  If a woman is consuming vegan or vegetarian diet she has to be especially careful to include enough protein with every meal, supplement vitamin B12 as well as include cereal grasses like wheat grass and micro algae such as spirulina and chlorella .  According to Chinese medical theory, overexercising tends to consume the blood which is why most professional athletes tend to stop menstruating.

Inability to absorb nutrients and gastrointestinal bleeding are important contributors to blood deficiency.  If a person experiences digestive issues it is important to address them first before prescribing blood tonic herbs which can be difficult to digest.  Anxiety, worry and over thinking can interact with the digestive process since the way we process our emotions is directly linked to the way we process our nutrients.  That is why our gut has been referred to as our “second brain” and functional GI disorders are closely linked to the amount of stress that we experience.

Signs and Symptoms of Blood Deficiency

Typical signs and symptoms of blood deficiency include:

-history of irregular periods

-light and short menstrual bleeding

-amenorrhea (complete cessation of periods)

-fatigue especially during and after periods

-dry skin, brittle nails, hair loss

-thin body constitution

-tingling and numbness in extremities, muscle tension

-tendency toward constipation and dry stools

-pale complexion, pale tongue, thin and weak pulse

How is Blood Deficiency Treated?

Blood deficiency responds well to dietary changes and usage of blood building herbal tonics.  To enrich blood with nutrition there are two general approaches:  improving digestive function and absorption of nutrients and adding blood building foods.   General guidelines for improving overall digestive function include:

-remove processed and denatured foods from your diet

-reduce or completely avoid sugar

-include fresh vegetables on daily basis

-eat fruit when in season

-consume only best quality organic meats

-regularly consume  fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, yogurt, kefir, miso,

-drink only room temperature water and herbal tea, avoid fruit juices, coffee (especially decaf), sodas, energy drinks

Foods that are specifically used to build blood include:

-animal protein: chicken/beef liver, lamb,beef, chicken, turkey, gelatin, mussels, oysters, sardines, eggs

-grains: rice, oats, wheat, bran flakes, millet

-legumes: lentils, beans (black, kidney, navy, pinto), garbanzo beans, mung beans,

-vegetables: green leafy veggies (swiss chard, spinach, kale), beets, seaweed, sprouts, artichokes, mushrooms, cabbage, celery, watercress

-fruits: cherries, all berries (blackberry, raspberry…), grapes, dried apricots, dried figs, prunes

-nuts and seeds: almond, sesame, sunflower, pumpkin, cashew

-herbs/other: nettles, wheat grass, spirulina, royal jelly, mugwort, white peony root, angelica root, rhemannia root, blackstrap molasses

General suggestions:

-chew your food properly

-sit down when you eat and avoid watching TV, reading, talking on the phone while eating

-try to rest as much as possible during your period and keep you body well dressed and warm

-don’t exercise to the point of exhaustion

-use meditation or any other mind calming exercises that help you relax

RECIPE:

Fast Beet Root Soup

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 medium beetroots, grated

1 large carrot, grated

1 onion, finely chopped

1 leek, cut into thin strips

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 liter/1 3/4 pints beef/chicken/vegetable stock (or plain water)

salt and black pepper

2 tablespoons natural yogurt

Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the vegetables and garlic for 2-3 minutes. Add the stock, bring to the boil and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Before the end of cooking time add salt and pepper to taste. You can add yogurt just before serving.

Beetroot is nutritious and energizing, rich in potassium, silica, iron, amino acids and vitamins A, V and C. It is ideal blood tonic in anemia and is traditionally used in debilitating diseases and convalescence. Beef stock provides vital amino acids and nutrients for strengthening muscles and bones.

Here are some of the highlights:

“Human fertility has been decreasing since the birth of intensive agriculture over 50 years ago.  Average sperm counts among healthy American men dropped 58 percent between 1938 and 1988. In Europe, sperm counts dropped by 3.1 percent each year between 1971 and 1990.  Studies from Belgium, France and Scotland have also shown losses in sperm quality, motility, development and the number of normally shaped sperm.

The reason for falling sperm quality and quantity is thought to be a cocktail of dietary hormones  and pesticides , some of which can disturb the body’s own hormones. Some pesticides have been linked to masculinisation of female animals, feminization of male animals, eggs found in the testes of roach in UK rivers, low egg viability, enlarged ovaries and reduced penis size in Florida alligators and female-female paring in birds.

A study published in The Lancet in 1994 found that organic farmers had much higher sperm counts than other blue-collar workers.  Sperm counts were more than twice as high in organic farmers (363 million sperm per milliliter of semen) as in a control group of welders and printers (164 million per milliliter).

Men who consume mostly organic produce have higher sperm counts and greater sperm quality than men eating regular, pesticide-treated produce. And conventional farmers who do not eat organic food have a significantly lower proportion of normally-shaped sperm.”

If you and your partner have been trying to conceive without success and you consume conventionally (pesticide rich!) foods please consider switching to organic food.  If your think that eating organic food is too expensive you can refer to one of my previous article titled “Pesticides”.  It will give you a list of most and least pesticide contaminated foods.

To read the original article click here.

Image source: http://www.scienceprogress.org

The fact is that the stress from infertility has been compared to the stress that people experience while suffering from life threatening diseases like cancer, AIDS and heart disease.  Doing anything that decreases such high stress level can only have a positive effect on the overall health as well as infertility treatment.   The article claims that “The practice of meditation and relaxation can help increase the clarity of the mind, maintain healthy body chemistry, and give patients the patience to undergo the rigors of infertility treatments. When one understands and can attain physical relaxation, one tends to feel better about the body itself, and begins to treat the body with more respect. This understanding can lead to healthier lifestyle habits as well as increased sensitivity regarding symptoms and body processes. This is beneficial to both doctor and patient as the patient can report with more clarity and sense cycles and physical issues more readily.”

Source: pubmed

During winter months, you should increase the consumption of meats, especially lamb and beef since they have warming energetic value.  Stews or soups that have been cooked for long periods of time are especially good for building up yang energy and keeping you warm.  If you have a crock pot you can throw in some meat and vegetables in it at night and you will have your lunch or dinner ready in the morning!  Organ meats like chicken livers are strong blood tonics and are the richest sources of iron.  Iron is especially helpful for women are are planning to conceive or are pregnant.  Chicken livers can be fried with a bit of garlic, onions and/or soy sauce (I like to add a dash of lime at the end), or eaten as pate over whole wheat bread for breakfast or snack.  Make sure that you purchase organic liver.  Fresh fish is a great source of omega 3 acids and should be consumed at least twice per week.   Avoid consumption of large fish like tuna since it contains high levels of mercury.  Small fish like sardines, mackarel  or anchovies are a better choice.  Wild cought salmon is definitely better than farm raised.  If you don’t like fish, make sure that you take a high quality fish oil supplement in order to compensate your omega 3’s.

Root vegetables like beets, squash, sweet potatoes as well as cabbage, cauliflower and rutabagas are great winter vegetables and can be consumed baked, fried or in soups.  Fermented cabbage in a form of sauerkraut or kim chee are staple foods in Europe and Asia in the winter months.  They are rich in vitamin C as well as beneficial bacteria which help with overall digestive function.

Consumption of fruits should be limited in the winter months since fruits have very cool energetic nature.  Most fruits are abundant  in summer time because they cool us down and are refreshing.  Dried fruits like apricots, cherries, plums etc.  can be simmered in water with warming spices like cinnamon, cloves, ginger and eaten as a compote or added over morning oatmeal for a yummy breakfast.   Baked apples make your whole house smell so good and are great comfort food especially when mixed with walnuts or other nuts. 

Eggs and full fat dairy products are a great source of protein and should be consumed daily (unless you are allergic to them).  Fermented products like kefir and yogurt are especially helpful since they also contain friendly bacteria that help digestive function.  Make sure that you buy organic dairy products and that you don’t consume milk straight out of the fridge (for more details you can read my article “Got Real Milk?”).  Eggs are nature’s perfect food rich in B vitamins and iron, both essential for healthy conception and pregnancy. 

Getting whole grains into your diet is essential since processed grains have been stripped of most of their nutritional value.  Whole wheat bread is more nutritious than white bread.  You should also consider indluding grains like: buckwheat, oats, quinoa and millet into your diet.

Legumes like lentils, beans are chickpeas are great sources of protein as well as fiber and should be consumed in abundance.  If you have trouble digesting them, try adding bay leafs and spices like cumin seeds while cooking.   

Plain water is the best drink you can choose.  Room temperature or warm water is better since cold water can produce indigestion and abdominal cramping.  Herbal teas are another great choice.  Also, sipping  chicken/beef/lamb broths can provide you with all necessary minerals in easily digestible and most natural form.

Lastly, taking a good quality pre natal vitamin is a good idea since it will ensure that you are receiving all the nutrition necessary.

Things to be eliminated include:

-Trans fatty acids (e.g. margarine or other types of hydrogenized oils)

-Junk and all processed  foods

-Sugar

-Sodas

-Caffeine

-Cigarettes and other drugs

-Pharmaceutical drugs (if possible)

If you have a serious medical condition, you should be evaluated by a qualified health practitioner as well as nutritionist in order to determine the best possible diet for you and your future baby.